Teaching Young Children

<p><strong>PART I: INTRODUCTION TO THE FIELD</strong></p> <p>1. Overview of the Profession</p> <p>2. Historical Contexts</p> <p>3. Early Childhood Program Models</p> <p><strong>PART II: FOUNDATIONS</strong></p> <p>4. Understanding How a Child Develops and Learns</p> <p>5. Play in Childhood</p> <p>6. Guiding Young Children</p> <p>7. Working with Families and Communities</p> <p>8. Diversity and Young Children</p> <p><strong>PART III: ORGANIZING FOR INSTRUCTION</strong></p> <p>9. Planning the Physical Environment: Indoors</p> <p>10. Planning the Physical Environment: Outdoors</p> <p>11. Developmentally Appropriate Curriculum</p> <p><strong>PART IV: THE CURRICULUM</strong></p> <p>12. Health and Wellness</p> <p>13. Supporting Emotional and Social Development</p> <p>14. Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies Learning</p> <p>15. Language and Literacy Learning</p> <p>16. The Creative Arts</p> <p>17. Technology and Young Children</p> <p><strong>DETAILED TABLE OF CONTENTS</strong></p> <p><strong>PART I: INTRODUCTION TO THE FIELD</strong></p> <p><strong>1. Overview of the Profession 2</strong></p> <p>Essentials of Early Care and Education 4</p> <p>Understand Children and Their Development 4 / Provide Opportunities to Play 5 / Guide Social and Emotional Development 7 / Work with Parents, Families, and the Community 8 / Understand and Respect Diversity 9</p> <p>The Scope of Early Care and Education 10</p> <p>Infant/Toddler Programs 10 / Preschool Programs 12 / Child-Care Programs 12 / Programs for Children with Special Needs 14 / Kindergartens 15 / Primary Education 16</p> <p>Funding: Who Pays for Early Education? 17</p> <p>For-Profit Programs 17 / Cooperative Programs 18 / Federally Funded Programs 18 / State and Locally Funded Programs 19 / Corporate Child Care 20 / College- and University-Supported Programs 20</p> <p>Teaching Young Children 21</p> <p>The Power of Teaching 21 / Roles of the Early Childhood Educator 21 / Responsibilities of the Early Childhood Educator 22 / Skills Needed to Teach Young Children 23 / Should I Enter the Profession? 25</p> <p>Professional Preparation of Early Childhood Professionals 27</p> <p>The CDA Credential 27 / Two-Year, or Associate Degree, Programs 28 / Four-Year Programs 28 / Coordinating Efforts 29 / Advanced Degrees 29</p> <p>Resources for Professional Development 30</p> <p>Professional Organizations 30 / Journals 31 / Reference Materials 31</p> <p>Summary 32</p> <p><strong>2. Historical Contexts 34</strong></p> <p>Historical Figures Influencing Early Care and Education 36</p> <p>European Contributors 36 / American Influences 46</p> <p>Recent American Contributors 50</p> <p>Historical Events Influencing Early Care and Education 53</p> <p>Child Study Movement 53 / The Great Depression 54 / World War II 54 / The Launching of Sputnik 55 / The War on Poverty 55 / No Child Left Behind Act and Race to the Top–Early Learning Challenge 56</p> <p>Summary 58</p> <p><strong>3. Early Childhood Program Models 60</strong></p> <p>The Montessori Program 62</p> <p>Montessori’s Work Experiences 63 / Montessori Materials 64 / Classroom Organization 65 / Role of the Early Childhood Professional 66 / Children Served 67</p> <p>The High/Scope Curriculum Model 68</p> <p>Theoretical Basis 69 / The Plan-Do-Review Sequence 69 / The Curriculum 70 / Structure of the Class Day 71 / The High/Scope Professional’s Role 72 / Research on the High/Scope Model 72 / Children Served 73</p> <p>Waldorf Education 73</p> <p>Theoretical Perspectives 73 / Role of the Waldorf Professional 74 / Sample Teaching Strategies 74</p> <p>The Bank Street Model 75</p> <p>Theoretical Underpinnings 75 / Program Goals 76 / Governing Principles 76 / Curriculum and Materials 77 / Children Served 77</p> <p>The Reggio Emilia Program 79</p> <p>The Environment 80 / Children, Families, and Reggio Emilia Professionals 80 / Cooperation, Collaboration, and Organization 80 / The Atelierista 81 / The Importance of Documentation 82 / Projects 82 / Children Served 84</p> <p>Summary 