Exploring Your Role : A Practitioner's Introduction to Early Childhood Education

by Jalongo, Mary Renck R.; Isenberg, Joan Packer

• ISBN13: 9780131101517
• ISBN10: 013110151X
• Edition: 2nd
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2004-01-01
• Publisher: Prentice Hall

Summary

For Introduction to Early Childhood courses and courses in Early Childhood Methods and Early Childhood Curriculum. Designed for future teachers of children from birth to age 8, this text is organized around the twelve essential roles and responsibilities of effective early childhood educators as delineated by the NAEYC Guidelines for Preparation of Early Childhood Professionals (2000). Its innovative coverage focuses on helping students fulfill these roles in a caring, competent, knowledgeable manner, through case studies, verbatim comments, and numerous opportunities for reflection. Written by award-winning teachers, Exploring Your Role bolsters students' confidence in their ability as early childhood professionals and encourages a life-long interest in caring for and serving young children, in whatever setting they teach.

Table of Contents

Exploring Your Role as a Reflective Practitioner	2	(32)
Learning Outcomes	3	(1)
Meet the Teachers	3	(3)
A Definition of Teaching	6	(1)
Your Role as a Reflective Practitioner	6	(4)
What Is the Field of Early Childhood Education?	10	(2)
Characteristics of Effective Early Childhood Educators	12	(4)
Professional Goals of Early Childhood Educators	16	(12)
The Importance of Education in the Early Years	28	(2)
Conclusion	30	(4)
Exploring Your Child Advocacy Role from a Historical Perspective	34	(34)
Learning Outcomes	35	(1)
Meet the Teachers	35	(2)
Your Role as a Child Advocate	37	(3)
Historical Influences on Contemporary Programs	40	(8)
Time-Honored Precepts of Early Childhood Education	48	(5)
Young Children Need Special Nurturing	48	(1)
Young Children Are the Future of Society	49	(1)
Young Children Are Worthy of Study	49	(1)
Young Children's Potential Should Be Optimized	50	(3)
How Programs Begin and Change	53	(4)
Societal Trends	53	(1)
Educational Theories	53	(1)
Knowledge of Child Development	54	(1)
Curriculum Standards	54	(1)
Community Expectations	54	(1)
Evaluation Criteria	55	(1)
Human Resources	56	(1)
Financial and Material Resources	56	(1)
Pedagogy	56	(1)
Early Childhood Programs for the 21st Century	57	(5)
Articulated Philosophy and Goals	58	(1)
Appropriate Structure and Organization	58	(1)
Emphasis on Concept Development	58	(1)
Attention to All Five Domains	59	(1)
Increased Opportunity for Social Interaction	59	(1)
Respect for Individual Differences	59	(1)
Recognition and Inclusion of the Contributions of Many Ethnic Groups	59	(1)
Interdisciplinary Approaches to Subject-Matter Teaching	59	(3)
Conclusion	62	(6)
Exploring Your Role as a Child Development Specialist	68	(38)
Learning Outcomes	69	(1)
Meet the Teachers	69	(2)
A Definition of Growth and Development	71	(22)
Attributes of Young Children	71	(3)
What Are Infants Like?	74	(2)
What Are Toddlers Like?	76	(3)
What Are Preschoolers and Kindergartners Like?	79	(1)
What Are School-Age Children Like?	80	(3)
Your Role as a Child Development Specialist	83	(3)
Why Child Development Knowledge Is Important	86	(1)
The Brain and Child Development	86	(2)
Children with Special Needs	88	(1)
Children with Disabilities	88	(2)
Children Who Are Gifted and Talented	90	(2)
Children from Diverse Backgrounds	92	(1)
Major Child Development Theories	93	(8)
Psychosocial Theory of Erik Erikson (1902--1994)	93	(4)
Cognitive-Developmental Theory of Jean Piaget (1896--1980)	97	(3)
Cultural Context Theory of Urie Bronfenbrenner (1917--)	100	(1)
Hierarchy of Needs Theory of Abraham Maslow (1908--1970)	101	(1)
Conclusion	101	(5)
Exploring Your Role in Fostering Children's Learning	106	(38)
Learning Outcomes	107	(1)
Meet the Teachers	107	(2)
A Definition of Learning	109	(1)
Features of Authentic Learning Experiences	110	(2)
Your Role as a Facilitator of Learning	112	(3)
The Importance of Learner-Centered Experiences	115	(4)
Learner-Centered Experiences Meet the Needs of Diverse Learners	115	(1)
Learner-Centered Experiences Are Based on Brain Research	116	(1)
Learner-Centered Experiences Focus on Lifelong Learning	116	(1)
Learner-Centered Experiences Enhance Social and Emotional Competence as Well as Intellectual Learning	117	(1)
Learner-Centered Experiences Are Child Initiated and Child Directed	118	(1)
How Play Contributes to Children's Learning	119	(4)
A Definition of Play	119	(2)
The Importance of Play	121	(1)
Play and Children with Disabilities	121	(1)
Play and Children from Diverse Backgrounds	121	(2)
Stages and Types of Play	123	(1)
Fostering Learning Through Technology	123	(3)
Using Computers to Facilitate Learning	123	(3)
Major Learning Theories	126	(11)
What Is a Theory?	127	(1)
Nativistic Theory of Learning	127	(1)
Behavioral Theory of Learning	128	(2)
