Teacher preparation, a career-long enterprise, is conducted through reflecting on practice, receiving advice from other teachers, reading, and participating in inservice education. For designers of inservice education, appropriateness of learning activities can be assessed by examining criteria such as teacher needs, trainers' desire to help…

Discusses relationship between school and home learning contexts and effects on literacy education and intervention. Many approaches to parental involvement erroneously assume parent competence, self-confidence, and interest; and focus on parents acting according to classroom norms. Programs should be didactic, provide continuity between home and…

Used quantitative and qualitative measures to examine reasons for underachievement or success in 9- to 11-year olds. Found poor handwriting, when stemming from weak fine motor skills and poor eye-hand coordination, marks underachievement. Socioeconomic factors influenced differences in math, but not in reading ability. Academic success was more…

Describes alternative conceptions to the connection between music and movement by relating aspects of recent research on infant-caregiver interaction to musical development. Claims that existing explanations seem to fall short of providing an explanation adequate for the immediate, expressive, and integrated nature of this bond. (MOK)

Examined relationships among young children's metacognitive processing and creative ability, based on information-processing theory and Vygotsky's early thought development theory. Twenty-one five- and six-year olds were assessed on four attributes of creativity, and their private speech was coded. Specific qualities and characteristics of…

Assessed children's satisfaction with alternative child care. Seventy-seven children, ages three to six, from six child-care centers participated in the Child Care Game Assessment. Found that children's satisfaction regarding teacher interaction was closely related to family stress events. High maternal education levels predicted more positive…

The outdoor environment is a significant and essential component of curriculum for young children, having the potential to foster and extend all aspects of development. Children can experience a greater sense of freedom and nature than is generally possible indoors. Evidence suggests that early childhood teachers underestimate the importance of…

Presents theoretical background for building an early childhood curriculum based on the Educare approach. Five principles are explained. They emphasize that learning drives development and that social interaction, interpersonal relationships, mutual understanding, and culture are unique in developmental processes. Concludes that teachers can have…

Examined frequency of preschool lending library use by parents at four preschool centers. Quantitative data included tabulations of monthly library usage and inventories of materials. Qualitative data included interviews, on-site observations, and a parent focus group interview. Found that factors contributing to high usage included physical…

Focuses on methods of teaching toileting and independent eating skills to children with disabilities. Methods for teaching toileting skills include timed toileting, scheduled toileting, and the rapid technique. Methods for teaching self-feeding include systematic instruction, positioning techniques, and adaptive modifications. Notes that both…

Examined teachers' attitudes toward HIV/AIDS. A random sample of 1,500 teachers completed a 22-item questionnaire. Results show that respondents were opposed to the concept of testing for AIDS, although females were more positive toward the idea than were males. The majority of the respondents favored the idea of providing an HIV/AIDS awareness…

Claims that children's peer relations are significant in their social, cognitive, and moral development, and are correlated to later problems in social adjustment. Includes a brief historical perspective on the subject, and explores direct and indirect influences. Claims that peer relations develop within ecological frameworks, and identifies the…

Defines "professional development" for early childhood teacher education, and cites the nine principles of effective professional development created by the National Association for the Education of Young Children. Outlines the different stages of teacher development put forth by Fuller and Katz. Believes that interaction with persons at higher…

Examined how teachers divided time within the school-year and daily timetables. Data were collected from three schools, using field notes, tape recordings, photographs, discussion, and the Kelly Personal Construct Theory. Found problems of lack of support and lack of quality in interaction with students. Results suggest that better physical and…

Reviews three areas of literature on home apnea monitoring for infants: (1) identification of infants at risk, (2)technical aspects of monitoring, and (3) families' responses to monitoring. Outlines areas of controversy, including effect of use of home monitors on parent anxiety. Calls for ongoing education for parents who undertake home…