This book provides an important compilation and synthesis of current work in transition to school research. The book focuses strongly on the theoretical underpinnings of research in transition to school. It outlines key theoretical positions and connects those to the implications for policy and practice, thereby challenging readers to re-conceptualize their understandings, expectations and perceptions of transition to school. The exploration of this range of theoretical perspectives and the application of these to a wide range of research and research contexts makes this book an important and innovative contribution to the scholarship of transition to school research. A substantial part of the book is devoted to detailed examples of transition to school practice. These chapters provide innovative examples of evidence-based practice and contribute in turn, to practice-based evidence. The book is also devoted to considering policy issues and implications related to the transition to school.It records a genuine, collaborative effort to bring together a range of perspectives into a Transition to School Position Statement that will inform ongoing research, practice and policy. The collaborative, research, policy and practice based development of this position statement represents a world-first."

There's a lot of conversation in the early childhood community on evaluating teachers to improve their performance. Raising the quality of early care and education is a priority for policymakers and practitioners on local, state, and federal levels. As a result, much attention is being focused on early childhood educators to ensure that they do a good--and better--job teaching young children. This book provides accessible information, guidance, techniques, and tools to aid directors, coaches, principals, and others leaders as they evaluate and support teachers in a way that encourages and enables them to do their best work with children.

Readings for Reflective Teaching in Early Education is a unique portable library of exceptional readings drawing together seminal extracts and contemporary literature from international sources from books and journals to support both initial study and extended career-long professionalism for early years practitioners. Introductions to each reading highlight the key issues explored and explain the status of classic works. This book, along with the core text and associated website, draw upon the work of Andrew Pollard, former Director of the TLRP, and the work of many years of accumulated understanding of generations of early years practitioners, primary school teachers and educationalists. Readings for Reflective Teaching in Early Education, the core text, Reflective Teaching in Early Education, and the website, provide a fully integrated set of resources promoting the expertise of early years professionals. The associated website, www.reflectiveteaching.co.uk offers supplementary resources including reflective activities, research briefings and advice on further readings. It also features a glossary of educational terms, links to useful websites and showcases examples of excellent research and practice. This book forms part of the Reflective Teaching series, edited by Andrew Pollard and Amy Pollard, offering support for reflective practice in early, primary, secondary, further, vocational, university and adult sectors of education.

In Creating a Reggio-Inspired STEM Environment for Young Children, the newest addition in the Redleaf Press Quick Guide series, award-winning educator Vicki Carper Bartolini offers practical suggestions and resources for rethinking your early learning environment with a focus on STEM, using the Reggio Emilia approach lens honoring a student-centered, self-guided curriculum based on principles of respect, responsibility, and community through exploration and play. Creating a Reggio-Inspired STEM Environment for Young Children will inspire teachers and give them steps that they can take tomorrow after reading the book. Includes snapshot case studies of three programs that have brought their STEM environments to life.

This annual series is designed to provide an academic forum for the publication of original research, critical reviews and conceptual analyses of theoretical and substantive issues related to the education, care and development of young children. The series is intended to stimulate research and to enhance communication among scholars in early childhood education, child development, social work, public administration and related fields. This volume reflects debates in the field about the relative weight given to disciplines in a field acknowledged to be interdisciplinary. It seeks to reflect the complexity of the early childhood education enterprise - classroom practice, teacher preparation, research and conceptualization in all its phases. It also reflects the deep scholarly roots that contribute to our thinking and that may link our thinking with practice. This book is intended for a broad audience of researchers, teacher educator and pre- and in-service teachers. Its purpose is to define prevailing orientations and to solidify significant issues distilled from a broad body of literature.

The purpose of this volume is to present a selection of chapters that reflect current issues relating to children's socialization processes that help them become successful members of their society. From birth children are unique in their rates of growth and development, including the development of their social awareness and their ability to interact socially. They interpret social events based on their developing life style and environmental experiences. The children's socialization is influenced by several important social forces including the family and its organization, their peer group, and the significant others in their lives. In "Theories of Socialization and Social Development," Olivia Saracho and Bernard Spodek describe the children's socialization forces and the different developmental theories that have influenced our understanding of the socialization process. These include maturationist theory (developed by Arnold Gesell), constructivist theories (developed by such theorists as Jean Piaget, Lev S. Vygotsky, and Jerome Bruner), psychodynamic theories (developed by such theorists as Sigmund Freud, Erik Erikson, Harry Stack Sullivan, and Alfred Adler), and ecological theory (developed by Urie Bronfenbrenner). Each theory provides interpretations of the meaning of the children's social development and describes the different characteristics for each age group in the developmental sequences.

