New Jersey provides a unique context from which to explore the issue of preschool teacher certification and preparation because of the 1998 and 2000 Supreme Court decisions related to the Abbott districts. These decisions ruled that the 30 poorest districts were to create systems of high-quality preschool for all 3- and 4-year-old children…

Teachers' ratings are often used as early as the preschool period to provide an overall picture of children's behavioral adjustment and social competence. The goals of this study are to (1) show the relations among general, outcome-oriented observational categories of preschoolers' social competence and (2) specify those discrete emotions and…

This study examined the language of teachers and children during small group instruction in two cognitively oriented preschools. A total of 22 small group instruction sessions were videofilmed in each preschool. Lesson relevant utterances from the 44 videotapes were coded for grammatical and cognitive variables. In an examination of five specific…

The purpose of this paper is to explore the role of the preschool teacher in dealing effectively with aggression in the classroom setting. First, assertiveness, aggression and hostility are differentiated and theories of aggression are reviewed. Subsequently, social, home, family, and temperamental factors influencing aggressive behavior of…

In this action research study, research findings related to developing children's prosocial behavior were discussed at a seminar with parent/teachers in a cooperative nursery school to determine if post-seminar parent/teacher intervention would lead to increased prosocial behaviors in the children. Forty-seven children in the nursery school were…

This instructional booklet is part of Learning Package #2 on self concept development and child behavior used in conjunction with the Child Development Training Program at Bemidji, Minnesota. The booklet is divided into 15 brief sections which emphasize: (1) techniques of observation and experimentation; (2) measurement of the readiness concept;…

In this working paper which is being revised as part of a curriculum manual for later publication, the prevention and treatment of some classroom problems are summarized. Some guidelines are provided for teachers of preschool classes, dealing with the importance of consistent routines, of allowing the child a choice in his classroom work, and of…

Surveys of 60 preschool teachers and in-depth interviews with 10 other teachers regarding assessment and instructional decision-making practices with handicapped children revealed that evaluation and monitoring procedures were not used systematically or regularly. Behavioral observations were the most widely used single source of information for…

Relationships among social cognition, social interaction, and general cognition were studied in 109 three-year-old children. Social cognition was assessed by seven frequently used tests; general cognition was gauged by the McCarthy Scales of Children's Abilities. Social interaction was observed while each child played with a friend in a laboratory…

This paper reports stage 3 of a research project conducted in 40 preschools in Victoria, Australia. During the first stage of this project, preschool teachers were asked about their concerns relating to young children's literacy development. Their responses revealed little access to recent thinking concerning emergent literacy, either through…

This article concludes that liaison groups were found to be a useful way of bringing together the adults involved in the care and education of preschool children. (SSH)

Examines the social context of early childhood education and raises important questions and issues which must be addressed in educating teachers who can meet the challenge of preparing young children to live in a rapidly-changing world. (Editor)

Discusses factors in the successful integration of computers into the early childhood classroom, including children's openness to new experiences and the need for teachers to be open to new ideas and confident in the positive role of technology. Considers elements to look for in choosing educational software. (JPB)

Maintains that preschool teachers can encourage meaningful dialogue and enhance learning among young children by asking appropriate questions, using fewer "known-answer" and testing questions, being sensitive to cultural differences, and creating an environment in which the educational goal is conversational equality between teachers and…

Presents a former family day care provider's reflections on preschool teaching priorities. Priorities include teaching flexibility and creativity, acceptance of one's own and others' vulnerability, valuing of each other's individuality, and development of empathy. (BB)