Continuing Issues in Early Childhood Education

by Seefeldt, Carol; Galper, Alice

• ISBN13: 9780135193648
• ISBN10: 0135193648
• Edition: 2nd
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1998-01-01
• Publisher: Pearson College Div

Summary

Fifteen contributions by leaders in the field combine to present a balanced nonpartisan examination of key concerns. The book includes new chapters on advocacy, quality in child care, transition from preschool to primary school, developmentally appropriate practice, defining standards, developmental differences, and diversity.

Table of Contents

1 Who Is Responsible for Early Education?	1	(56)
1 The Role of Government in Early Care and Education: Who Decides?	7	(22)
Where We've Been: Federal and State Involvement	9	(5)
Financial Support	9	(3)
State and Local Investments	12	(1)
Program Administration and Policy Development	13	(1)
Where Are We Now? Gaps and Challenges in Care and Education	14	(4)
The Implications of Welfare Repeal	18	(4)
Where Do We Go from Here--Step Forward or Languish Behind?	22	(3)
References	25	(4)
2 Advocacy for Children	29	(13)
Advocacy: Influencing Decisions on Behalf of Children	30	(1)
A Note about Context	31	(4)
How Can Advocates Make a Difference?	35	(4)
Influencing Public Policies to Effect Systemic Change	39	(1)
References	40	(2)
3 The Mutually Beneficial Relationship Between Employers and Early Childhood Education	42	(15)
The Evolution of Employer Interest in Early Childhood and Family Supports	43	(12)
Understanding Early Childhood from the Parent/Employee Perspective	46	(1)
The Benefits of Early Childhood Programs for Employers	47	(1)
What Kinds of Companies Are Responding to Early Childhood Care and Education?	48	(1)
The Corporate Response to Early Childhood Care and Education	49	(4)
Helping to Enhance Quality	53	(1)
In Summary	54	(1)
References	55	(2)
2 When Should Early Education Begin?	57	(64)
4 Infant/Toddler Care and Education	62	(25)
Our Nation's "Triple-think" About Out-of-Home Care and Education for Infants and Toddlers	62	(3)
New Understandings About the Nature of Infant and Toddler Development	65	(6)
Findings on the Physiology of Brain Development	65	(1)
Findings on Behavioral Development	66	(5)
New Understandings about the Nature and Influence of Family and the Wider Community on Infant and Toddler Development	71	(1)
Family Development	71	(1)
The Ecology of Early Childhood	71	(1)
Summary of Implications of Recent Research for Child Care	72	(1)
Implications for Policy Related to Infant and Toddler Care and Education	73	(1)
How Close Is Policy and Practice to These Guidelines?	73	(1)
Disturbing Data from Recent Studies	73	(4)
Support for the Importance of Training and Improved Ratios	77	(1)
Poor Quality Child Care Affects Attachment of Some, Not Others: The NICHD Study of Early Child Care	78	(1)
Where Infant and Toddler Care Stands Today	78	(3)
References	81	(6)
5 Quality in Child Care: How Much Does It Matter?	87	(16)
Quality in Child Care: How Much Does It Matter?	87	(1)
"Good Enough Child Care Not to Harm"	88	(3)
Normal Children Create Their Own Experiences	88	(1)
Normal Is All That Is Necessary	89	(2)
Statistical versus Substantive Significance	91	(8)
Language Development	93	(1)
Social-Emotional Development	93	(2)
Cognitive Development	95	(1)
Replicability and Sample Size	95	(4)
Summary	99	(1)
Conclusions	99	(1)
References	100	(3)
6 Transitions in Early Childhood	103	(18)
Perspectives from Theory and Research	104	(2)
Elements of Continuity	104	(1)
Ecological Transitions for Children and Families	105	(1)
Family Involvement, Education, and Efficacy	106	(3)
What Is Family Involvement and Do We Know That It Works?	107	(1)
Positive Results of Home-School Linkages	108	(1)
Developmentally Appropriate Practice	109	(4)
Key Elements of Developmentally Appropriate Practice	110	(1)
Support for Developmentally Appropriate Practice as a Facilitator of Positive Transitions	111	(2)
Comprehensive and Integrated Services	113	(4)
More Questions Than Answers About Integrated Services	113	(2)
Caring Communities	115	(2)
Summary	117	(1)
References	118	(3)
3 Who Should Teach Young Children?	121	(50)
7 Preparing Teachers in Developmentally Appropriate Ways to Teach in Developmentally Appropriate Classrooms	129	(30)
The Role of DAP in the ECE Program	130	(5)
Voices of Teachers and Parents	131	(1)
Professional Organizations	132	(1)
Research	132	(1)
Theory	133	(2)
Teacher Educators as Models	135	(6)
Behaviors	135	(2)
Courses	137	(2)
Field Placement	139	(2)
Using Developmentally Appropriate Practice in Teaching	141	(11)
Age Appropriateness	141	(3)
Individual Appropriateness	144	(3)
