FirstSchool is a school reform approach to early schooling for children 3 to 8 years old. It was developed over the past five years through a collaborative partnership among families, schools, communities, and institutions of higher education. The approach responds to the needs of all young children--especially in African American or Latino…

A virtual field trip (VFT) is a technology-based experience that allows children to take an educational journey without leaving the classroom. These multimedia presentations bring the sights, sounds, and descriptions of distant places to learners. Virtual field trips vary in complexity. They can range from a single PowerPoint or video presentation…

Effective communication is essential for young children's academic and social competence. During the preschool years, children acquire the language and communication skills necessary to express their needs, thoughts, and feelings in social interactions, and they learn to respond appropriately to others. Through effective communication, they also…

Rhymes and poems can be a natural starting point for young children as they experience the world and learn to understand spoken, written, and visual languages. Poetry contains highly patterned, predictable language that has unique potential to promote memorable and pleasurable experiences in preschool, kindergarten, and primary classrooms. As…

This article describes a learning experience designed for teachers of children in primary classrooms (K-3) who are taking graduate courses. The learning experience offers new insights into the different ways young children encounter math in their natural, playful environment. Through a hands-on workshop approach, the students engaged in firsthand…

Families and teachers spend countless hours supporting preschoolers and primary age children in the development of mental tools like focus, memory, and other problem-solving skills that help children think better, pay attention, and remember what they have experienced. Children use these tools to succeed in reading, writing, math, science, and…

Children's thinking follows natural developmental paths in learning math. When teachers understand those paths and offer activities based on children's progress along them, they build developmentally appropriate math environments. The authors explain math learning trajectories and why teaching math using the trajectories approach is effective. A…

Transformers are simple movement experiences for the classroom that engage the mind and body, focus energy, and help children transition to the next activity. Teachers can use them throughout the day, every day. The author explains the basic movements and suggests ways to build on them. They range from deep breathing to gentle wake-up movements to…

The authors advocate that every primary grade program needs a carefully planned social-emotional component. All children--those who enter first or second grade with an ability to control their emotions and make friends and those for whom these skills are more difficult--benefit from intentional teaching in this area. Some school systems adopt a…

Experts say that good mathematics instruction engages all students as active learners (NAEYC & NCTM 2002). It begins with their current skills and builds new knowledge that is meaningful and appropriate for each child (Baroody 1998). Effective math instruction allows children to develop positive attitudes toward math instead of negative ones…

This article looks at how children in preschool through second grade intuitively solve mathematical problems rather than using textbook strategies with a single path to a solution. The authors discuss Cognitively Guided Instruction (CGI), a curriculum approach that helps teachers understand and encourage children's use of intuitive strategies.…

This article is a glimpse into one primary classroom at a French school. The author, a kindergarten and first-grade teacher from Connecticut, visits a primary classroom for children ages five to eight years in a French village. She shares her reflections, based on observation, research, and interviews, of how a different culture approaches…

Through "teacher research", teachers engage in the systematic study of their own practice to answer questions they have about teaching and learning, and their own effectiveness. This book explores what teacher research in the early childhood setting looks like, why it is important to the field of early childhood education, and how teacher…

By using a problem-posing, critical literacy approach employing children's literature, even the complex issues of a world in conflict and confusion can be addressed through an ongoing dialogue. In this article, the author defines "critical literacy" as a process of constructing and critically using language (oral and written) as a means of…

This article critically examines classroom walls from four perspectives: (1) reading the environment; (2) walls that silence; (3) the purpose of display; and (4) aesthetics. The author offers some suggestions for teachers to consider when purchasing materials and in planning how to use classroom walls to enhance the educational setting. She…