Early childhood education contexts are complex and diverse and thus require leadership approaches that connect with the values and beliefs of that field. Currently the research on leadership in early childhood education is limited and it would benefit from research into innovative approaches employed in very different but comparable locations.…

Infants and toddlers (birth to age 3) learn what it means to be members of, and to belong to and be accepted by, their societies by adopting behaviors, attitudes, manners, and ways of thinking that are deeply rooted in what is valued in their culture. Infant and toddler teachers play a pivotal role as transmitters and maintainers of culture when…

Preparing educators to understand teaching as a cultural activity is a crucial element of teacher education programs. International field experiences have shown to accomplish this goal when combined with cross-cultural mentoring and critical reflection. This qualitative eight-month study used ethnographic methods to examine significant experiences…

The objective of this research is to create a cross-national comparison of early childhood education beliefs and ideals in Switzerland and the United States. The goal is to interview teachers in Switzerland to gain insight into their perspective on various topics in early childhood education. Those responses will then be compared against commonly…

By not properly addressing economic issues, health care, and educational needs, the United States of America was on the verge of financial collapse and people had to choose between having food or medicine. President Barack Obama emerged with a broad-based plan of change for the country which impacts every major sector of society. He wants peace to…

The purpose of this study is two-fold. First, it investigates the self-images of science teaching held by early childhood pre-service teachers who took constructivism early childhood science education courses. Second, it analyzes what aspects of those courses influenced these images. The participants were eight pre-service teachers who took these…

This volume contains selected papers submitted to the 17th Annual International Conference of the Bulgarian Comparative Education Society (BCES) held in June 2019 in Pomorie, Bulgaria. The 17th BCES Conference theme is "Glocal Education in Practice: Teaching, Researching, and Citizenship." Some selected papers submitted to the…

Background/Context: Many scholars in the fields of teacher education, multicultural education, and bilingual education have argued that children of recent immigrants are best served in classrooms that have teachers who understand the cultural background and the home language of their students. Culturally knowledgeable and responsive teachers are…

The United States is becoming increasingly diverse, so early childhood educators are often among the first to work with families whose primary languages are other than English. Many parents, guardians, and family members do speak English but not fluently enough to feel comfortable communicating with teachers or administrators. When educators and…

This research examines the experiences of elementary and early childhood pre-service teachers from the U.S. engaged in a month long study abroad internship program in England. Using data from participants written journals, we use a hermeneutic approach to interrogate their evolving sense of professional development and their understanding of…

The itinerant service delivery model is used across the United States to provide services to young children (ages 3 years-6 years) with disabilities whose primary placement is a community-based early childhood program. Although this model is a common component of the least-restrictive-environment continuum of service delivery options, the roles…

Discusses the role of school recess periods in children's social development and academic achievement. Also examines changing attitudes toward the use of recess periods in the United States and other nations, and presents strategies for classroom teachers to use in advocating school recess periods in their schools and communities. (MDM)

Presents an Association for Childhood Education International statement on the use of corporal punishment in child care, schools, and other educational settings. Statement presents evidence in support of the association's position that such practices must be banned. Suggestions are made regarding the resolution of this problem. (BB)

This paperback presents a cross-cultural analysis of early childhood education, focusing on the public primary educational systems in England and the United States. American failures and English successes are emphasized. Differences in teacher preparation, curriculum control, and classroom freedom are discussed. The English system is analyzed…

Maintains that the Italian concept of "l'inserimento" suggests a different way of thinking about children's entry to out-of-home care and challenges American practitioners to rethink current interpretations of quality care, teachers' professional responsibilities, and the role of child-development theory. Concludes that cultural…