The author has been working for over four decades in the field of early childhood education (ECE). She is currently entering her fifth year as an early childhood teacher educator with the University of Hawai'i at Manoa (UHM) College of Education. In her role, the author is teaching future professionals in a dual degree program with a preschool…

Maintains that it is critical that caregivers and teachers learn to use Southeast Asian children's and parents' names properly. Discusses the structure and use of names among four Southeast Asian subgroups: Vietnamese, Cambodians, Laotians, and Hmongs. Teaching suggestions are offered. (BB)

Considers the various names applied to the early childhood education field. Discusses the confusion of parents in deciding on a program, and of legislators responding to advocates and considering legislation; maintains that the name confusion may be detrimental for the field. Suggests that a change in nomenclature could alert the public to the…

It is important for caregivers and teachers to attach a sense of ownership and permanency to all types of childrens' play in the preschool and kindergarten classroom. Six suggestions that teachers can use to accomplish this goal are offered. Two examples illustrate the topic. (BB)

Argues that schools should reflect the perspective that diversity, rather than being a problem, is an opportunity for every American to experience other peoples and cultures. Teachers should acknowledge diversity by showing respect for students' names, languages, and cultures in their classroom, curriculum, and teaching style. (MDM)

Defines cross-cultural parent performance roles and discusses common goals. Outlines criteria among diverse parenting styles and lists areas of parental functioning for self-image determination status. Provides guidelines for assessing parent cultural competence and names three major tasks for educators in regard to educating parents for…

Children's natural endeavors that enable them to attain self-realization and fulfillment were given the name "self-activity" by the German philosopher Friedrich Froebel. Discussed are components traceable to the self-activity principle that appear in early childhood song materials published around the turn of the century. (RM)

The acquisition of labels for concrete objects is considered. Issues concerning the initial acquisition of a word to refer to an object or object concept, the actual words initally acquired, the relationship between the initial categories underlying children's early object names and corresponding adult categories, and implications of the research…

Describes the founding of an experimental school in 1936 in Laren, Holland by Maria Montessori, which began to synthesize the cultural materials based on children's capacity for hearing and absorbing language. Discusses young children's responsiveness to learning scientific names for leaf forms. Cites this experience as evidence for her theory of…

Presents five story telling strategies--inspired by the work of Vivian Paley--that teachers can use to discover children's perspectives in a classroom: share the story of our names, share favorite stories from childhood, pass the paper and find the different stories, act out the story with different communication styles, and see our work as making…

This issue paper focuses on the first of six national education goals described by President George Bush on January 31, 1990. The intent of this goal is that by the year 2000 all children in the United States will start school ready to learn and that appropriate federal and state policies will be in place. The paper is organized as follows: (1) a…

In this paper, a statement of concern about short-term thinking by child care professionals is followed by a discussion of long-term planning for the future of day care. It is argued that day care policy should be made by those who best understand the strengths and weaknesses of the profession: providers and parents. Providers and parents should…

This article presents people from many walks of life, including some well-known names, who share their views about science. Adam Hart-Davis, who studied chemistry at university and is now an author, photographer, historian and broadcaster, explains why science cannot start too soon. Lis Nairn, Manager, Stratigraphy, with Fugro Robertson Ltd (Oil…

Early reading instruction is important for all children, but especially for the disadvantaged, because the decision not to expose them to reading at an early age may result in an unrecoverable loss of intellectual potential. Reading readiness as an approach may exile children from literacy permanently because it is an abstract and alien process…

It is upon a positive literature-based foundation that educators must build excellent curriculum and teaching strategies. It is the job of educators to be trained to integrate the concepts of whole language and direct phonetic instruction so children have the advantage of both schools of thought, to be aware of how children learn most efficiently,…