85</p> <p><strong>PART II: FOUNDATIONS</strong></p> <p><strong>4. Understanding How a Child Develops and Learns 86</strong></p> <p>Key Perspectives on Learning and Development 88</p> <p>John Bowlby (1907–1990) 88 / Abraham Maslow (1908–1970) 90 / Howard Gardner (1943– ) 91 / Maria Montessori (1870–1952) 92 / Lev Vygotsky (1896–1934) 93 / Erik Erikson (1902–1994) 94 / Jean Piaget (1896–1980) 95 / Urie Bronfenbrenner (1917–2005) 96 / Jack Shonkoff and Deborah Phillips 97 / Ellen Galinsky 99</p> <p>Children: Developmental Similarities and Differences 101</p> <p>Infants and Toddlers 101 / Children Ages 3 through 5: The Preschool Years 104 / Children Ages 6 through 8: The Primary School Years 108 / Children with Special Needs 110</p> <p>The Developmentally Appropriate Classroom 115</p> <p>Summary 119</p> <p><strong>5. Play in Childhood 120</strong></p> <p>Defining Play 122</p> <p>Characteristics of Play 122 / Descriptors of Play 123</p> <p>Why Children Play: Theories 126</p> <p>Classical Theories 126 / Contemporary Theories 127</p> <p>Cognitive and Social Play 129</p> <p>Cognitive Play 129 / Social Play 129</p> <p>Benefits of Play 133</p> <p>Intellectual Growth through Play 133 / Building Social Skills 136 / Language and Literacy Development 136 / Physical Development and Health 137 / Emotional Development 139 / Play and Creativity 140</p> <p>Facilitating Childhood Play 141</p> <p>Preparing the Play Environments 141 / Creating a Climate for Play 142 / Promoting the Importance of Play 143 / Adult Involvement in Play 144</p> <p>Summary 146</p> <p><strong>6. Guiding Young Children 148</strong></p> <p>What Is Guidance? 150</p> <p>Supporting Emotional and Social Development 150 / Growing toward Self-Regulation 151 / Learning to Function as a Productive Member of Society 152</p> <p>Components of Guidance 152</p> <p>Indirect Guidance 154 / Building Relationships 156 / Physically Guiding Children 157 / Verbal Guidance 157 / Conflict Resolution Strategies 159</p> <p>Guidance Applications 162</p> <p>Feelings and Emotions 162 / Routines 165 / Social Interactions 167 / Group Guidance 170 Summary 173</p> <p><strong>7. Working with Families and Communities 174</strong></p> <p>Family Life Today 177</p> <p>Extended Family Members Caring for Children Together 177 / Living Together as a Multigenerational Family 178 / Single Parents and Families Experiencing Separation and Divorce 178 / Changes in Family Structure: Blending and Forming New Families 179 / Working Families 179 / Older and Younger Parents 179 / Family Mobility 180 / Families Experiencing Homelessness 181 / Families with Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Members 181 / Families That Have Children with Special Needs 181 / Families with Foster Children 183 / Families with Children Who Are Adopted 183 / Linguistic Diversity 184 / Ethnic/Cultural Diversity 184</p> <p>Benefits and Potential Conflicts 185</p> <p>Benefits to Early Childhood Professionals 185 / Benefits to Families 186 / Benefits to Children 186 / Potential Conflicts 186</p> <p>Building Strong Two-Way Relationships 188</p> <p>Providing Mutual Support 188 / Communication: The Key 188 / Effective Communication Strategies 191 / Understanding Beliefs and Attitudes 197 / Family-Friendly Schools 199</p> <p>Engaging Families 200</p> <p> In Early Childhood Settings 200 / At Home 201</p> <p>Connecting with the Community 202</p> <p>Involving the Community in the Early Childhood Setting 203 / Involving the Early Childhood Program in the Community 203 / Advocacy and Public Policy 204</p> <p>Summary 204</p> <p><strong>8. Diversity and Young Children 206</strong></p> <p>Attitudes toward Diversity 208</p> <p>Racial/Cultural Attitudes 208 / Attitudes about Gender 210 / Sexual Orientation 211 / Children with Special Needs 212 / English Language Learners 213 / Religious Diversity 215</p> <p>Biased Responses to Diversity 215</p> <p>Ignore Diversity 215 / The Tourist Approach 216</p> <p>Understanding Our Own and Others’ Diverse Identities 216</p> <p>Begin with Self-Analysis 