The United Nations' designation of 1979 as the International Year of the Child marked the first global effort undertaken to heighten awareness of the special needs of children. Activities initiated during this special year were designed to promote purposive and collaborative actions for the benefit of children throughout the world. Michigan State University's celebration of the International Year of the Child was held from Septem ber 1979 through June 1980. A variety of activities focused attention on the multiplicity of factors affecting the welfare of today's children as well as the children of the future. Many people involved with the university were concerned that benefits to children continue beyond the official time allocated to the celebration. The series Child Nurturance is one response to this concern. The first five volumes of Child Nurturance reflect directly the activities held on the Michigan State University campus and consist of original contributions from guest speakers and invited contributors. Subsequent biennial volumes will present original contributions from individuals representing such fields as anthropology, biology, education, human ecology, psychology, philosophy, sociology, and medicine. We hope the material presented in these volumes will promote greater understanding of children and encourage interdisciplinary inquiry into the individual, family, societal and cultural variables which influence their welfare and development. We would like to express both our thanks and our admiration for Margaret Burritt who not only typed the camera-ready copy for each of the volumes, but also served as general manager of the entire project."

'In one relatively small volume, the authors have organized information on just about everything a school leader needs to get a well-designed program off the ground and make sure it will get better as time goes on' - Harriet A. Egertson, Early Childhood Consultant Early Childhood Assessment Consortium, Council of Chief State School Officers Prepare our youngest students for future learning success with effective ECE programs! To ensure that young children are ready to enter kindergarten, elementary schools are becoming increasingly involved in early childhood education (ECE), and more and more principals have to deal with ECE issues. Now this practical manual shows principals what successful ECE programs look like-and how to achieve quality results in their schools and communities. The authors provide an inside view of the field, touching on key areas of operation and discussing ways to avoid common pitfalls. Blending research-based content with practical applications, this accessible guide helps principals and other administrators: - Gain a foundational understanding of how very young children learn - Create quality environments and practices for teaching early learners - Provide the kind of feedback staff need to improve - Work successfully with ECE agencies and providers - Easily implement the strategies outlined using reproducible forms, templates, and checklists This comprehensive resource presents the information principals need to become key players in educating our nation's youngest learners!