Describes the partnership between city government, higher education, and the business community in developing the Birmingham (Alabama) Early Learning Center, a child care program for infants and young children. Outlines the missions of the Early Learning Center, including offering high-quality care, providing a teacher education facility,…

Describes characteristics of homeless families and their living conditions. Presents characteristics specific to homeless children, and discusses strategies for working with homeless children and supporting their families in early childhood care and education settings. (HTH)

Discusses strategies that teachers and caregivers of young children can use to encourage children to draw and write about their experiences through literature, films, and music. This strategy preserves their own cultural heritage, as demonstrated at the Delta Cultural Center in Helena, Arkansas. (BB)

Describes the format of, and topics covered in, the Partners in Play training model, which is designed to enrich children's play in child care settings through the development of play training for parents and caregivers. Training focuses on techniques and strategies that help adults understand and facilitate play. (BB)

Discusses seven steps that early childhood teachers and caregivers can take to help toddlers and their parents cope with the separation process. (BB)

Discusses methods teachers of young children can use to plan and create interactive, hands-on bulletin boards that make use of moveable pieces. (BB)

Illustrates how the Reggio Emilia (Italy) Approach to learning uses classroom projects to provide valuable learning experiences to young children. Suggests how certain aspects of the Reggio Emilia approach of classroom project work may be applied to teaching and learning strategies in the United States. (BB)

Reports the results of interviews with three-, four-, and five-year-old children at various child care centers in Columbia, South Carolina, concerning their fears. The fear of "monsters" was most often reported. Suggests what parents and teachers can do to help children cope with their fears. (BB)

Reviews the professional literature on such topics/issues in early childhood education as the Reggio Emilia approach; activity-based classrooms; use of learning centers in classrooms; storytelling, story dramatization and writing; story "stretchers" for primary grades; connections between body size and self-esteem; and early childhood…

Reviews three books of relevance to early childhood educators: (1) "Distinctions between Self-Esteem and Narcissism: Implications for Practice" (L. G. Katz); (2) "We All Belong: Multicultural Child Care That Works" (Australian Early Childhood Association); and (3) "Words Can Hurt You: Beginning a Program of Anti-Bias Education" (B. J. Thomson).…

Discusses the benefits of having family-style meals in early childhood programs. Notes how such meals allow young children to develop self-help and communication skills and allow teachers to assess many aspects of children's development. Reviews the implementation of a family-style meal program at the University of South Carolina's Children's…

Maintains that beliefs that young children should not leave the care of their mothers and that education is not a legitimate profession need to be dispelled to promote and improve early childhood education and care programs and teacher education programs in the South. (BB)

Illustrates how early childhood professionals can and do play an important role in providing secure and developmentally appropriate educational environments for young children by facilitating and improving teacher-family interactions. Provides strategies for improving family involvement. (BB)

Discusses the historical role played by families in early intervention programs, and presents a rationale for current thinking about this role. Recommends practices that recognize and encourage family-directed early childhood education, care, and intervention services. Identifies additional resources. (BB)

Discusses the benefits derived from an intergenerational program in a child-care or preschool setting. Describes the planning and implementation of such a program, designed to foster a positive emotional relationship between grandparents, or other older adults as surrogate grandparents, and preschool children. (BB)