Social Learning Theory of Learning	130	(2)
Constructivist Theory of Learning	132	(3)
Multiple Intelligences Theory of Learning	135	(2)
Conclusion	137	(7)
Exploring Your Role in Designing a Safe, Healthy, and Appropriate Early Childhood Environment	144	(38)
Learning Outcomes	145	(1)
Meet the Teachers	145	(3)
A Definition of Environment	148	(1)
Principles of Environmental Design and Materials Selection	148	(4)
Your Role in Designing a Safe, Healthy, and Appropriate Learning Environment	152	(7)
Why the Environment Is Important	159	(4)
Ambiance: Light, Color, Texture, and Noise	159	(1)
Privacy	160	(1)
Size	161	(1)
Density	161	(1)
Arrangement of Space	162	(1)
The Culturally Responsive Classroom	163	(1)
Planning and Evaluating the Indoor and Outdoor Environments	164	(12)
Preparing the Indoor Environment	165	(9)
Evaluating the Indoor Environment	174	(1)
The Outdoor Environment	174	(2)
The Inclusive Environment	176	(3)
Conclusion	179	(3)
Exploring Your Role as a Curriculum Developer	182	(40)
Learning Outcomes	183	(1)
Meet the Teachers	183	(2)
A Definition of Curriculum	185	(1)
Why the Curriculum Is So Important	185	(8)
Influences on the Curriculum	186	(2)
Developmentally Appropriate Practice and the Curriculum	188	(1)
What Does Research Say About Appropriate and Effective Early Childhood Curricula?	189	(4)
Your Role as a Curriculum Developer	193	(3)
Understanding the Written Curriculum	196	(8)
Curriculum Standards	196	(1)
Content Standards	196	(1)
Performance Standards	196	(1)
Content Areas of the Early Childhood Curriculum	197	(3)
Organizing the Written Curriculum	200	(3)
An Integrated Curriculum	203	(1)
A Culturally Responsive Curriculum	204	(1)
Understanding the Taught Curriculum	204	(5)
Characteristics of Meaningful Curriculum	204	(5)
Building a Meaningful Curriculum	209	(6)
Thematic Units	209	(3)
Projects	212	(3)
Curriculum Theory	215	(1)
Conclusion	216	(6)
Exploring Your Role in Planning for Children's Learning	222	(50)
Learning Outcomes	223	(1)
Meet the Teachers	223	(2)
A Definition of Planning	225	(1)
Long-Term and Short-Term Planning	226	(9)
Your Role as a Planner	235	(12)
Why Is Planning So Crucial to Success as a Teacher?	247	(4)
Planning for Individual and Group Learning	248	(1)
Planning for Accountability to Local, State, and National Standards	248	(1)
Planning for Each Learner's Success	249	(2)
Research on Teachers' Planning Efforts	251	(2)
Making Useful and Appropriate Plans	253	(15)
Elements of Effective Planning	254	(1)
Webbing as a Planning Tool	254	(1)
Making Long-Term Plans	254	(6)
Making Short-Term Plans	260	(8)
Conclusion	268	(4)
Exploring Your Role in Documenting Children's Learning	272	(36)
Learning Outcomes	273	(1)
Meet the Teachers	273	(3)
Assessment Defined	276	(2)
Your Role as an Evaluator	278	(6)
Approaches to Assessment	284	(4)
Norm-Referenced, or Standardized, Tests	285	(2)
Criterion-Referenced Tests	287	(1)
Principles of Performance Assessment	288	(2)
Evaluating Individual Children's Progress	290	(8)
Evaluating Program Effectiveness	298	(1)
General Indicators of a Balanced Assessment Program	299	(4)
Conclusion	303	(5)
Exploring Your Role in Guiding Children's Behavior	308	(38)
Learning Outcomes	309	(1)
Meet the Teachers	309	(2)
Children's Needs and Rights	311	(5)
Your Role in Child Guidance	316	(2)
Discipline and Child Guidance	318	(2)
Violence, Aggression, and Conflict	320	(6)
Positive Guidance Strategies	326	(2)
Conflict Resolution and Classroom Communities	328	(2)
Coping with Different Types of Conflict	330	(7)
Possession Disputes	330	(1)
Attention Getting	331	(1)
Power Struggles	332	(1)
Personality Clashes	332	(1)
Group-Entry Disputes	333	(1)
Aggressive Play	334	(1)
Teasing and Name Calling	334	(1)
Shifting Blame	334	(3)
Guiding Children to Appropriate Behavior	337	(4)
Conclusion	341	(5)
Exploring Your Role in Supporting Families and Communities	346	(36)
Learning Outcomes	347	(1)
Meet the Teachers	347	(2)
Understanding Contemporary Families	349	(3)
Your Role as a Family Resource Person	352	(3)
Understanding the Family as a Social System	353	(2)
Engaging Parents and Families in Educate	355	(1)
Working Effectively with Families	356	(6)
Allying with Parents and Families	362	(6)
Collaborating with Families in Inclusive and Diverse Settings	368	(1)
Major Models of Home-School-Community Collaboration	369	(4)
Conclusion	373	(9)
Exploring Your Role as a Professional in the Field of Early Childhood Education	382	(25)
Learning Outcomes	383	(1)
Meet the Teachers	383	(2)
A Definition of Professional Development	385	(3)
Your Role as an Early Childhood Professional	388	(3)
Ways of Supporting Professional Development	391	(2)
Stages in Teachers' Professional Development	393	(4)
Lifelong Learning and the Early Childhood Practitioner	397	(2)
The Concerns of Beginning Teachers	399	(4)
Conclusion	403	(4)
Appendix Compendium of Early Childhood Materials and Resources	407	(36)
References	443	(18)
Name Index	461	(6)
Subject Index	467

