This Twenty-Seventh Edition of ANNUAL EDITIONS: EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION provides convenient, inexpensive access to current articles selected from the best of the public press. Organizational features include: an annotated listing of selected World Wide Web sites; an annotated table of contents; a topic guide; a general introduction; brief overviews for each section; a topical index; and an instructor's resource guide with testing materials. USING ANNUAL EDITIONS IN THE CLASSROOM is offered as a practical guide for instructors. ANNUAL EDITIONS titles are supported by our student website, www.dushkin.com/online.

UNIT 1. How the World Treats Young Children

1. Preschool Pays, Robert G. Lynch, American Educator, Winter 2004/2005

The classic, “A stitch in time saves nine” saying from a century ago certainly applies to preschool programs for at-risk children. Investing in quality programs for our youngest learners prior to public school entry age has huge payoffs down the road. Policy makers have to be convinced to invest in the future for long term cost savings.

2. The High/Scope Perry Preschool Study and the Man Who Began It, High/Scope Resource, Spring 2005

The idea by Dr. David Weikart back in 1963 that a preschool program could affect the future learning of children living in poverty for years to come has made a huge impact on our profession. The history of the High/Scope Perry Preschool Study in Ypsilanti, MI is presented.

3. The Preschool Promise, Julie Poppe and Steffanie Clothier, State Legislatures, June 2005

This article highlights the recent interest in preschool by those who enact policy. Legislators are normally concerned with short term gains to impress voters, but the evidence on the long term achievement benefits of preschool is so strong, government officials cannot ignore it. Many states have already passed laws requiring programs for their youngest learners.

4. Class and the Classroom, Richard Rothstein, The American School Board Journal, October 2004

Achievement differences between children of poverty and middle class children are wide and this author states that the gap is not the schools’ fault alone. Class background accounts for some differences in family literacy and socialization that relate to achievement. Rothstein calls for policies that are based on identifying social class characteristics.

5. Blended Perspectives: A Global Vision for High-Quality Early Childhood Education, Mary Renck Jalongo et al., Early Childhood Education Journal, December 2004

Programs for young children across the world were examined by a panel of experts. There are lessons for us to learn in examining the philosophy, curriculum, achievement, and teaching staff in other cultures.

6. Taking a Stand: Strategies for Activism, Richard J. Meyer, Young Children, May 2005

Teachers can no longer just work with the children in their class and their families. Early childhood educators today must become strong advocates for developmentally appropriate programs for young children. Learning how to take action and standing up for the best practices goes hand in hand with teaching.

UNIT 2. Young Children and Their Families

7. Children of Teen Parents: Challenges and Hope, Barbara A. White, Mimi Graham, and Seaton K. Bradford, Zero to Three, March 2005

When parents are merely children themselves, special services are needed to support these vulnerble parents of infants and toddlers. Their children are often at-risk from lack of prenatal care, poverty, violence, and other developmental delays as a result of being raised in a teen parent family.

8. Supporting Grandparents Who Raise Grandchildren, Jennifer Birckmayer et al., Young Children, May 2005

Grandparents raising their grandchildren often report parenting isn’t any easier, in fact it is often more challenging, the second time around. Grandparents have special support needs such as isolation, physical limitations, stress, poverty, and guidance. Teachers can offer special services aimed at this unique group of parents.

9. The Case for Staying Home, Claudia Wallis, Time, March 22, 2004

The extremely challenging world of a high-powered career woman with young children is coming to a crashing halt for many women today. The demands of work and family are blending to force unrealistic expectations on many women. Finding the balance between home and work is becoming more and more elusive; these dedicated moms and professionals are increasingly choosing to put work on hold while they tend to young children at home.

10. The Friendly Divorce, Sarah Mahoney, Parents, May 2004

Researchers have been studying the effects of their parents’ divorce on children for over 30 years. Strategies for helping children from birth through age 12 deal with divorce, as well as strategies for families to make divorce less stressful for children are included.

11. The Dynamics of Families Who Are Homeless: Implications for Early Childhood Educators, Kevin J. Swick, Childhood Education, Spring 2004

Swick provides information on the unique characteristics of homeless families and the special needs of their children. He addresses the implications for early childhood professionals in helping homeless children.

UNIT 3. Supporting Young Children’s Development

12. Reading Your Baby’s Mind, Pat Wingert and Martha Brant, Newsweek, August 15, 2005

Research on early brain development has been in mainstream magazines for over ten years. We are now beginning to learn even more about the remarkable learning capabilities of infants and toddlers.

13. What Does It Mean to Educate the Whole Child?, Nel Noddings, Educational Leadership, September 2005

As schools put more and more effort on accountability, assessment, and achievement, educators are starting to step back and recognize the critical role emotional competence and pro-social skills play in a child’s cognitive development. Education is more than, “reading, ’riting, and ’rithmetic.” Nel Noddings challenges us to reflect on the real purpose of education.