217 / Talk about Differences 217 / Talk about Similarities 218 / Expose Children to Diversity 218</p> <p>Integrating Diversity and Social Justice throughout the Curriculum 218</p> <p>Culturally Relevant Teaching and Learning 219 / The Antibias Curriculum 220 / Using Toys That Promote Diversity 221 / Diversity through Games 222 / Quality Children’s Literature 223 / The Visual–Aesthetic Environment 223 / Meaningful Diversity Experiences 224 / English Language Learners and the Curriculum 225 / Integrating Curriculum for Individuals with Special Needs 226 / Gender and the Curriculum 228</p> <p>Summary 230</p> <p><strong>PART III: ORGANIZING FOR INSTRUCTION</strong></p> <p><strong>9. Planning the Physical Environment: Indoors 232</strong></p> <p>Planning Guidelines 234</p> <p>Basic Considerations 234 / Selecting Equipment and Materials 238 / Changing the Physical Environment 240 / Health and Safety Considerations 242 / Environmentally Friendly Indoor Spaces 243</p> <p>Centers-Based Early Childhood Programs 244</p> <p>Art Center 245 / Manipulative Center 245 / Literacy Center 245 / Block Center 247 / Housekeeping Center 248 / Dramatic Play Center 249 / The Music Center 250 / Discovery/Science Center 250 / Other Creative Centers 250</p> <p>Infant/Toddler Environments 253</p> <p>Developmental Considerations 253 / Spaces and Centers 254</p> <p>Preschool Spaces 254</p> <p>Planning Considerations 254 / Center Organization 256</p> <p>Kindergarten and Primary Classrooms 256</p> <p>Academic Issues 258 / Areas and Centers 258</p> <p>Summary 261</p> <p><strong>10. Planning the Physical Environment: Outdoors 262</strong></p> <p>Importance of Outdoor Play 264</p> <p>Committing to the Outdoor Environment 265</p> <p>Planning Guidelines 266</p> <p>Basic Considerations 267 / Selecting Equipment and Materials 271 / Planning for Change in the Outdoor Environment 272 / Health and Safety Considerations 275</p> <p>Outdoor Play Areas 277</p> <p>Transition Area 277 / Manipulative/Construction Area 277 / Dramatic Play Area 277 / Physical Area 278 / Sand/Water Play Area 278 / Natural Areas 278</p> <p>Infant/Toddler Environments 280</p> <p>Developmental Considerations 280 / Areas and Equipment 281</p> <p>Preschool Playgrounds 281</p> <p>Planning Considerations 283 / Area Organization 284</p> <p>Kindergarten and Primary Playgrounds 284</p> <p>Issues Concerning Recess 284 / Children with Special Needs 286 / Equipment and Its Organization 287</p> <p>Summary 290</p> <p><strong>11. Developmentally Appropriate Curriculum 292</strong></p> <p>Creating a Developmentally Appropriate Curriculum 294</p> <p>Identify Children’s Needs and Interests 297 / Plan the Curriculum 299 / Engage in Assessment 303</p> <p>The Integrated Curriculum 304</p> <p>Why Implement an Integrated Curriculum? 305 / Planning and Preparation 306 / The Project Approach 308</p> <p>Observation in Early Childhood Settings 310</p> <p>Informal and Formal Observations 310 / Uses for Observations 311 / Becoming an Objective Observer 311 / Observation Strategies 312</p> <p>Planning Activities and Lessons 315</p> <p>Activity Planning 315 / Lesson Planning 315</p> <p>Assessment 316</p> <p>Standardized Assessments 318 / Developmental Screening in Early Childhood 318 / The Role of Observation in Assessment 318 / Documentation of Children’s Learning 320 / The Portfolio and Its Use 320</p> <p>Summary 323</p> <p><strong>PART IV: THE CURRICULUM</strong></p> <p><strong>12. Health and Wellness 324</strong></p> <p>Importance of Health and Wellness 326</p> <p>Physical Education and Its Importance 326 / The Values of Health Education 329 / Safety Education and Young Children 330 / Working with Families 331</p> <p>Physical Education 332</p> <p>Basic Considerations 332 / Instructional Strategies for Physical Education 333 / Physical Development and Play 334 / Organized Physical Activities 335 / Games and Activities: Indoors 337 / Games and Activities: Outdoors 339</p> <p>Health Education 342</p> <p>Nutrition 342 / Healthy Body Image 344 / Medical and Dental Health 345 / Illnesses 346 / Healthy Adults 347</p> <p>Safety Education 348<br>Environmental Risks 348 / Accident Prevention 349 / Abuse and Neglect 351</p> <p>Summary 352</p> <p><strong>13. Supporting Emotional and Social Development 354</strong></p> <p>Supporting Emotional Development 356</p> <p>What Are Emotions? 