Excerpts

Why does anyone decide to make the care and education of young children into his or her life's work? When we ask undergraduate students this question, their answers vary. Some will simply say, "I love kids." Others will be more specific and say things like the following.

"I idolized my second grade teacher, Ms. Cardill. When I was in second grade, I found out that I had a learning disability. Ms. Cardill helped me learn how to cope and inspired me to become a teacher in the process."

"My mother and sisters are teachers, so is one of my uncles. I grew up with teaching and come from a teaching family. I guess you could say that I am carrying on the family tradition."

"Because I am the oldest and my family lives nearby, my job when I was growing up was to babysit for my little brother, nieces, and nephews. There were always kids around the house and I found that I really enjoyed their company."

By way of introduction, here is what we have to say about what precipitated our decisions to pursue a career in early childhood.

Mary: "I've always wanted to be a teacher just like Ms. Klingensmith, my kindergarten teacher. Throughout early childhood, my favorite play theme was playing school and, when I did, I was always Miss K When I was in high school, my little sister was in first grade. After six months with a mean teacher who was a former Marine sergeant, my sister was crying and throwing up every morning before school started. At age seven, she developed a stomach ulcer. Her teacher was fired at the end of that year, but when I saw the damage that one bad teacher could do, I made the commitment to go into teaching and become a good teacher."

Joan: "As the oldest of four siblings, I spent much of my childhood and adolescence with young children. When I was a teenager, my best friend and I planned and organized children's birthday parties. In the summers, I worked at a camp and was a swimming instructor for young children who were learning to swim for the first time. These experiences helped me to see many different ways to teach things that children really wanted to learn. These experiences also differed dramatically from the kind of in-school learning I remembered from my early childhood days where I was expected to sit quietly, memorize information, and tolerate boredom. My work at the camp and in my neighborhood allowed me to see children's delight in learning and led me to become an early childhood teacher."

Whether you are a beginner or a veteran in the field of early childhood, the underlying message is clear: We decide to teach young children because we feel that early childhood is one of the most delightful periods in life, because we are intrigued and charmed by the young child's newcomer's perspective on the world, and because we feel well suited to fulfill the early childhood educator's multiple roles. In short, we seek careers in early childhood education because we believe that we can exert a powerful and positive influence on the lives of the very young.