14. What Can We Do To Prevent Childhood Obesity?, Julie Lumeng, Zero to Three, January 2005

Childhood obesity is increasing at an alarming rate. Teachers and caregivers can educate families on how to provide healthy meals to their children, especially infants and toddlers. Research has found that overweight three year olds are likely to be overweight adults.

UNIT 4. Educational Practices

15. Stop the Insanity!: It Takes a Team to Leave No Child Behind, Sarah M. Butzin, Phi Delta Kappan, December 2004

Sarah Butzin contends teaching is rocket science and requires highly trained individuals who are knowledgeable with best teaching practices. She challenges the reader to find the best ways to reach all students and indicates play and fun can go hand in hand with high standards.

16. Uniquely Preschool, Elena Bodrova and Deborah J. Leong, Educational Leadership, September 2005

Cognitive and social-emotional development take center stage in this article focusing on the basic needs of preschool children for authentic learning to take place. An environment where they are safe to take risks will challenge children to become lifelong learners.

17. Achieving High Standards and Implementing Developmentally Appropriate Practice—Both ARE Possible, Harriet A. Egertson, Dimensions of Early Childhood, Winter 2004

As high learning standards for preschool and primary grades are adopted, some practitioners fail to change their teaching practices and cling to earlier methods. The result is ineffective practices such as increasing the age of entrance to kindergarten and retention in a grade. Developmentally appropriate practices that are thoughtfully used are more beneficial for accommodating the variability of young children in classrooms.

18. Rethinking Early Childhood Practices, Francis Wardle, Early Childhood News, January/February 2005

Francis Wardle makes us put on our thinking caps and challenges us to reflect on everyday practices in most programs for young children. Only after careful examination of the benefits of an activity or curricular practice should we continue doing things in classrooms that have been carried on for years without much thought.

19. One District’s Study on the Propriety of Transition-Grade Classrooms, Vera Estok, Young Children, March 2005

Vera Estok did what any teacher should do when faced with a dilemma, she went about the task of finding research that would support the best practice. Estok presents an overview of the research on transitional grades and then chronicles the work she undertook to ensure the children in her district had educational opportunities consistent with the best practices. She describes some of the negative effects of retention and transitional year programs.

20. Second Time Around, Susan Black, The American School Board Journal, November 2004

Despite overwhelming evidence from research, many teachers and parents still assume that retention is beneficial for young children. Yet repeating a grade does not improve reading or math, nor does it foster social adjustment and self-concept. Teachers play a crucial role in stopping wholesale retention by individualizing instruction and using student assessment to adapt strategies.

21. Making the Case for Play Policy: Research-Based Resons to Support Play-Based Environments, Dolores A. Stegelin, Young Children, March 2005

Any primary teacher faced with the challenge of defending play will benefit from reading Stegelin’s article. Teachers who have a well defined play policy supported by the research will be able to articulate to parents and administrators how children can best learn. Equipment and materials are important for hands on learning to occur.

22. Essential Contributions from Playgrounds, John A. Sutterby and Candra D. Thornton, Young Children, May 2005

Playgrounds, once those metal structures permanently placed on hard surfaces, play a significant role in the overall development of young children. Educators need to put thought and careful planning into designing the outside spaces for children to play and develop. Playgrounds that are safe and challenging have a great deal to offer in terms of movement and physical development as well as social and emotional experiences.

23. The Ultimate Guide to Preschool, Beth Livermore and Ilisa Cohen, Parents, October 2004

When deciding whether to send a child to preschool, today’s parents need to be aware of the range of options, including private, public, full-time, and part-time schools. Quality preschool programs offer small class size, plenty of play materials, and low child-teacher ratios. Academics should not be the sole focus of the curriculum—social, emotional, and physical development are also important.

24. Basic Premises of Classroom Design: The Teacher’s Perspective, Terri Jo Swim, Early Childhood News, November/December 2004

Creating a quality physical environment for young children is an important factor for meaningful learning to take place. Teachers should consider how to balance different aspects of the environment to meet children’s needs. For infants and toddlers, this includes eating, toileting, sleeping, and comfort.

25. Planning Holiday Celebrations: An Ethical Approach to Developing Policy and Practices, Katie Campbell, Mary Jamsek, and P.D. Jolley, Texas Child Care, Fall 2004

Rather than base holiday celebrations on activity books and local culture, early childhood teachers can establish a holiday policy based on ethical principles. By collaborating with families, teachers can determine a process for holiday celebrations that respects the diversity of children and is inclusive of many customs and cultures.

UNIT 5. Guiding and Supporting Young Children

26. From Policing to Participation: Overturning the Rules and Creating Amiable Classrooms, Carol Anne Wien, Young Children, January 2004

The message that comes through in Wien’s article is lighten up teacher and enjoy the time spent caring for and educating young children. When guidance and behavior issues consume teachers’ and students’ days, the purpose of education can be lost. Wein helps teachers to reexamine rules and establish policies that are child centered and developmentally appropriate.

