Getting It Right from the Start : The Principal's Guide to Early Childhood Education

by Marjorie J. Kostelnik

• ISBN13: 9781412949507
• ISBN10: 1412949505
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2009-03-26
• Publisher: Corwin Pr

Summary

'In one relatively small volume, the authors have organized information on just about everything a school leader needs to get a well-designed program off the ground and make sure it will get better as time goes on' - Harriet A. Egertson, Early Childhood ConsultantEarly Childhood Assessment Consortium, Council of Chief State School OfficersPrepare our youngest students for future learning success with effective ECE programs!To ensure that young children are ready to enter kindergarten, elementary schools are becoming increasingly involved in early childhood education (ECE), and more and more principals have to deal with ECE issues. Now this practical manual shows principals what successful ECE programs look like-and how to achieve quality results in their schools and communities.The authors provide an inside view of the field, touching on key areas of operation and discussing ways to avoid common pitfalls. Blending research-based content with practical applications, this accessible guide helps principals and other administrators:- Gain a foundational understanding of how very young children learn- Create quality environments and practices for teaching early learners- Provide the kind of feedback staff need to improve- Work successfully with ECE agencies and providers- Easily implement the strategies outlined using reproducible forms, templates, and checklistsThis comprehensive resource presents the information principals need to become key players in educating our nation's youngest learners!

Table of Contents

Preface

About the Authors

Early Childhood Education: An Expanding Enterprise!

Increasing Family Demand

Early Learning Imperatives

Children at Risk of School Failure

Reducing the Achievement Gap: Starting Early

Early Childhood Education: A Sound Investment

Principals' Roles: Laying the Groundwork

Quality Makes ALL the Difference

The Corrosive Impact of Poor Quality

High-Quality Defined

Leadership and High Quality

Becoming an Early Childhood Leader

Principals' Roles: Achieving High Quality

Breaking New Ground: Getting Involved in Early Childhood Education

What Exactly Is Early Childhood Education?

Becoming Familiar With Early Childhood Culture

School Principals as Culture Brokers

Principals' Roles: Getting Involved in Early Childhood Education

Early Childhood Education: Stakeholders

Identifying the Stakeholder

Collaboration

Give Voice to Stakeholders

Actions and Considerations

Principals' Roles: Working With Stakeholders

Developmentally Appropriate Practice

Fundamental Principles of DAP

Developmentally Inappropriate Practice (DIP)

Applying DAP Requires Judgment

The Sounds of DAP!

Empirical Support for DAP

Common Questions About DAP

Principals' Roles: Supporting DAP

The Principal's Guide to How Young Children Develop and Learn

The Essential Nature of Young Children

How Young Children Develop

How Young Children Learn

What Children Are Learning

Principals' Roles: Supporting Child Development and Learning

Early Childhood Curriculum

What Constitutes the Early Childhood Curriculum?

'Goodness of Fit' Between Early Education and Later Schooling

Implementing the Early Childhood Curriculum

Activities to Look for in Early Childhood Classrooms

Principal's Roles: Curriculum

Learning Centers & Classroom Routines

Typical Learning Centers for Young Children

Skills Teachers Need to Run Effective Centers

How Classroom Routines Support Curricular Goals

A Typical Day for Children

Principals' Roles: Centers and Routines

Early Childhood Assessment

Key Considerations

Authentic Assessment

Strategies to Guide Learning and Improve Instruction

Strategies for Identifying Children's Special Needs

Assessing Early Childhood Programs and Learning Contexts

Pros and Cons of Standardized Assessment

The Principals' Roles: Promoting Authentic Assessment

Early Childhood Education: Family Involvement

Through the Eyes of the Families

Looking Inside and Looking Outside

Suggestions for Families

Through the Eyes of Teachers

Parents Want Communication With the School

Family Roles

Principals' Roles: Family Involvement

Early Childhood Teachers

Teachers Matter

The Critical Function of Principals

Characteristics of 'Good' Teachers

Formal Teacher Qualifications

Translating Teacher Standards Into Practice

Principals' Roles: Supporting Early Childhood Teachers

Finding and Keeping Good Teachers

Shortage of Qualified Early Childhood Teachers

Looking for Teachers to Support Diverse Children and Families

Reducing Staff Turnover

Principals' Roles: Hiring and Retaining Good Teachers

Physical Environments That Support Early Learning

Environmental Propositions

How Physical Environments Influence Child Development and Learning

Fundamentals of Environmental Planning

Physical Requirements of Activity-Based Instruction

Equipping Early Childhood Classrooms

The Great Outdoors!

Principals' Roles: Creating Optimal Early Learning Environments

Early Childhood Education: Funding

Funding Sources

History of Federal Funding

State Funding

Local Funding

Start-Up Costs

Administrator Voices

Principals' Roles: Funding

Action Summary

Learning Center Checklist

Key Instruments Used Nationally for Evaluation of Children in ECE Programs

Daily Literacy Checklist P3

Daily Numeracy Checklist P3

Guidelines for Structuring Informative On-Site Observations

Sample Interview Questions for Teacher Candidates

Early Childhood Safety & Health Checklist

Physical Requirements of Small Group Activity Centers

ECE Classroom Equipment List

Indoor Environment Checklist

References

Index

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