How does a college student move from dreams of teaching well to becoming an effective professional educator? One thing is certain. In that journey from imagining ourselves as effective teachers and actually becoming outstanding teachers, good intentions are not enough. It is almost inconceivable that anyone would enter into teaching with the thought, "I plan to be a terrible teacher and make children's lives miserable," yet there are many examples of teachers who have drifted away from their original goals. Generally speaking, they are the teachers who have neglected their own learning, who became jaded by the futile search for one method that works equally well with all children, who waited to be told what to do, or who failed to put children at the center of their practice. In his bookTo Become a Teacher: Making a Difference in Children's Lives,William Ayers (1995) raises and answers a simple yet profound question:

What makes a good teacher? When I ask college students this question, they typically come up with a wide and interesting assortment of qualities: compassion, love of children, sense of humor, kindness, and intelligence. My own list includes passion, commitment, curiosity, a willingness to be vulnerable, and authenticity. When I ask kindergartners the same question, they too have ready answers: a good teacher is fair, funny, smart, nice .... Teaching at its best requires knowledge of students, knowledge of hopes, dreams, aspirations, skills, challenges, interests, preferences, intelligence, and values they bring with them to the classroom. Teaching at its best is first an act of inquiry, investigation, and research into the lives of children. (Ayers, 1995, pp. 5-6)

The second edition ofExploring Your Role: A Practitioner's Introduction to Early Childhood Educationis designed to inaugurate your investigation into the lives of children, your research in the field of early childhood education, and your inquiry into the multiple roles that you will need to play as someone who cares deeply about the care and education of young children, ages birth through 8.

GENERAL FOCUS AND PURPOSE

Traditionally, introductory textbooks in early childhood education have been organized in much the same way—a history of the field and a chapter on theory followed by one chapter on each major subject area—language, mathematics, science, the arts, and so forth.Exploring Your Roletakes a more integrated and innovative approach. This text is organized around the essential roles and responsibilities that effective early childhood educators must fulfill. Another fundamental difference betweenExploring Your Role: A Practitioner's Introduction to Early Childhood Educationand traditional textbooks is that it is interactive. This means that readers are encouraged to respond to what they are reading while they are reading it. We rely upon case material and verbatim comments from students to make the content come alive. As you look through the book, you will notice sections called "Pause and Reflect About. . . " embedded within the chapters. This material will encourage you to relate what you have read to your own experiences and guide you to reflect more deeply upon the topics. For your convenience, we have provided spaces where you can respond to the chapter material and note your ideas. Your instructor will determine the best way to use these responses within the context of your class, course, or program.

InGuidelines for Preparation of Early Childhood Professionals,the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) (1996) characterizes early childhood education as "a diverse field encompassing a broad age-range of the life-span, birth through age eight, including children with special development and learning needs. Early childhood education occurs in diverse settings, including public and private schools, centers, and home-based programs, and encompasses many roles in addition to the traditional role of 'teacher"' (p. 1). As a contemporary early childhood educator, you will need to fulfill at least 12 important roles that correspond to the contents ofExploring Your Role.These roles that NAEYC (2002) identifies and that we have adapted here include:

Thereflective practitionerwho carefully considers educational issues and is capable of ethical decision making (Chapter 1);

Thechild advocatewho can engage in informed advocacy for children and the profession by understanding the rich traditions as well as contemporary issues that define early childhood education (Chapter 2);

Thechild development specialistwho knows and understands young children's characteristics and needs and uses this professional knowledge to address the needs of all children (Chapter 3);

Thefacilitator of learningwho understands the multiple influences on young children's development and learning (Chapter 4);

Theenvironment designer/arrangerwho uses knowledge of child development to create a safe, healthy, supportive, respectful, and challenging physical environment for learning (Chapter 5);

Thecurriculum developerwho can design, implement, and assess learning across the content areas and provide meaningful programs that respect diversity and promote positive outcomes (Chapter 6);

Theeducational plannerwho understands different types and levels of collaborative planning/organization and can use a wide array of effective approaches, strategies, and tools that respond to children's needs and interests and yield positive learning outcomes (Chapter 7);

Theevaluatorwho works in partnership with families and other professionals to document children's learning using appropriate assessment strategies (Chapter 8);

Themediator and role modelwho builds a sense of community in early childhood settings by guiding children's behavior and teaching them the skills of conflict resolution so necessary in our increasingly violent society (Chapter 9);

Thefamily resource personwho builds trust and respect between, among, and with families and the larger community (Chapter 10);

Theemerging professionalwho seeks and self-monitors professional growth through research-based practice and professional collaboration (Chapter 11); and

Themanager of resourceswho knows how to locate and use physical and human resource materials to support young children's learning and interact supportively with their families (see the Compendium of Early Childhood Materials and Resources at the end of the book).