This volume provides an up-to-date collection of key aspects related to current preschool bilingual education research from a socio-linguistic perspective. The focus is on preschool bilingual education in multilingual Europe, which is characterized by diverse language models and children's linguistic backgrounds. The book explores the contemporary perspectives on early bilingual education in light of the threefold theoretical framework of child's, teachers', and parents' agencies in interaction in preschool bilingual education. Five significant theoretical concepts are promoted in this volume: the ecology of language learning, an educational partnership for bilingualism, a notion of agency in early language development and education, language-conducive contexts, and language-conducive strategies. The volume examines preschool bilingual education as embedded in specific socio-cultural contexts on the one hand and highlights its universal features on the other. The book is a fundamental read for scholars and students of second language teaching, preschool education, and bilingual education in multilingual and multicultural societies.

Due to the demand for flexible working hours and employees who are available around the clock, the time patterns of childcare and schooling have increasingly become a political issue. Comparing the development of different 'time policies' of half-day and all-day provisions in a variety of Eastern and Western European countries since the end of World War II, this innovative volume brings together internationally known experts from the fields of comparative education, history, and the social and political sciences, and makes a significant contribution to this new interdisciplinary field of comparative study.

This is a complete guide to supporting physical development in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), promoting a holistic approach and drawing on examples of good practice. "Creative Development" introduces this area of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) to trainee and qualified early years professionals. The creative development of children aged between 0-5 years is introduced within the context of the EYFS. A balanced approach to the Early Learning Goals is encouraged ensuring that key principles of good early years practice are maintained and developed, and the holistic development of the child is promoted. This user-friendly guide will support early years professionals to: reflect on current practice and develop skills; evaluate the implications of research for early years practice and provision; promote interdisciplinary teamwork between those who work with and support young children; meet the diverse needs of children at different developmental stages and ages; and, support children as they move within and beyond the EYFS. This series introduces each of the six areas of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS): Personal, Social and Emotional Development; Language, Literacy and Communication; Problem Solving, Reasoning and Numeracy; Knowledge and Understanding of the World; Creative Development; and, Physical Development. Each book delivers accessible yet rigorous support for practitioners, whether training or qualified, in developing their professional understanding and practice in each of these Early Learning Goals. Whilst considering each area in turn, the aim throughout the series is to promote the holistic development of the child. Each volume includes: an introduction to the key area; consideration of the development of children in the key area from birth to 3 years; 3 to 5 years; and into 5 to 7 years; consideration of the holistic development of the child and the impact of that development on the key area being discussed; research evidence to support practice; practical examples of good practice; discussions on leadership in the key area; and, support in the development of pedagogical skills and reflective professional practice. In line with the aims of the EYFS, this series will help you in meeting the challenges that come with supporting the different needs of children, working in multi-professional partnerships, balancing the different areas of development, and supporting transitions within and beyond the EYFS.

A volume in Research on Women and Education (RWE) Series EditorsBeverly Irby, Sam Houston State University and Janice Koch, Hofstra University The Research on Women and Education SIG of the American Educational Research Association presents the third book in its series, Gender and Early Learning Environments. Finding after the publication of Gender and Schooling in the Early Years, the second book in the series, that there was and is a paucity of published literature on early childhood gender issues, the editors determined that one additional book on early childhood and gender issues was warranted in this series. The latest book in the series, Gender and Early Learning Environments, is encompassing of a wide range of topics addressing early childhood influences on gender and development of the whole child. For early childhood educators, this book aides in making visible and exploring the definition of what gender means in contemporary culture.

The journey to professional and personal growth takes time, and the road isn't always smooth, but it is a learning-filled adventure
Holly Elissa Bruno, Janet Gonzalez-Mena, Luis Antonio Hernandez, and Debra Ren-Etta Sullivan are accomplished professionals and respected leaders in the early childhood field. After a decade of speaking together at national professional development conferences, they now give you twelve of their most important presentation topics as essays. Each chapter presents a dialogue among the authors about a particular topic and the lessons gleaned from facing and overcoming uncertainty and obstacles.
Merging each author's distinct voice, expertise, and life experiences, this collection unveils the authors' personal and meaningful histories, insecurities, and insights. You will be encouraged and challenged to think more deeply and openly about your own practices and philosophies. You will gain a renewed sense of purpose as you help children reach their full potentials. And you will discover--as the authors did--that every bump in the road is an invitation to grow and opportunity to learn.