356 / Dealing with Feelings 357 / Bullying 358 / Materials and Activities for Emotional Development 359</p> <p>Facilitating Social Competence 361</p> <p>Building a Sense of Self 363 / Adult–Child Relationships 363 / Peer Interactions 365 / Guiding Social Interactions 367 / The Environment and Materials 368 / Activities and Themes 370</p> <p>Stress as a Factor in Emotional and Social Development 373</p> <p>Stress Factors 373 / Helping Children Cope 375 / Adult Stress 376</p> <p>Summary 377</p> <p><strong>14. Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies Learning 378</strong></p> <p>The Cognitive Curriculum: Developing Children’s Thinking 380</p> <p>Learning Facts 380 / Critical Thinking 381 / Problem Solving 381 / Lifelong Learning 382 / The Constructivist Approach 383 / Family Roles 384</p> <p>Mathematics and Young Children 386</p> <p>Classification 388 / Seriation 389 / Patterning 389 / Number Concepts 390 / Measurement 390 / Geometry 391 / The Language of Mathematics 391</p> <p>Science Learning 392</p> <p>Scientific Content 393 / The Scientific Process 396</p> <p>Young Children and Social Studies 398</p> <p>Understanding Self 399 / Understanding Others 400</p> <p>Integrating Cognitive Learning throughout the Curriculum 401</p> <p>Infant/Toddler Materials and Activities 402 / Children Ages 3 through 5 402 / The Primary Grades 403</p> <p>Summary 405</p> <p><strong>15. Language and Literacy Learning 406</strong></p> <p>Language and Literacy Development 408</p> <p>Theoretical Perspectives 408 / Language Development 409 / Linguistic Systems 410 / Literacy Development 410</p> <p>Language and Literacy Learning 411</p> <p>Facilitating Language Learning 412 / Language Learning Materials 417 / Assisting with Emergent Literacy 417 / Children’s Books 422 / Writing Tools 425 / Writing Instruction 425 / Formal Reading Instruction 426 / Addressing the Needs of Diverse Language and Literacy Learners 427</p> <p>Encouraging Family Involvement 428</p> <p>Taking Advantage of Daily Living 430 / Simple Home Learning Tasks 430</p> <p>Summary 431</p> <p><strong>16. The Creative Arts 432</strong></p> <p>What Is Creativity? 434</p> <p>Defining Creativity 434 / Characteristics and Skills of Creative Individuals 435 / Assisting with the Creative Process 435 / Creativity and Play 436</p> <p>The Young Artist 438</p> <p>Why Include the Arts? 439 / Misconceptions about Art 440 / Developmental Trends in Art 441 / The Early Childhood Art Curriculum 442 / The Adult’s Role in Art Experiences 442 / The Art of Reggio Emilia 444 / Art Activities 445</p> <p>Music and the Young Child 448</p> <p>The Importance of Music in Early Childhood 448 / Musical Development 450 / Movement and Music 451 / The Music Curriculum for Young Children 451 / Facilitating Musical Experiences 453 / Music Activities 454</p> <p>Creative Dramatics, Theater, and Dance 456</p> <p>Dramatic Play 456 / Theater 457 / Dance 458</p> <p>Summary 459</p> <p><strong>17. Technology and Young Children 460</strong></p> <p>Developmentally Appropriate Technology 462</p> <p>Electronic Screens 464</p> <p>Television and Young Children 464 / The Video Game Dilemma 465 / Computers and Young Children 466 / Mobile Media: Tablets and Smartphones 472 / Selecting Software Applications for Young Children 473</p> <p>Other Technologies 475</p> <p>Digital Cameras 476 / Video/Audio Recorders and Players 476 / Interactive Whiteboards 477 / Internet Tools 477</p> <p>Technology and Home–School Relations 479<br>Family Television Viewing 479 / Video Games in the Home 479 / Software Applications for the Home 481 / Tools for Communicating with Families 481</p> <p>Summary 482</p> <p>Glossary G-1</p> <p>References R-1</p> <p>Name Index I-1</p> <p>Subject Index I-7</p>