From this list alone, it is clear that working effectively with young children is a challenging and demanding avocation. Teaching young children is qualitatively different from the way it was 20, 10, or even 5 years ago. Our field has been profoundly affected by changes in American families, advances in cognitive psychology, perspectives on the preparation of teachers, political influences on early childhood education, and a new era of sensitivity to cultural diversity and young children with special needs (Isenberg & Jalongo, 2003). As you enter early childhood education, you will be engaged in the rigorous work of defining yourself professionally and flexibly adapting to a wide array of early childhood settings.

AUDIENCE FOR THIS BOOK

The second edition ofExploring Your Role: A Practitioner's Introduction to Early Childhood Educationis written for newcomers to the field of early childhood education. Typically, these students are enrolled in specialized programs at 2- or 4-year colleges or universities that prepare them to work with children ages birth through 8. This comprehensive introduction to the field is most appropriate as the primary textbook for the initial course. It will meet the needs of instructors who teach in baccalaureate (4- or 5-year programs) as well as the needs of instructors who teach in 2-year associate degree programs at community colleges.

UNIQUE FEATURES

This book is intended to be a departure in two senses of that word. First, it is a departure from the "standard formula" for an introductory textbook in early childhood. Second, it is a point of departure for novices who are beginning their exploration of the early childhood field and their roles within it. Notable features of the book are described below.

New to the Second Edition

In revising the second edition, we have included several new features that those who were familiar with the first edition will immediately notice.

• Did You Know?Each chapter begins with recent, factual information related to the topic/professional role highlighted in the chapter. Instructors will find this material useful for discussion purposes.
• Web Links.Interspersed throughout the chapters are margin notes that make readers aware of the wealth of resources on the Companion Website. The first three margin notes are focused on the professional role that is the focus for each chapter. In Chapter 2 on becoming a child advocate, for example, the first margin note defines the role of child advocate, the second identifies the NAEYC and CDA standard connected with advocacy, and the third margin note delves into the implications of the role for professional practice. The remaining four margin notes are resources related to the chapter content. First is a Web link to research on the topic, then a link to technology resources, next a suggestion for artifacts that could be included in a professional portfolio, and finally a Practice Test.
• Diversity Icon.In order to make readers more aware of the chapter content that focuses on diversity, we have identified with a special icon the sections that are particularly relevant to building readers' awareness of and appreciation for diverse learners.
• PowerPoint®Transparencies for Every Chapter.The first edition had transparencies in the Instructor's Manual but, with the second edition, all of these transparencies have been converted to PowerPoint slide shows that adopters of the book are free to download from the Companion Website and use in their classes.

Learning Outcomes

Every chapter begins with a list of outcomes for the student. This shift away from behavioral objectives to outcomes statements is consistent with the very latest accreditation standards for teacher education programs in the United States. Increasingly, teacher educators are being asked to provide more holistic and performance-based evidence that their early childhood programs make significant contributions to the students' growth as professionals.

Meet the Teachers

Next, our readers will "Meet the Teachers" through case material that describes one infant/toddler caregiver, one preschool teacher, and one kindergarten or primary grade teacher. In this way, we provide a balance of all three age groups every early childhood teacher needs to know—infants/toddlers (0-2), preschoolers (3-5), and children in the primary grades (6r8). Unlike some introductory textbooks that focus almost exclusively on 3- to 5-year-olds, our emphasis is on the education and care of young children ages birth through 8.

Body of the Chapter

As the Table of Contents details, the body of each chapter follows a clear organizational pattern. Every chapter defines the professional role, provides a rationale for its importance, and addresses the classroom practices that support that role. The body of the chapter then moves to the most influential paradigms that have resulted from theory and research. (For example, Montessori is discussed in the chapter on early childhood programs, Vygotsky is discussed in the chapter on learning, and Gardner's theory of multiple intelligences is included in the chapter on integrating the curriculum.) Finally, each chapter leads you to practical applications of what you have learned.

