This study investigated 10 Israeli preschool teachers' reasons for choosing their profession and their perceptions of the teacher's role. A narrative approach was chosen because teachers' narratives can reveal their practical knowledge and the meanings they ascribe to their teaching. Data were subjected to content analysis and linguistic analysis.…

This study investigated interactions between pedagogical documentation--a formative assessment technique and instructional intervention designed to increase student learning by recording children's experiences--and kindergarten children, families and teachers in the UAE. The study sample comprised six teachers in six kindergarten classrooms, 141…

Continuing training is important for all professionals, and is especially essential for professionals in education. In this article, we present a study that evaluates the state of continuing training in early childhood education in Spain. The research identifies the impact of training for teachers, for children and for educational centers. Results…

A qualitative analysis of four cooking activities undertaken in two nursery classes reveals relationships between the adults' pedagogical beliefs, the choice and structuring of activities, and the nature of adult-child participation. Four adults each planned and carried out separately, one cooking activity of their choice with a small group of…

This study explored pre-kindergarten teachers' beliefs about the appropriateness of early mathematics education. Thirty pre-kindergarten teachers of four-year-olds, half working with low-SES children at publicly funded pre-kindergartens and the other half with middle-SES children at private pre-kindergartens, were interviewed concerning written…

The phenomenon of using progress monitoring data to inform literacy instruction was explored in the context of four schools during their 2nd year of Reading First implementation. Open-ended interviews and surveys from 10 teachers, purposefully selected for maximum variation in effectiveness and skills and resistance to using data to inform…

O'Leary (1998) claims that any seemingly intractable challenge holds 'the potential for crisis or opportunity' (p. 435). In this article, I draw on a study of seven child care teachers' constructions of their resilience and thriving to consider O'Leary's contention in light of the so-called staffing crisis facing the child care sector in the…

This article describes how early childhood teacher education faculty at one university responded in the aftermath of hurricanes Katrina and Rita and used the disaster to enhance their undergraduate and graduate programs. They explain how they modeled developmentally appropriate practices while responding to community needs. Four companion articles…

In Hong Kong, once a British colony, sex has traditionally been viewed as taboo and, as such, seldom talked about or openly discussed in public. As a result, there is reluctance on the part of most pre-to-secondary schools to implement sex education. The aim of this preliminary study was to investigate teachers' perceptions of preschool sex…

Norway recently adopted a National Framework Plan for Preschools. In this study, the central questions are: (1) What does a Framework Plan for one to five year olds mean to the preschool teachers and their educational work with children? (2) What are preschool teachers' understandings of the concept of learning in their educational planning and…

The aim of this research was to find out what kindergarten teachers, parents and kindergarten student teachers think about education and about themselves as educators. The basic question was: what kind of similarities and differences are there between these groups of educators? The sample consisted of 21 parents, 28 kindergarten teachers and 37…

"Rethinking Early Childhood Education" is alive with the conviction that teaching young children involves values and vision. This anthology collects inspiring stories about social justice teaching with young children. Included here is outstanding writing from childcare teachers, early-grade public school teachers, scholars, and parents.…