Fundamentals of Early Childhood Education

by Morrison, George S.

• ISBN13: 9780130120953
• ISBN10: 0130120952
• Edition: 2nd
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1999-08-01
• Publisher: Merrill Pub Co

Summary

"Fundamentals of Early Childhood Education provides a brief, reader-friendly introduction to the field of early childhood education. Fundamentals presents chapter features on early childhood programs, professionals in practice, diversity strategies, technology issues, and ethical decision making. Separate chapters on infants and toddlers, preschoolers, kindergartners, and primary-grade children explore each age group's unique developmental and educational needs. Fundamentals' emphasis on professionalism throughout keeps the focus on meeting the needs of all children and providing up-to-date information and strategies to develop competent, informed early childhood professionals."--BOOK JACKET.

Author Biography

George S. Morrison is a professor of early childhood education at the University of North Texas.

Table of Contents

You and Early Childhood Education: What Does It Mean to Be a Professional?	1	(29)
Who Is an Early Childhood Professional?	2	(3)
The Process of Becoming a Professional	5	(4)
What Is the Terminology of Early Childhood Education?	9	(6)
What Can You Do to Prepare for a Professional Career?	15	(11)
What Does the Future Hold for the Early Childhood Professional?	26	(4)
Contemporary Issues Affecting Early Childhood Education	30	(40)
Families	31	(12)
Children with Disabilities	43	(11)
Child Abuse	54	(3)
Politics and Early Childhood Education	57	(2)
How Do Beliefs About Children Influence Early Childhood Education?	59	(5)
How Are the Public Schools Influencing Early Childhood Education?	64	(1)
How Is Early Childhood Education Changing?	65	(5)
The Past: Prologue to the Present	70	(26)
Why Is the Past Important?	71	(1)
Modern Influences	72	(13)
From Luther to Gardner: Basic Concepts Essential to Good Educational Practices	85	(2)
How Does the Recent Past Influence Early Childhood Education?	87	(9)
Learning Theories: How Do Children Learn?	96	(25)
What Are Learning Theories?	97	(1)
What Is Piaget's Theory?	98	(10)
What Is the Basis of the Montessori Approach?	108
What Is Vygotsky's Theory?	12	(103)
What Is the Theory of Multiple Intelligences?	115	(1)
What Is Behaviorism?	115	(6)
Early Childhood Programs	121	(42)
The High/Scope Educational Approach: A Piaget-Based Program	122	(9)
What Is the Montessori Program?	131	(11)
What Is the Reggio Emilia Approach?	142	(4)
What Is the Bank Street Program?	146	(3)
What Is the Head Start Model?	149	(14)
Meeting the Child Care Needs of Parents and Families	163	(27)
Why Is Child Care Popular?	164	(1)
What Is Child Care?	165	(1)
Types of Child Care Programs	165	(13)
How Are Early Childhood Personnel Trained and Certified?	178	(2)
What Constitutes Quality Child Care?	180	(2)
What Are Critical Child Care Issues?	182	(4)
What Are Future Trends in Child Care?	186	(4)
Developmentally Appropriate Practices	190	(23)
What Is Assessment?	191	(1)
What Is Appropriate Assessment?	192	(1)
What Is Authentic Assessment?	192	(1)
Assessment for School Readiness	193	(6)
What Is Observation?	199	(11)
What Are Issues in the Assessment of Young Children?	210	(3)
Foundation Years for Learning	213	(28)
Physical Development	214	(1)
Motor Development	215	(2)
How Does Intellectual Development Occur?	217	(1)
Stages of Cognitive Development	218	(4)
How Does Language Develop?	222	(4)
How Does Psychosocial Development Occur?	226	(1)
Developmentally Appropriate Programs	227	(10)
Important Health Issues in Early Childhood Programs	237	(4)
Transitions and New Encounters	241	(25)
What Is Preschool?	242	(1)
The History of Preschool Education	242	(3)
What Are Preschoolers Like?	245	(3)
How Preschoolers Learn Through Play	248	(8)
The Preschool Curriculum	256	(3)
The Preschool Day	259	(3)
Important Considerations for Selecting a Good Early Childhood Program	262	(1)
The Future of Preschool Education	263	(3)
Learning All You Need to Know	266	(28)
The History of Kindergarten Education	267	(2)
Who Goes to Kindergarten?	269	(1)
Should Kindergarten Be Compulsory?	270	(1)
School Readiness: Who Gets Ready for Whom?	271	(7)
What Should Kindergarten Be Like?	278	(3)
Literacy Education and Young Children	281	(5)
Issues Related to Kindergarten	286	(5)
The Future of Kindergarten	291	(3)
Preparation for Lifelong Success	294	(23)
What Are Primary Children Like?	295	(2)
The Significance of the Primary Years	297	(1)
How Restructuring Is Affecting the Primary Grades	297	(1)
Reasons for Restructuring Primary Education	298	(1)
The Contemporary Primary School	299	(1)
The New Curriculum for the Primary Grades	299	(13)
Promotion	312	(1)
Characteristics of Primary Education Professionals	313	(1)
The Future of Primary Education	314	(3)
Providing Appropriate Education for All	317	(36)
Evolving Practices	318	(11)
Strategies for Teaching Children with Disabilities	329	(1)
What Is Multiculturalism?	330	(1)
Who Are Multicultural Children?	330	(3)
What Is Multicultural Infusion?	333	(11)
Bilingual Education	344	(1)
Head Start and Multicultural Programming	345	(3)
Trends in Multicultural Education	348	(5)
Cooperation and Collaboration	353	(26)
Changes in Schooling	354	(1)
Changing Families	355	(1)
Education as a Family Affair	356	(5)
Implications of Family Patterns for Early Childhood Professionals	361	(1)
Guidelines for Involving Parents and Families	362	(12)
Community Involvement and More	374	(5)
Appendix A The National Association for the Education of Young Children Code of Ethical Conduct	379	(8)
Appendix B CDA Competency Goals and Functional Areas	387	(2)
Index	389