The Leading Edge Of Early Childhood Education

The Leading Edge of Early Childhood Education aims to support the effort to simultaneously scale up and improve the quality of early childhood education by bringing together relevant insights from emerging research to provide guidance for this critical, fledgling field. It reflects the growing recognition that early childhood experiences have a powerful effect on children’s later academic achievement and long-term life outcomes. Editors Nonie K. Lesaux and Stephanie M. Jones bring together an impressive array of scholarly contributors. Topics include: · creating learning environments that support children’s cognitive and emotional development; · identifying and addressing early risk factors; · using data to guide educators’ practice; and · capitalizing on the use of technology. Recent years have seen a surge of local, state, and national initiatives aimed at expanding and improving early childhood initiatives, particularly regarding access to preK programs. The Leading Edge of Early Childhood Education promises to be a valuable resource for those charged with enacting the next level of work in this critical area.

Comprehensive and authoritative, this forward-thinking book reviews the breadth of current knowledge about early education and identifies important priorities for practice and policy. Robert C. Pianta and his associates bring together foremost experts to examine what works in promoting all children's school readiness and social-emotional development in preschool and the primary grades. Exemplary programs, instructional practices, and professional development initiatives?and the systems needed to put them into place?are described. The volume presents cutting-edge findings on the family and social context of early education and explores ways to strengthen collaboration between professionals and parents.

This book considers and interrogates a range of new and critical issues in contemporary early childhood education. It discusses both fundamental and emerging topics in the field, and presents them in the context of reflective and contemporary frameworks. Bringing together leading experts whose work is at the cutting edge of contemporary early childhood education theory and research across the world, this book considers the care and education of young children from a global perspective and deals with issues and groups of children or families that are often marginalized. The contributing authors challenge traditional views and maintain that new ways of thinking and doing are required in these new times. The chapters in this book highlight some of the most important issues as catalysts for discussion and critique. Central to the discussions is the notion that these are complex issues that warrant debate and that there are often no simple solutions to them. These theoretical perspectives are situated in practice with the use of engaging case studies. This edited collection is essential reading for anyone studying or working in early childhood education. Contributors: Marina Umaschi Bers, Erica Burman, Judith Duncan, Anne Haas Dyson, Karen Gallas, Rachael Holmes, Elizabeth Jones, Michelle Leiminer, Hillevi Lenz Taguchi, Maggie MacLure, Christina MacRae, Joanna McPake, Veronica Pacini Ketchabaw, Alan Pence, Helen Penn, Lydia Plowman, Valerie Polakow, Christine Stephen, Gail Yuen.

Theory meets practical tips in this guide for leaders of early childhood programs

The documentation of young children's learning plays a vital role in the pre-schools of Reggio Emilia. This leading edge approach to bringing record-keeping and assessment into the heart of young children's learning is envied and emulated by educators around the world. This unique, accessible and inspiring book is based upon a documentary approach successfully implemented by Stirling Council in Scotland, whose pre-school educators experienced dramatic improvements in their understandings about young children, how they learn and the potential unleashed in successfully engaging families in the learning process. This approach, which is based on careful listening to children and observation of their interests and concerns, centres around recording and commentating on children's learning through photos, wall displays, videos and a variety of different media. The authors, both experienced educators include chapters here on: why early years’ educators should use documentation as a means to enhance young children's learning the values, principles and theories that underlie the 'Reggio' approach how to implement documentations into any early years setting, with real-life case studies and hints for avoiding common pitfalls how to involve, inspire and enthuse families and the wider community

In her provocative new book, Stacie Goffin presents a leadership manifesto to the field of early childhood education: It should step forward as an agent for change by assuming responsibility for the competent practice of its practitioners and for facilitating positive results for children and their learning. As a field of practice, ECE should formally organize as a profession to realize consistency in practice across sites and program types. Goffin challenges the field to develop fieldwide leadership and diminish its reliance on public policy for defining its purpose and structure. Offering a fresh viewpoint on national efforts to improve program quality and children’s learning and development, the book concludes with “Next Steps Commentaries” written by education luminaires Rolf Grafwallner, Jacqueline Jones, and Pamela J. Winton outlining concrete action steps to jump-start the essential discussion about moving forward. “Stacie Goffin, long-time leader in early childhood education, brings her expertise and wisdom to a call for action, urging early childhood educators to rethink the present trajectory of the field and create a professional field of practice. A ‘must-read’ for people who care about the future of our young children.” —Aletha Huston, Pricilla Pond Flawn Regents Professor Emerita of Child Development, The University of Texas at Austin “Like the historic town crier, Goffin calls us to create a public space for reflection, dialogue, and action regarding the future of our field. She challenges our loose federation of early childhood educators to formally organize as a professional field of practice. Once again, Goffin is serving as a much-needed provocateur, protagonist, and catalytic agent.” —Maurice Sykes, executive director, Early Childhood Leadership Institute, University of the District of Columbia “With her usual clarity, Stacie Goffin drives her stake in the ground and then gathers us around it, urging us along an intellectual journey, not so much toward the answers for our professionbut toward exacting questions needed to get us to the place that will define us as one.” —Jana Martella, co-director, Center on Enhancing Early Learning Outcomes, Washington, DC “By shifting focus from program performance to individual/collective competence, the field of early childhood education will emerge stronger. ECE for a New Era provides a blueprint for the field’s transformation. It’s time we move beyond the field’s current narrative and create a new future scenario. Stacie is right; change starts with us—with me!” —Margot Chappel,director, Nevada Head Start Collaboration and Early Childhood Systems Office “Stacie presents a powerful challenge: all of us must step up to organize early childhood education as a professional field of practice. While parts of her analysis are sure to be debated, I hope her message gains traction among us. This issue matters enormously for children and for ourselves.” —Valora Washington, president and CEO, Council for Professional Recognition, Washington, DC

In this engaging text, author Dr. Cathy Nutbrown, a leading academic in early childhood education, identifies and explains key terms and practices central to the work and study of early childhood in this accessible reference text. Key Concepts in Early Childhood Education and Care is a must-read for practitioners working with children from birth to the end of the foundation stage, and for students following courses in early childhood education and care. It details key issues, identified in a survey of over 300 practitioners in the field, and provides reading and reference sources to assist practitioners and students in identifying further material to support their work.

"This book focuses on early childhood education which spans the human life from birth to age 8. Infants and toddlers experience life more holistically than any other age group. Social, emotional, cognitive, language, and physical lessons are not learned separately by very young children. Adults who are most helpful to young children interact in ways that understand that the child is learning from the whole experience, not just that part of the experience to which the adult gives attention. Although early childhood education does not have to occur in the absence of the parent or primary caregiver, this term is sometimes used to denote education by someone other than these the parent or primary caregiver. Both research in the field and early childhood educators view the parents as an integral part of the early childhood education process. Early childhood education takes many forms depending on the theoretical and educational beliefs of the educator or parent. Other terms that is often used interchangeably with "early childhood education" are "early childhood learning", "early care" and "early education". Much of the first two years of life are spent in the creation of a child's first "sense of self" or the building of a first identity. Because this is a crucial part of children's makeup-how they first see themselves, how they think they should function, how they expect others to function in relation to them, early care must ensure that in addition to carefully selected and trained caregivers, links with family, home culture, and home language are a central part of program policy. If care becomes a substitute for, rather than a support of, family, children may develop a less-than-positive sense of who they are and where they come from because of their child care experience.