Make Early Learning Standards Come Alive

Supplementary text for the Curriculum in Early Childhood Education course in Early Childhood Education and Child and Family Studies departments. This book on state early learning standards for young children is a useful resource in helping preservice and practicing teachers learn how to connect their lesson/activity planning to many states' new early learning standards. Key chapters include presenting standards in the following areas: Communication and Literacy, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, Social/Emotional Development, Physical Development and Health, and Creative Arts. Then, how children might show progress toward these standards is divided into three levels of progress, and curriculum suggestions are provided for each progress level.

Every state has developed some form of early learning standards. Find out how you can apply and use them in ways that are most beneficial to children. Updated to reflect the continuing evolution of early learning standards, this book offers help and hints, support and clarification, and clear explanations of how you can make early learning standards come alive in your early childhood classroom or program. You’ll find tools to communicate exactly how you are addressing children’s learning as you plan for cognitive and foundational skill development, as well as suggestions to assess children’s progress. Easy-to-read charts present information about each major content area or area of development and descriptions of what those standards might look like in classrooms. The charts also suggest activities and interactions to support a child as he or she makes the first attempts toward the standard, progresses toward it, and finally accomplishes the standard. New to this edition: A chapter focusing on Approaches to Learning standards The most recent information on early learning standards from across the country References to the Common Core State Standards and their relationship to early learning standards Gaye Gronlund has consulted for national organizations, state agencies, school districts, and early childhood programs for more than twenty years. She helped two states write their early learning standards. Gronlund is well known for her many books and keynote presentations.

Play is an important vehicle for learning in the early years. With intentional planning frameworks, this resource provides teachers with tools and strategies to organize and develop curriculum around high-level, purposeful play. Practical application techniques help teachers create a cycle of planning and observation as they use a play-based curriculum to help young children thrive in the classroom. Gaye Gronlund is an early childhood education consultant who trains early childhood educators across the country. She is the author of six books.

Intentional teaching begins with focused observations and systematic documentation of children's learning and development. This book is filled with tools and techniques designed to help early childhood educators purposefully observe children, create portfolios with rich documentation, and plan curriculum that supports every child. Discussion questions, observation practice exercises, and reflection assignments are included, as well as DVD with classroom vignettes showcasing observation techniques. Gaye Gronlund is an early childhood education consultant who trains early childhood educators across the country. Marlyn James is an education and early childhood professor.

Learn to integrate individualized curriculum into daily practice with this step-by-step guide. Using Developmental Studies, a new tool created and successfully field-tested by the author, implement a truly child-focused and individualizing curriculum, meeting each child where she or he is and ultimately making teaching easier and more rewarding. These user-friendly materials will help teachers reconnect and reengage with each student outside of all the standards that are required. Gaye Gronlund devotes her time to helping teachers, administrators, and policy makers implement best approaches to teaching and assessing young children. Clients have included the NAEYC, NIEER, the State of New Mexico Office of Child Development and Pre-K Program, the Illinois State Board of Education, and more.

Make learning visible in the early years Early childhood is a uniquely sensitive time, when young learners are rapidly developing across multiple domains, including language and literacy, mathematics, and motor skills. Knowing which teaching strategies work best and when can have a significant impact on a child’s development and future success. Visible Learning in Early Childhood investigates the critical years between ages 3 and 6 and, backed by evidence from the Visible Learning® research, explores seven core strategies for learning success: working together as evaluators, setting high expectations, measuring learning with explicit success criteria, establishing developmentally appropriate levels of learning, viewing mistakes as opportunities, continually seeking feedback, and balancing surface, deep, and transfer learning. The authors unpack the symbiotic relationship between these seven tenets through Authentic examples of diverse learners and settings Voices of master teachers from the US, UK, and Australia Multiple assessment and differentiation strategies Multidisciplinary approaches depicting mathematics, literacy, art and music, social-emotional learning, and more Using the Visible Learning research, teachers partner with children to encourage high expectations, developmentally appropriate practices, the right level of challenge, and a focus on explicit success criteria. Get started today and watch your young learners thrive!

The key argument of The Characteristics of Effective Early Learning is that how children learn is as important as what they learn. This book helps you understand how to support the learning and development of young children through promoting the characteristics of effective early learning: play and exploring, active learning, and creating and thinking critically. The book: Investigates how children engage in learning through playing and exploring, and are motivated through active learning Explores how children become creative and critical thinkers able to review their own learning and thinking, imaginatively solving problems and excited by their own Examines appropriate approaches to observation, assessment and planning Supports practitioners in reporting on how children demonstrate these characteristics for the revised EYFS profile Rich in practical examples and case studies, this is an essential read for early years students and practitioners who want to find out more about how to promote the characteristics of effective early learning in their practice. Contributors: Di Chilvers, Clare Crowther, Kim Porter, Sue Rogers, Judith Stevens, Nancy Stewart, David Whitebread "This is such a useful addition to other publications which clarify, enrich and expand on messages in the revised Early Years Foundation stage. A range of early years experts offer valuable insights on important topics linked to young children learning. The contributors write authoritatively drawing on historical studies as well as more current research. Authentic case studies vividly illustrate theoretical points. Helen sets the stage beautifully, providing a rationale, structure and sequence to a book which truly and lovingly celebrates the processes of children's unfolding development." Marion Dowling, Early Years Specialist and Vice President of Early Education "An insightful and engaging read for students and professionals within the Early Years sector that brings alive the concepts of effective learning that underpin the Early Years Foundation Stage. The book provides an excellent synthesis of developmental and pedagogic research enabling readers to make connections between theory and practice. One of the great strengths of the book is the way in which young children are celebrated as active and powerful agents in their own learning. The book allows readers to reflect on how adults can build on this to ensure that the potential for learning within each child is fully supported through effective pedagogies as well as in more formal planning and assessment. The contributing authors bring a variety of perspectives and knowledge that combine to illuminate the principles behind effective early years practice and explore how these can be translated into meaningful and supportive experiences for children." Dr Mary Wild, Principal Lecturer, School of Education, Oxford Brookes University, UK "What a wonderful sub-title 'Helping young children to become learners for life'. It is so refreshing to find, (among the plethora of new publications on child development) a book that really sees all children as 'rich children' and describes them as capable and confident learners. All the authors share their knowledge in a highly accessible manner which means I can recommend this book to both our practitioners and students undertaking first degrees and post qualifying courses. The authors clearly identify the qualities and attributes of highly effective learners. They share the view that young children come into Early Childhood Education settings hungry to make sense of relationships and the world they are growing up in. They powerfully describe the kind of skilled educators that children deserve; educators who can harness children's energy, engage with their interests and extend their critical thinking." Dr Margy Whalley, Director of the Pen Green Centre for Children and Families and the Pen Green Research Base