In an age where the quality of teacher education programs has never been more important, educators need a fundamental understanding of human growth, development, and change at different ages and stages across the life span. The present volume draws upon the latest research to help teacher preparation instructors select and convey essential content on human development. Such efforts serve to prepare education professionals to work with infants, children, adolescents, and adults across diverse educational settings. The chapters included in this volume summarize empirical research that supports the teaching of human development as it applies to PreK-12 and postsecondary settings, describe instructional practices used in college courses that are effective for teaching teachers-in-training about human development, and provide a systematic discussion of issues that influence the teaching of human development theories, research, and classroom applications. The contributing authors are accomplished educational and developmental psychologists that have years of experience in teacher preparation. Their respective chapters provide insights into the challenges that teachers-in-training confront in learning about human growth and development and how novice teachers can apply knowledge of human development in their professional practice.

Children are already learning at birth, and they develop and learn at a rapid pace in their early years. This provides a critical foundation for lifelong progress, and the adults who provide for the care and the education of young children bear a great responsibility for their health, development, and learning. Despite the fact that they share the same objective - to nurture young children and secure their future success - the various practitioners who contribute to the care and the education of children from birth through age 8 are not acknowledged as a workforce unified by the common knowledge and competencies needed to do their jobs well. Transforming the Workforce for Children Birth Through Age 8 explores the science of child development, particularly looking at implications for the professionals who work with children. This report examines the current capacities and practices of the workforce, the settings in which they work, the policies and infrastructure that set qualifications and provide professional learning, and the government agencies and other funders who support and oversee these systems. This book then makes recommendations to improve the quality of professional practice and the practice environment for care and education professionals. These detailed recommendations create a blueprint for action that builds on a unifying foundation of child development and early learning, shared knowledge and competencies for care and education professionals, and principles for effective professional learning. Young children thrive and learn best when they have secure, positive relationships with adults who are knowledgeable about how to support their development and learning and are responsive to their individual progress. Transforming the Workforce for Children Birth Through Age 8 offers guidance on system changes to improve the quality of professional practice, specific actions to improve professional learning systems and workforce development, and research to continue to build the knowledge base in ways that will directly advance and inform future actions. The recommendations of this book provide an opportunity to improve the quality of the care and the education that children receive, and ultimately improve outcomes for children.