Parent participation programs that are to effectively meet the needs of all families need to give equal consideration to the needs of all families represented in the class. Teachers are offered guidelines for planning parent participation strategies for their class. (BB)

Maintains that the dimension of quality, and the dimensions related to equality, including teacher salary, types of services rendered to children, continuity, and integrity, need to be considered by those who are formulating and implementing policy changes in the field of early childhood care and education. (BB)

Examined preschoolers', first-graders', and third-graders' responses to questions in which one authority (mother or teacher) permitted a moral or conventional act to occur across contexts and the other authority prohibited the act from occurring across contexts. Found that children's evaluations were a function of the authorities' status, the…

The psychiatric community has only recognized Asperger Disorder (AD) as a distinct syndrome since 1994. Therefore, for most early childhood educators, AD is still a new diagnosis. The majority of the children with AD are being educated in the general education classroom although it's not uncommon to see specialized placements. Unfortunately, due…

This guide is intended to help all caregiving adults--parents, grandparents, guardians, care providers, friends, preschool teachers, and other educators--to make the best decisions for and about young children in the early childhood years before the start of formal schooling. The guide aims to help caregivers learn how to: enhance their…

"Data Trends" reports present summaries of research on mental health services for children and adolescents and their families. The article summarized in this "Data Trends" reports research that revealed mental health consultation has positive impact on teacher and center quality. Research has shown that parents of children,…

Revisits issues related to self concept development in light of a more sophisticated understanding of cultural influences. Examines the construction of a view of self as independent or interdependent and its impact on socialization and development. Suggests ways for early childhood practitioners to increase their sensitivity to the values and…

Used focus groups with 23 Head Start staff from 5 urban programs to identify naturally occurring strategies to cope with children's inappropriate behavior. Found that horizontally managed centers used a more collaborative approach, whereas vertically managed centers required that teachers consult with a gatekeeper before consulting with others.…

The present study is a longitudinal examination of family-school communication in preschool and kindergarten. Preschool and kindergarten teachers and family workers of 75 children from families with low SES logged the frequency and characteristics of family-school communication, resulting in over 22,000 contacts. Data were collected during a…

A study examined the frequency with which males and females are represented in picture books available in preschool classrooms. Three areas were examined: pronoun usage and gender of characters; the frequency of gender-neutral pronouns and characters; and written text compared to teachers' wording when reading aloud. The study involved 11 head and…

An educational history of the Early Childhood Unit of the New Zealand Council for Educational Research is included as an introduction to this bibliography. Bibliographic items are grouped under 19 headings: child abuse, child advocacy, child development, child language and reading, disabilities, early childhood education, educational facilities,…

Applies key components of the Reggio Emilia approach to Hearts Home, a Houston school: (1) parent-teacher-child interdependence, including home visits, communication, training sessions, and field trips; (2) children's competence; (3) utilizing functional and beautiful learning environments; and (4) teachers as partners in co-construction of…

Explored perceptions of school readiness among preschool and kindergarten teachers, principals, and parents. Found participants experienced tensions related to their readiness views: conflict between personal teaching/learning philosophies and state expectations; pressure placed upon children, teachers, and families for children to perform; and…

Noting that observation forms the basis of all developmentally appropriate programming, this videotape helps new and experienced early childhood educators learn about children so they can individualize their program; evaluate programs so adjustments can be made to the environment, the curriculum, or both; and measure children's progress and their…

Features a self-quiz on school readiness introducing the skills children need to succeed in school. Discusses the caregiver's and teacher's role in creating an environment where children can develop the necessary traits of independence, compassion, trust, creativity, self-control, and perseverance. Delineates how these readiness skills also…