All families have values and beliefs that guide them in their parenting journey. As an important adult in a child's life, and an influencer of a generation of compassionate people, a parent can have a positive impact on society as a whole. This booklet supports a vision of communities where children feel nurtured, safe, connected to their culture,…

This study examines transitions to school from the standpoint of the work of families. We identify systemic differences constructed through state responses to childhood disability. Based on data from a longitudinal institutional ethnography conducted in Ontario, Canada, these differences illuminate the ways in which ability and disability are…

There is an ongoing need for literature that identifies the effects of broad contextual risk on school readiness outcomes via family mediating mechanisms. This is especially true amongst diverse and urban samples characterized by variability in immigration history. To address this limitation, family profiles of sociodemographic and contextual risk…

In this article we replicate and extend findings from Duncan et al. (2007). The 1st study used Canada-wide data on 1,521 children from the National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth (NLSCY) to examine the influence of kindergarten literacy and math skills, mother-reported attention, and mother-reported socioemotional behaviors on 3rd-grade…

This article presents a response to the paper by Li, D'ngiulli and Kendall (2007). The authors address two key aspects of this paper. The first concerns a number of errors and misconceptions in the paper that the authors think are important to clarify and correct. The second issue relates to the significant amount of research and effort that has…

Using a genetic design of 840 60-month-old twins, this study investigated the genetic and environmental contributions to (a) individual differences in four components of cognitive school readiness, (b) the general ability underlying these four components, and (c) the predictive association between school readiness and school achievement. Results…

Briefly described are certain childhood attitudes, abilities, and experiences likely to help children succeed in school. Parents are advised that children will have a better school experience if they are familiar with the school building, the bus route, and their teacher; if they know other children attending their school; if they have good…

Research Findings: Integrated services for young children and families are part of the new policy landscape in early childhood, but there is limited evidence of the effectiveness of these programs and how they develop on the ground. This study examined the use of the Early Development Instrument (EDI) as both a summative program evaluation tool…

Early learning teachers do a great deal to support school transitions for young children and for their parents. There are also systematic changes that might yield benefits in promoting a smooth entry into primary education. The transition to school is usually an exciting and memorable time for children and their families. This article discusses…

The early childhood educational field has garnered attention with initiatives to foster skill acquisition in young children prior to kindergarten entry. These initiatives, in conjunction with the rigorous demands of curricular reform and a burgeoning accountability movement, invoke questions regarding the adequacy of the instruments used to assess…

Community mapping is a relatively new technique using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and scientific software to generate visual representations of community characteristics. In North York (Ontario), community mapping provided information about the influence of community resources, including educational, recreational, cultural, health, and…

There has, in recent years, been a reemergence of interest in the early years and a renewed emphasis on the importance of early education programs to ensure that all children start school ready to learn. At the same time, the move toward evidence-based policy development has led to the need to demonstrate the effectiveness of early education…

Kindergarten marks a new beginning for parent and child, and presents challenges for parents as their child makes the transition from home to school. This handbook provides a description of what parents can expect of their child's kindergarten program in Alberta, Canada. It describes how young children learn, how learning is assessed, and how…

Understanding the Early Years (UEY) is a national research initiative. It provides communities with information to enable them to make informed decisions about the best policies and most appropriate programs for Canadian families with young children. This report is based on one of seven communities studied in 2001-2002. Children's outcomes were…

Kindergarten marks a new beginning for parents and their children, and presents challenges for parents as their child makes the transition between home and school. This handbook describes what parents can expect from their child's kindergarten program in Alberta, Canada. The handbook describes how young children learn, how their learning is…