This study highlights the importance of mentorship focused on reflective practice during preservice teacher education and early years of teaching. Thoughtful reflection about teaching practices during early years of teaching is critical in preparing teachers for a child-centered curriculum. To successfully distinguish between teacher-directed and…

Defines the position of the Association for Childhood Education International on the role of kindergarten in a child's development. Provides specific information on the purpose of kindergarten, program goals, program content, program implementation, role of play, appropriate physical environment, textbook and material selection, kindergarten…

Notes that as more young children with disabilities are included in classrooms for children who are developing typically, practitioners must continue to identify and refine strategies for making inclusion successful. Discusses a successful inclusion program that is observation based and child initiated. Discusses a procedure that facilitates the…

Acknowledges that early-childhood education is a global practice and examines underlying images of the child. Questions the adequacy of current research to encompass global childhoods, how child development is conceptualized within early-childhood work, and children's status within early-education research and practice. Notes a current paradigm…

This article contrasts the philosophies of early childhood special education and early childhood education and discusses a service delivery approach, known as activity-based intervention, which combines strategies for both fields and utilizes behavior analytic techniques within child-directed activities. (Author/DB)