Full Description
Today's early childhood educators are faced with a great deal of responsibility and are called upon to make numerous decisions every day. They interact with children, families, colleagues, administrators, and policy makers. To be effective, their actions have to be based not on their own personal opinions, but by an understanding of the complexities related to each new, potentially controversial issue and current research on child development and the best practices in early childhood education programs. This unique book aims to address this need for advanced students and veteran educators to have a bipartisan reference of the most important issues of the day as addressed by the most advanced scholars in the field. To do this, the authors have called on eighteen of the most influential educators of the day to contribute a chapter on each topic covered in the book. These multiple perspectives provide an unbiased overview of each issue. The issues covered include families, advocacy, children with disabilities, and diversity. Chapters on developmentally appropriate practices stimulate discussion of the influence of the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC.)
Contents
PART I WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CARE AND EDUCATION OF YOUNG CHILDREN?1. Governing American Early Care and Education: Shifting From Government to Governance and From Form to Function2. The Role of Government in Early Care and Education: An International PerspectiveDEVELOPMENT?3. Programs for Infants and Toddlers4. Quality in Programs for Young Children5. Children's Readiness for Success in SchoolPART III WHO WILL TEACH YOUNG CHILDREN?6. The Early Childhood Education Workforce7. The Professional Development of Teachers of Young Children8. What Do Early Childhood Educators Need to Know and Do to Work in Urban Settings?9. Professionalism and Ethics in Early Care and Education10. Curriculum in Early Childhood Education: Teaching the Whole Child11. Play Theory and Practice in Contemporary Classrooms12. Early Learning Standards and Developmentally Appropriate Practice: Contradictory or Compatible13. Educating Young Children with Developmental Differences: Principles of Inclusive Practice14. Diversity and Early Childhood Education: Making Room for Everyone15. Assessing Young Children16. Evaluating Programs for Young Children17. Partnerships with Families18. Advocacy for Young Children-
