History shows that educational systems and educational theorists have consciously or unconsciously structured the education of young children toward one end or the other of the continuum between "internals" and "externals". Systems in which teacher-guided learning was based on efforts to satisfy individual needs, systems that encouraged…

Professional development is a topic that is near and dear to the author's heart. The author has spent more hours than she can count trying to get her colleagues in the U.S. Department of Education to understand that early childhood professional development has to be part of the education continuum. She would argue that even if they had the luxury…

The field of early childhood education has traditionally struggled to be viewed as a profession. Recent public attention on the importance of the early years in creating a foundation for later learning success has led to a focus on improving education for young children. One aspect of educational reform and renewal--Professional Development…

This article explores the experiences of six First-year teachers working in the broad, cross-categorical field of early childhood special education. A multicase approach provided insight into the complexity of teachers' roles and work with young children with special needs in a range of settings, with children of various ages and developmental…

Early childhood teachers may express positive views about inclusive practices but are the practices implemented in their classrooms? This study examined preservice and inservice teachers' attitudes toward inclusive practices as reflected in the teachers' behaviors. This qualitative study utilized open-ended initial interviews, observations with…

While mentoring programs continue to increase in number, the field still knows little about what kinds of interventions mentors do and the impact they have on beginning teachers. This article shares a case study example of a positive mentoring relationship--beginning teacher Madeleine, and her mentor, Kelly--extracted from a larger qualitative…

In this year-long qualitative study we found that most early childhood student teachers involved children with special needs in project work and realized its benefits. The factors that promoted children's involvement were familiarity and interest in the topic, comfort with the size and composition of the small group, and the use of open-ended,…

With the development of advanced degrees in early childhood education and the accompanying professional standards (National Association for Education of Young Children [NAEYC], 2002; National Board for Professional Teacher Standards [NBPTS], 2001, advanced early childhood programs are called to reach beyond the university classroom walls into the…

This article investigates how a Midwestern early childhood teacher's practice and her views of her practice are culturally constrained. The research is framed by a cultural psychology and draws on an ethnographic and interpretive biographic study of Mary, an experienced first-grade teacher. We explore Mary's practice through four central themes:…

The purpose of this study was to examine the concept of "hansei" (introspection) among teachers, parents, and other relatives of Japanese kindergarteners. The data came from essays written by Japanese adults. The data analysis revealed that the concept of "hansei" encompassed self-evaluation, improvement, and morality. The implications for…

The purpose of this study was to explore how non-teaching demands are affecting the teaching/research/service dynamic in the tenure process of early childhood teacher educators. Fifty-seven NAECTE members responded to a 24-item survey exploring issues and current initiatives that support or impede scholarship. Findings revealed that early…

Laboratory schools play an important role in furthering the study of child development and education. Budget cutbacks at universities have threatened the existence of many lab schools, and a growing number are expanding to full-day programming to develop more consistent sources of funding. As lab schools evolve we must consider how they can best…

This qualitative study looked at how early childhood teachers talk about and interact with the most powerful children in their classrooms--the student leaders. Relying primarily on interviews with six teachers in early childhood classrooms (infants, toddlers, and preschoolers) within a University-affiliated center, this paper reconsidered…

The present study investigated specific teacher factors that potentially influence teacher-child relationships with preschool-age children. One demographic questionnaire and three rating scales were used to survey 152 head teachers of 3-6-year-old children in community-based childcare and preschool centers in one mid-western state. There were 46…

Data comparing the effects of traditional lectures and instruction paired with video anchors on test scores of general education and special education preservice teachers are presented. The sample in both the experimental and control groups included a mixture of preservice teachers including those beginning a general education early childhood…