Teaching from an informed and culturally responsive philosophy of education is critical for teaching in the 21st century and engagement in reconceptualizing the field of early childhood. This article describes a process used with graduate preservice early childhood education students over a two-course sequence, to generate a personal philosophy…

This articles describes a qualitative research project investigating the effects of participation by preservice teachers in a literacy tutorial early intervention program that was based on a constructivist model utilizing self-reflection and inquiry. Seven recurring themes emerged from the data analysis providing little evidence of growth in…

In a recent "Journal of Early Childhood Teacher Education" article, the author reported on a single case of a successful mentor-beginning teacher pairing that was derived from a larger qualitative study (Certo, 2005). The purpose of this article is to report findings from that larger investigation. Three Virginia elementary 1st-year teachers and…

At Queensland University of Technology (QUT, Australia), in the Bachelor of Education (BEd) (Early Childhood) (EC), Technical and Further Education (TAFE) students with a diploma enroll with advanced standing (1 year's credit). These students share many challenges faced by 1st-year university students--workload, technology, academic orientation,…

Documentation of children's projects is advantageous to their learning process and is also a good method for student teachers to observe the process of learning. Documentation panels are a unique way to help student teachers understand how children learn. Completing a panel requires a student teacher to think through a process. Teachers must learn…

The necessity for parents and teachers to work together collaboratively to optimize children's learning and development in early childhood education is well recognized. Yet, ways in which initial teacher education programs might prepare teachers for professional relationships with parents are rare in the literature. This paper reports on the use…

The purpose of this study was to examine how incorporating technology into teaching methods (including the phases of organizing video conferencing sessions) promotes college students' construction of knowledge. Video conferencing technology via the Internet afforded an enriched environment in which students interacted with educators at different…

The primary purpose of this study was to examine the extent to which preservice teachers participating in a semester of urban immersion would evidence a change in attitudes toward urban teaching based on their experiences in the program. The experiences of 22 program participants were examined to qualify potential change. Study methodology…

This research targeted the impact of service-learning experiences in one course of a teacher preparation program in an urban, private university. Participants chose either an indirect (food or toy drive) or direct (food pantry or homeless shelter) service-learning experience. Twenty-four undergraduate and graduate education majors participated in…

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…