Holly Elissa Bruno, MA, JD; Janet Gonzalez-Mena, MA; Luis Antonio Hernandez, MA; and Debra Ren-Etta Sullivan, EdD, are acclaimed keynote speakers, authors, and experts on a variety of topics in early childhood.

Starting nursery is a big step, so most children will feel nervous at first. This charming book explains what the day will look like, from saying goodbye to parents to meeting other children and learning new things. It shows children what exciting activities might be on offer, like dressing up in fabulous outfits or playing outdoors on tricycles.

With simple-to-read text and delightful full-colour illustrations by Mel Four, Time to Go to Nursery helps children feel confident about going to nursery and reminds them that someone will always be there to help if they're unsure.

From leading Early Years expert Penny Tassoni MBE, Time To... picture books use simple words and colourful illustrations to help young children understand all-important everyday skills. Featuring practical advice and tips for practitioners, carers and parents, these books will help you explore positive behaviour with children in a fun and friendly way.

This book presents the most recent theory, research, and practice on service learning as it relates to early childhood education. It describes several service learning programs, many of which were developed to better prepare pre-service teachers for the challenges they face in today's early childhood classrooms, including class size, ever-changing technology, diversity, high-stakes testing, parental involvement (or the lack thereof), and shrinking budgets. The book shares stories of positive outcomes from pre-service teachers who, having participated in service-learning programs, report a shift in their attitudes and beliefs including an increased empathy for others, a heightened sensitivity to student differences, more democratic values, and a greater commitment to teaching. In addition, the book examines the effects of service learning and positive outcomes for children and teacher educators as well. Schools today face an increasing number of language learners, the mainstreaming of special population students, and working with a standards-driven curriculum. All of these present new challenges for teachers as they attempt to meet their students' educational needs. As a result of this new classroom environment, and the educational needs they present, teacher educators must now seek different approaches to prepare prospective teachers to meet these needs because the traditional approaches to teacher preparation, such as coursework independent of fieldwork, are no longer effective in equipping teachers to address these issues. This book examines in detail the new approach of service learning.

University-based child development laboratory programs have a long and rich history. Since their inception in the mid-1920's they have played a vital role in adding to our expanding knowledge base on child development and early childhood education. In addition to their instrumental functions in the generation of new knowledge, these programs have played significant roles in the professional development of future early childhood educators. Through a variety of mechanisms these programs provide students with opportunities to begin applying the theory and knowledge being presented in college courses to actual practice in working with programs serving young children and their families. In recent years campuses have reconsidered, reconceptualized, and restructured the ways in which these laboratory programs fit within the agendas and missions of the universities where they are located, the local communities surrounding the universities, and the child development and early childhood education professions in general.
The purpose of this volume is to present papers that identify emerging issues and challenges facing child development laboratory programs nationwide as they seek to solidify the roles they play within the child development and early childhood education fields. A goal of the volume is to present a collection of papers that can facilitate a dialogue among professionals on the ways in which child development laboratory programs can continue their important contributions toward the generation of new knowledge in child development and early childhood education, as well as support the professional development of students preparing for careers in these fields.

In We Can Do This! writing expert and Stella Writes author Janiel Wagstaff pairs examples of student writing with writing lessons. Student writing samples are extremely powerful tools for boosting the growth of young writers and the student samples provided in this book serve as mentor texts and the basis for each lesson. The samples are mentors that are "doable" for students: they highlight skills, strategies, craft moves, and traits within the reach of their intended audience. As teachers and students study the examples, they will think, "I can do that!" Additionally, samples that reflect the most common errors or trouble spots are included, enabling teachers to explicitly teach to these points.

Emergent curriculum encourages early childhood educators to use creativity and flexibility as they respond to classroom challenges and children's interests. Filled with case studies and stories from toddler and preschool teachers about their experiences responding to events in their own classrooms, "The Unscripted Classroom" provides inspiration for educators to step out of their usual scripts and try something new. A review of the emergent curriculum philosophy and an examination of the many ways creativity in teaching benefits children are included. This resource complements "Emergent Curriculum in Early Childhood Settings: From Theory to Practice" by the same author.