This article presents a review of "Investing in Kids: Early Childhood Programs and Local Economic Development" by Timothy J. Bartik. Timothy Bartik's timely book contributes to an important conversation about the role of government in promoting investments in children in the years before traditional public schooling typically begins. Until…

In education, contemporary discussions of standards and standardisation often appear incidentally, as part of the critique of particular standardisation projects, such as national or international assessments and comparisons. This review essay focuses not on particular standards but more broadly on how standards develop, how they participate in…

Reviews five books: (1) "Early Childhood Curriculum" (Catron and Allen); (2) "International Handbook of Early Childhood Education" (Woodill and others); (3) "Teaching Children to Care: Management in the Responsive Classroom" (Charney); (4) "Explorations with Young Children" (Mitchell and David); and (5) "Everybody Has a Body" (Rockwell and…

Maintains that "Beyond Quality in Early Childhood Education and Care" is the most far-reaching exploration to date of the implications of postmodern thinking for early childhood education. Notes that the book's great strength is its careful construction of an alternative way of thinking about early childhood and its institutions, and…

Based on the seminal work of Emmy Werner (1990), practitioners have recognized the powerful role protective and risk factors play in the development of children's emotional and behavioral adjustment. Researchers have concluded that differences in children's reactions to difficult events are influenced by the type and level of protective factors in…

Education in the United States was in a state of "crisis" at the time of the 1983 release of "A Nation at Risk," the landmark report on the US education reform. This was the time when the rising Japanese economy started threatening the post-war US economic dominance and conservative figures such as Ronald Reagan gained popular…

This paper reviews four scales that have been used to evaluate the physical environment of child care centers, and introduces five new scales that are designed explicitly to assess the physical environment of child care centers and their associated outdoor play environments. The psychometric properties, environmental content, and effectiveness of…

Presents abstracts of 10 documents and 11 journal articles representing recent research related to early childhood education, policy and educational provision in Canada, Italy, Latin America, Caribbean, Great Britain, Japan, Africa, Sweden, El Salvador, and Australia. Topics include child labor and basic education, culture and curriculum, social…

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…

Reviews "Transforming Nursery Education" by Peter Moss and Helen Penn. Maintains that the book clarifies issues and options in child care policy in Great Britain, is highly applicable to the situation in Canada, articulates the importance of values as central to developing early childhood policy and programs, highlights the importance of…

Discusses the value of this book's comprehensive approach to early childhood education and child care in the Canadian context. Considers the importance of a foundation of reflective practice in the interpersonal aspects of child care, and the importance of a working partnership with parents, and guiding children's behavior. Also notes the value of…

Maintains that Tabors' edited work is the most comprehensive and practical book on the topic available and an essential part of the knowledge base for early care and education professionals. Highlights the book's practical suggestions, concrete examples to illustrate language principles, and recommendations for teachers. Asserts that the content…

Reviews the book, "Issues in Child Care," which discusses five trends in child care: (1) the increased popularity of center-based child care; (2) the political popularity of child care in the 1980s; (3) the development of early childhood programs in public schools; (4) the view of parents as consumers; and (5) the focus on quality in…

Suggests that this book helps early childhood educators make sense of postmodern theory. Notes that the authors are optimistic that early childhood educators can make radical changes at all levels of their profession and meet the demands of a complex world and its need for multiple perspectives. (DLH)

Reviews four books which address (1) preschool teacher student interactions as analyzed through case studies of preschool teachers; (2) ways for teachers to evaluate schools' attempts to meet requirements of equal opportunity, especially across gender; (3) issues related to the education of children in the early years; and (4) international…