Aimed at parents of and advocates for special needs children, explains how to develop a relationship with a school, monitor a child's progress, understand relevant legislation, and document correspondence and conversations.

An eye-opening look inside pre-K in America and what it will take to give all children the best start in school possible. At the heart of this groundbreaking book are two urgent questions: What do our young children need in the earliest years of school, and how do we ensure that they all get it? Cutting-edge research has proven that early childhood education is crucial for all children to gain the academic and emotional skills they need to succeed later in life. Children who attend quality pre-K programs have a host of positive outcomes including better language, literacy, problem-solving and math skills down the line, and they have a leg up on what appears to be the most essential skill to develop at age four: strong self-control. But even with this overwhelming evidence, early childhood education is at a crossroads in America. We know that children can and do benefit, but we also know that too many of our littlest learners don’t get that chance—millions of parents can’t find spots for their children, or their preschoolers end up in poor quality programs. With engrossing storytelling, journalist Suzanne Bouffard takes us inside some of the country’s best pre-K classrooms to reveal the sometimes surprising ingredients that make them work—and to understand why some programs are doing the opposite of what is best for children. It also chronicles the stories of families and teachers from many backgrounds as they struggle to give their children a good start in school. This book is a call to arms when we are at a crucial moment, and perhaps on the verge of a missed opportunity: We now have the means and the will to have universal pre-kindergarten, but we are also in grave danger of not getting it right.

Grounded in theory and research, The All-Day Kindergarten and Pre-K Curriculum provides an activity-based and classroom-proven curriculum for educators to consider as they plan and interact with pre-k and kindergarten children. Allowing young children the opportunities to become independent, caring, critical thinkers who feel comfortable asking questions and exploring possible solutions, the Dynamic Themes Curriculum offers children the skills they need for responsible citizenship and academic progress. This book describes a culturally-sensitive pre-k and kindergarten curriculum in the context of literacy, technology, mathematics, social studies, science, the arts, and play, and also discusses: How to use the seven integrated conditions for learning to meet and exceed content learning standards How to organize for differentiated instruction and to integrate multiple forms of assessment How to teach literacy tools and skills in fresh ways How to work with families, colleagues, and community Building off of author Doris Fromberg’s groundbreaking earlier work, The All-Day Kindergarten and Pre-K Curriculum presents a practical curriculum centering on how young children develop meanings. This is a fantastic resource for pre-and in-service early childhood teachers, administrators, and scholars.

Educators require constructive information that details their students’ comprehension and can help them to advance the learners' education. Accurate evaluation of students at all educational levels and the implementation of comprehensive assessment strategies are essential for ensuring student equality and academic success. The Handbook of Research on Formative Assessment in Pre-K Through Elementary Classrooms is an essential research publication that addresses gaps in the understanding of formative assessment and offers educators meaningful and comprehensive examples of formative assessment in the Pre-K through elementary grade levels. Covering an array of topics such as literacy, professional development, and educational technologies, this book is relevant for instructors, administrators, education professionals, educational policymakers, pre-service teachers, academicians, researchers, and students.

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.

Unparalleled account of two astute thinkers German Friedrich Froebel and American Frank Lloyd Wright about an intertwined connection between a captivating school-master and a tenacious master-architect. An in-depth examination of how children learn coupled with what Wright learned in Froebels Kindergarten and how he applied it at the drawing table. Appropriate for parents, caretakers and educators of children and young people up through college age; and academic scholars and avid practitioners who advocate for the preservation of Wrights legacy. Narrative transcends years of commonplace thinking and practices founded upon an unrivaled method that accurately led to patterns of lovely shapes and magnificent angles, the bedrock of Froebels historical kindergarten and Wrights timeless architecture.