Conversations with Leaders in the Field

Each chapter will include two examples of the text feature we call "Ask the Expert." These profiles of leaders in the field of early childhood education are directly related to each chapter's content. In the chapter on curriculum, for example, we profile Sue Bredekamp and her thoughts on developmentally appropriate practice. Given the complexity of early childhood education today, incorporating this collaborative approach within the text was one of the best ways we could imagine to ensure that all key topics were addressed in sufficient depth by leading experts. The conversations with prominent early childhood teacher educators will familiarize you with contemporary leaders in the field as you see their photographs and read what they have to say. In this way,Exploring Your Roleprovides the most up-to-date and authoritative information available on special topics of critical importance to early childhood practitioners. Information about the career paths and experiential backgrounds of each leader in "Ask the Expert" is included in the Instructor's Resource Manual.

One Child, Three Perspectives

Another distinctive characteristic of the textbook is the emphasis on the application of content. A text feature that makes our book exceptionally timely is what we call "One Child, Three Perspectives." This component of the chapter highlights a child we have known and presents several different points of view on how best to meet that child's needs. Included among the perspectives are the views of parents, classroom teachers, social workers, school administrators, child guidance experts, healthcare professionals, and others who are committed to helping the child. This approach is in keeping with the new NAEYC Standards that call for the preparation of early childhood professionals who have developed the skills of collaboration necessary to work with teams consisting of parents, families, colleagues, and professionals from many different fields who are committed to the education and care—the educare—of young children.

One of the complaints of trained professionals in virtually every field is that nobody ever told them how challenging it would be to work in the "real world" of the profession for which they were prepared. InExploring Your Rolewe attempt to rectify that error. Rather than restricting our accounts of young children to charming anecdotes, we present a wide array of more realistic situations that early childhood educators are likely to encounter. For instance, the case of a drug-exposed child and a case describing a newly immigrated child with limited English proficiency are included. "One Child, Three Perspectives" develops your ability to consider different points of view such as a parent's, psychologists, or administrator's perspectives on how to support a child's growth and learning and will equip you to work more skillfully with other professionals. This text feature also emphasizes the theory/research/practice connection. Each example will show how theory and research inform daily practice and provide a useful framework for problem solving.

Featuring Families

Families figure prominently in any successful early childhood program. Therefore, we have not only devoted an entire chapter to this topic, but also include a recommended strategy for working more successfully with families in every chapter. "Featuring Families" illustrates specific ways that skillful practitioners we know convey information on a variety of topics to the significant adults in each child's life. These text features were collaboratively designed with Ruth K. Steinbrunner.

In-Class Workshop

The 11 chapters conclude with a component that offers an additional opportunity to work with the information that you are learning in class. We call it an "In-Class Workshop." These activities can be used with the total group or small groups to give you a chance to apply the basic principles you have acquired from reading the chapter. In the professional development chapter, for example, we lead you in beginning to develop a teaching portfolio. All of these "In-Class Workshop" activities have been extensively field-tested with students in our classes over the years and have been well received in presentations at professional conferences.

Instructor's Resource Manual, Student Study Guide, and Film

The exceptionally comprehensive Instructor's Resource Manual is another way in which our textbook supports instructors and distinguishes itself from other texts on the market. We include samples of classroom dialogue between teachers and children for students to analyze. We also include sample syllabi, an introductory activity for each chapter, objective test and essay test items, suggested in-class projects, and classroom observation forms that can be used during field experiences in early childhood settings or with a videotaped lesson supplied by the instructor. The first edition's Instructor's Resource Manual was developed by Ruth K. Steinbrunner, Ph.D., while she was a doctoral student at George Mason University, and Natalie K. Conrad, M.A., a teacher with The PennCambria School District and a doctoral candidate. It is available on computer diskette as well as in the traditional printed format so that instructors can modify and adapt these resources as they see fit. We also provide a Student Study Guide for students, also developed by Ruth Steinbrunner and Karen C. Curtis, and an ABC News / Prentice Hall video containing segments on a variety of family childhood education topics. Natalie K. Conrad did most of the work on the Companion Website and Marjorie L. Stanek converted the "plain vanilla" transparencies into PowerPoint slide shows.

A Final Word

In writing this, the second edition ofExploring Your Role: A Practitioner's Introduction to Early Childhood Education,we drew upon our many years of teaching toddlers, preschoolers, and children in the primary grades; supervising student teachers; as well as our work with practitioners in child care, nursery school, Head Start, and public school so that we could offer a useful, contemporary, and comprehensive perspective on the field.

Welcome, then, to an exploration of your role as an early childhood educator. You are joining the ranks of a profession with a long and distinguished history of dedication to the care and education of children. You are becoming a member of a field characterized by compassion, commitment, enthusiasm, and joy in the growth, development, and learning of young children.