Highlights selected recent ERIC documents that discuss aspects of program and school effectiveness in middle level education. Provides citations on eight books and five journal articles with abstracts and ordering information. (AA)

This article reviews eight comprehensive social-emotional curricula for children under age 6 and describes two promising curricula currently under investigation. These programs have been successful in the promotion of interpersonal skills and the reduction or prevention of challenging behavior. Attention is given to the level of evidence or…

Presents a list of educational computer software rated developmentally appropriate and without social bias for young children in two age groups: 3-7 and 8-12 years old. Presents overviews of the best software in each category, and includes contact numbers and World Wide Web addresses for the publishers. (JPB)

Reviews Click's book, which explains the development of children during middle childhood; discusses the role of the many individuals involved in a child care facility; introduces developmentally appropriate practices and programs for cultural and linguistic diversity; and describes how to implement a variety of activities. Finds that despite…

Reviews Fraser's book, which relates the author's work at Douglas College, New Westminster, British Columbia, and three child care settings to interpret the Reggio Emilia approach for Canadian settings. Notes that the book reminds readers that what is missing from prescribed curricula is the relationship of learners to the material; in this book,…

Reviews Newman's book, a play-oriented guide for parents of preschool children with disabilities. Recommends the book as a small step in fostering parental perspectives on school readiness issues and as one way of helping children by encouraging parents to adopt a teacher's stance. (TJQ)

Reviews Pianta and Cox's book, which covers the significance of early school transitions; the ecology of transitions into and through kindergarten; facilitating transitions for children from diverse backgrounds; and implications of the kindergarten transition. Cautions that while the book provides a strong empirical foundation, it does not provide…

Discusses how family vacations provide problem-solving opportunities. Describes 10 resources on traveling with children that include first-hand travel accounts and recommendations for traveling with children; information guides for older children; travel-related sticker books for younger children; tourism department materials; children's travel…

Maintains that Baxter and Read's book deals with controversial and contentious issues in a proactive manner and effectively challenges and stimulates attitudes, beliefs, and approaches to working with children with special needs. Notes that the use of labels shows how entrenched professionals have become in a deficit-oriented model to describe…

Maintains that Pica's resource book is an excellent guide for educators seeking new movement activities to perform with young children. Asserts that the organization of the book offers clear directions for the activities and proposes guidelines to transform the activities in interesting ways. Notes that the book sometimes does not provide specific…

Notes that Davidson's book provides an in-depth exploration of the contribution of dramatic play to emergent literacy and ways that teachers can implement play-based literacy learning. Maintains that the book has a balanced theoretical orientation, provides a sensitive treatment of intervention, presents a thoughtful treatment of oral and written…

Notes that Morrish's book reviews popular discipline practices, three building blocks of discipline, and methods for teaching children that rights and freedoms must be governed by reason, respect, and responsibility. Asserts that the book's examples span the home and school environments and that the book emphasizes proactive and preventive…

Notes that Yang's book provides a combination of Eastern and Western philosophy in defining values, aims, and methods of education, research, and teacher preparation programs. Maintains that the book presents important insights into current educational issues. Asserts that problems such as printing errors and significant flaws in arguments add to…

Reviews Bassett's work intended to provide information to people training to be caregivers to infants and young children. Notes the clear presentation, wide coverage, and skill checklists. Recommends the book for parents and infant and child caregivers. (JPB)

Discusses the value of Tombari and Borich's work for explaining the need for authentic teaching and assessment practices, providing assessment techniques, and for inspiring inservice training sessions. (JPB)