Other Characteristics of DAP	147	(5)
Summary	152	(1)
References	152	(7)
8 A New Model: Parent Involvement in the 21st Century	159	(12)
Introduction	159	(1)
Changes in Society	160	(1)
Past Research	161	(1)
Empowerment	162	(1)
A New Model	163	(1)
Principled Negotiation	164	(2)
Development of Common Principles	165	(1)
Development of Roles and Responsibilities	165	(1)
Selection of Mutual Options	165	(1)
Future Research	166	(1)
Recommendations to Local Communities	167	(1)
Recommendations to State and National Agencies	167	(1)
Summary	167	(1)
References	168	(3)
4 What Is the Early Childhood Curriculum?	171	(98)
9 Defining Standards for Practice: The Continuing Debate	176	(14)
Standard-Setting in Context	177	(2)
Defining Developmentally Appropriate Practice: Continuing the Debate	179	(6)
Major Criticisms of NAEYC's 1987 Version of DAP	180	(1)
Moving the Practices Debate into the Future	181	(4)
Setting Standards for Questioning Practice: Resolving the Debate	185	(2)
References	187	(3)
10 Play Issues in Early Childhood Education	190	(23)
Trying to Understand Play	191	(2)
Orientation to the Past	191	(1)
Orientation to the Future	192	(1)
The Relationship Between Play and Work	193	(1)
How Play Influences Other Developments--Imagination, Social Competence, Language, and Cognition	193	(5)
Play and Imagination	194	(2)
Play and Social Competence	196	(1)
Play and Language	197	(1)
Play and Cognition	198	(1)
Equity in Play	198	(4)
Play and Gender	199	(1)
Play and Cultural Background	199	(1)
Play and Varied Individual Characteristics	200	(1)
Play and Special Learning Needs	201	(1)
Implications for Teachers	202	(3)
Play and Transformational Dynamics	203	(1)
Play and Intervention	203	(2)
Conclusion	205	(1)
References	206	(7)
11 Educating Young Children with Developmental Differences: Principles of Inclusive Practice	213	(25)
Guiding Assumptions	214	(2)
The Field of Early Childhood Special Education	216	(2)
Social Constructivism as a Theoretical Basis for Inclusive Practices	218	(2)
Principles for an Inclusive Curriculum	220	(11)
Conclusion	231	(1)
References	232	(6)
12 Diversity and Early Childhood Education: Making Room for Everyone	238	(31)
The Role of Culture in Early Care and Education	240	(1)
Contested Values, Changing Beliefs, and Controversial Goals of American Education	241	(5)
The Multiple Voices of Multiculturalism	243	(3)
Visions of Democracy	246	(1)
The Mission and the Knowledge Base of Early Childhood Education	246	(4)
Children as Sources and Recipients of Cultural Activity	248	(2)
Early Childhood Education's Commitment to Diversity	250	(1)
Commitments for a Convergent Curriculum	250	(8)
The Image of the Child	255	(1)
New Image of Families and Home-School Relations	256	(1)
New Image of Teachers	257	(1)
Conclusion	258	(1)
References	259	(10)
5 How Will Early Childhood Education Be Evaluated?	269	(70)
13 Evaluating Educational Programs: Strategies to Understand and Enhance Educational Effectiveness	274	(19)
The Terminology of Evaluation	276	(2)
Theoretical Orientation to Educational Evaluation	278	(4)
The Impetus for an Educational Evaluation	282	(1)
Distinguishing Features of a Responsive and Useful Evaluation	283	(1)
Guidelines for Planning and Designing an Educational Evaluation	284	(3)
Guidelines for Data Collection and Data Analysis Activities	287	(2)
Recommendations for Interpretation and Dissemination of Results	289	(1)
The Benefits of Conducting Responsive, Useful Evaluations	289	(1)
References	289	(4)
14 Finding What Is of Value in Programs for Young Children and Their Families	293	(21)
The Rationale for Program Evaluation	294	(3)
What Is Program Evaluation?	294	(1)
What Purposes Does Program Evaluation Serve?	294	(2)
What Qualities Should Program Evaluation Have?	296	(1)
Fitting Evaluation Processes to Programs for Young Children: Alternative Approaches	297	(5)
Problems in Evaluating Early Childhood Programs	298	(3)
Qualitative Evaluation Approaches	301	(1)
Designing the Evaluation Study	302	(6)
What Is the Problem to Be Studied?	303	(1)
The Focus of Evaluation	303	(1)
Procedures	304	(4)
Implications of Program Evaluation	308	(2)
What Difference Does It Make?	308	(2)
What Are Early Childhood Educators Bound to Do?	310	(1)
References	310	(4)
15 Assessing Young Children	314	(25)
Idiographic Methods	315	(9)
Observing	316	(3)
Case Studies	319	(1)
Interviews	320	(2)
Portfolios	322	(2)
Nomothetic Assessment	324	(6)
Intelligence Tests	324	(3)
Standardized Achievement Tests	327	(2)
Diagnosis and Screening	329	(1)
Another Purpose for Assessing Children	330	(3)
Accountability	331	(1)
Need to Control	331	(2)
Which Way Is Best?	333	(1)
References	334	(5)
Name Index	339	(8)
Subject Index	347