Mentoring, including peer mentoring, is a key element of teacher education programs and subsequent teaching practice. In order to share the benefits of mindfulness practices, a faculty member in a state university in the Midwestern United States promoted the practice of mindfulness by teacher candidates enrolled in her courses. As members of a…

Argues that structured reading programs, workbook pages, and drills do not alone provide an adequate basis for beginning reading instruction and suggests that experiences, knowledge, and other environmental factors ensure success in reading. (HOD)

Describes how three schools applied "Writing to Read," a computerized writing and reading program, in kindergarten and first grade. (HOD)

Contrasts a child not ready for school with a child who is developmentally prepared to enter school and argues that if all school systems could administer and interpret the results of a developmental examination, the number of unhappy children, special needs children, and grade overplaced children would be greatly reduced. (HOD)

Briefly reviews the history of the first kindergarten system in the United States on the occasion of the transformation of the Des Peres School in St. Louis, Missouri, into a museum and library. The transformed facility contains a restored kindergarten classroom, the Susan E. Blow museum, local historical and educational archives, and meeting…

Examines the benefits of art education that go beyond art production to encompass an expansive view of art. Describes a kindergarten project called "Painting with Scissors" that implements this approach to art education. Through it, art became a way of knowing, understanding, and viewing the world; of constructing and expressing ideas;…

Believes that educators often indoctrinate children into being passive receivers of learning, and that a communication-based approach to learning, in which teachers model how to be active listeners and also generators of information, is needed. Based on work with kindergartners and second graders, provides examples of valuing children's talking…

Describes a kindergarten/first-grade and a second-grade program for teaching map reading skills. Suggests that map- reading instruction is required to improve children's geography knowledge. Provides ideas on how to observe the environment, use photos, encourage block play, use books, share maps, construct a model of the classroom, read cardinal…

Refers to the words "spirit" and "spirituality" not in terms of religion but as human qualities that allow children to transcend or move beyond that which they do not yet understand. Illustrates the encouragement of these qualities in a kindergarten program and the program's use of literature to help students grow spiritually.…

Reports a study of a retention procedure in Texas in which children are placed in prefirst grade classrooms rather than promoted to regular first grade after kindergarten. Discusses the procedure's effectiveness and appropriateness, reasons for children's placement, children's behavioral problems, parental motivation and approval, and student…

Most early childhood teachers support breaking away from the letter-a-week method of teaching the alphabet but question how to achieve that goal. Concepts related to how young children learn the alphabetic principle are reviewed and successful strategies for teaching the principle are presented. (LB)

Discusses the development, implementation and implications of the Parent Assisted Reading Program at the Sunrise School in northern Utah which serves half-day kindergarten children. This program was designed to increase volunteer participation by parents in early (storybook) reading activities in the schools. (BB)

Describes the four levels of the early childhood education system in Cuba. Includes information on home visit programs for new parents, child care programs, preschool programs, programs for 5-year-olds, and primary school programs. Emphasizes that parents, relatives, teachers, and the larger community share the responsibility of educating young…

Position paper argues in favor of developmentally appropriate kindergarten programs. Paper examines program goals and content, and provides suggestions about learning environment, curriculum, and staff. Includes statements concerning purpose of kindergarten, importance of play in learning, and need for program support. (PCB)

Maintains that full-day kindergarten programs can derive at least part of their curriculum from the diverse gifts of social and cultural knowledge that children bring to the classroom. Includes a description of a kindergarten class that explored the topic of grandparents. (BB)