Members of an Innovation School committee from Florida Gulf Coast University and the School District of Lee County share their individual and collective perspectives on designing anew traditional public school as an inquiry-based innovation school through an articulated partnership. Perspectives are shared through the lens of narrative inquiry and…

In this commentary, the author reflects on four studies that have greatly expanded the knowledge base on effective interventions in mathematics, and he provides four rigorous experimental studies of approaches for students likely to experience difficulties learning mathematics over a large grade-level span (pre-K to 4th grade). All of the…

In this article, the author comments on Dominguez, Vitiello, Maier, and Greenfield's (2010) article on identifying quality in preschool education. Dominguez et al. have conducted a methodologically sophisticated study describing the growth of learning behavior among Head Start children. By doing so, they contribute to a growing body of evidence…

The public policy debate now raging over the education of pre-schoolers is a vivid illustration of good intentions poised to go awry. This year legislators in more than a dozen state capitals will decide how to spend hundreds of millions of new education dollars slated for preschool. The funding mechanisms they create will either support existing…

This article examines the contribution of the Russian Froebelian movement to educational theory and practice in Russia, in the context of the cultural transformation there from the second half of the nineteenth to the beginning of the twentieth century. The Froebel movement had a strong influence on not only the formation of Russian early years…

Nearly 20 years ago, before e-mails, listservs, and blogs, the author had participated in an intense discussion with a group of early childhood education and care (ECEC) program directors about the pros and cons of publicly funded pre-kindergarten (pre-K). They debated about how universal pre-K (UPK) might impact the cost of infant and toddler…

Kindergarten advocates in Germany faced the same intellectual dilemmas and obstacles that confronted the German liberal movement. Although based on an ideology created by men, the kindergarten movement demonstrated women's active and resourceful struggle for autonomy within the limits imposed upon them by culture and society. (AM)

As the current K-12 generation approaches societal maturity they will encounter issues that are changing almost as fast as they are identified. Fast on the heels of the elementary population are the pre-kindergarten children who will be facing an ever-changing global society. Business and educational leaders have called for universal preschool…

Describes the conference on the history of preschool education held by the Standing International Conference for the History of Education in September 1982 in Budapest and the contribution of the author of the history of preschools in Denmark. (Author/CB)

Many children come to kindergarten with insufficient social skills to participate in the activities necessary for academic achievement. Children enrolled in prekindergarten programs across the United States are expelled at higher rates than older students. Boys are expelled 4 1/2 times more often than girls. When children excluded from…

Examined are proposals for full-day kindergarten (FDK) and arguments for kindergarten entrance at 4 years of age. Discussion explores possible advantages and disadvantages of FDK and reports on expert opinion regarding full-day programs. Arguments for and cautions against the enrollment of 4-year-olds in public schools are reviewed. Concluding…

At St. Helena School, parent volunteers refurbished a vacant classroom to create a kindergarten and they have remained involved as aides. The author discusses what motivates parents toward school volunteer work: concern for quality education, the need for work experience, and the friendships and personal satisfaction gained from volunteering. (SJL)

Expresses a joint statement of concerns about present practices in pre-first grade reading instruction and makes recommendations for improvement. Guidelines and recommendations are the result of a collaboration among six national organizations. (KS)

Children in a rural preschool in China were observed while they participated in group learning activities. Although many aspects of the preschool program did not meet standards used in developed countries, the ability of the teacher to plan and conduct large group activities was admirable, and the children displayed many positive behaviors. (BG)

Points out that good discipline in the kindergarten classroom can be maintained by focusing on interesting and entertaining learning activities, suitable for various individual and small group levels. (BB)