27. With Boys and Girls in Mind, Michael Gurian and Kathy Stevens, Educational Leadership, November 2004

Compelling research in brain functioning shows significant differences between how boys and girls learn. Since children tend to do the activities that their brains experience as enjoyable, the implications for teaching are enormous. The authors advocate for the use of gender-specific strategies, instead of culturally-based traditional approaches, to close the gap between boys and girls.

28. Building Positive Teacher-Child Relationships, M.M. Ostrosky and E.Y. Jung, What Works Briefs, #12

It is important for teachers to use positive guidance techniques to help children understand classroom expectations and lower the amount of challenging behaviors. By using developmentally appropriate practices that help establish secure relationships, teachers can influence academic achievement and social development.

29. Heading Off Disruptive Behavior, Hill M. Walker, Elizabeth Ramsey, and Frank M. Gresham, American Educator, Winter 2003/2004

Not only has curriculum once only found in our elementary schools made its way into preschools, behavior problems have as well. Teachers are now dealing with challenging issues as they work to guide the behavior of all young children. A proactive approach is suggested by the authors of this article.

30. Beyond Banning War and Superhero Play, Diane E. Levin, Young Children, May 2003

In times of violence, young children’s play often has violent and graphic themes. Their behavior can turn negative and harmful. Teachers should use approaches that promote creative play while dealing with children’s needs. Open-ended toys, such as blocks, should be selected rather than toys that mimic media-related violence.

UNIT 6. Curricular Issues

31. Beyond the Basics: Using the Project Approach in Standards-Based Classrooms, Judy Harris Helm, Dimensions of Early Childhood, Fall 2003

Teachers of young children may believe standards are for older children to achieve and have no part in an early childhood classroom. However, standards are very important for teachers of young children to follow and can be integrated into the early childhood classroom through the project based approach.

32. Understanding Curriculum: An Umbrella View, Judith Colbert Ph.D., Earlychildhood News, August/September 2003

Developing an appropriate and challenging curriculum for children during the preschool years has been a dilemma for teachers for years. Key questions teachers want to ask themselves include, what is the purpose of curriculum, what types of learning experiences are important for young children, what curriculum is specific to my local area, and how can I best evaluate the learning in my classroom?

33. Reggio Emilia: New Ways to Think About Schooling, Rebecca S. New, Educational Leadership, April 2003

It has been over ten years since American educators were first exposed to the innovative ideas associated with the preschools of Reggio Emilia, Italy. Since then some teachers have tried diligently to change their teaching to include more emergent curriculum, extended projects, documentation, and the involvement of families—all hallmarks of the Reggio Emilia approach.

34. Fostering Prosocial Behavior in Young Children, Kathy Preusse, Early Childhood News, March/April 2005

Teaching children prosocial behaviors not only provides them with the ability to be successful in group settings, prosocial skills help children to be lifelong learners. Strategies are provided for teachers to help children learn to make choices, negotiate conflicts, and develop self-control. Altruistic behaviors are those prosocial skills that will enable children to be fit to live with as they move though life.

35. Emergent Curriculum and Kindergarten Readiness, Deborah J. Cassidy, Sharon Mims, Lia Rucker, and Sheresa Boone, Childhood Education, Summer 2003

Given an appropriate learning environment that is tailored to each child’s individual needs and interests, all children will be successful in kindergarten. Teachers should be facilitators to the learning environment and keenly aware of each child and his or her interests.

36. Early Literacy and Very Young Children, Rebecca Parlakian, Zero to Three, September 2004

The focus on early literacy has moved down to programs for very young children. Parlakian examines strategies and effective techniques to introduce young children to reading. She encourages teachers to intentionally plan literacy experiences in the classroom and to scaffold children’s learning by providing a supportive environment.

37. Writing First!, Peter Elbow, Educational Leadership, October 2004

With such a major focus on early literacy skills, writing has not received as much attention in a young child’s development. Teachers can provide many natural opportunities for children to develop writing skills that go hand in hand with learning how to read.

38. The Sweet Work of Reading, Andie Cunningham and Ruth Shagoury, Educational Leadership, October 2005

The authors of this article provide an in-depth look at a kindergarten class as they set about the task of learning how to read. Reading comprehension strategies are included along with suggestions to help teachers provide a literacy friendly environment in their classroom.

39. Educating Early Childhood Teachers about Computers, Cynthia J. Bewick and Marjorie Kostelnik, Young Children, May 2004

What teachers need to know about computers along with ways to introduce computer use into the early childhood classroom are discussed. Teachers who are unfamiliar with technology may not provide the supportive environment young children need to effectively use technology.

40. Movement and Learning: A Valuable Connection, Deborah Stevens-Smith, Strategies, September/October 2004

Young children are motoric beings who learn through movement and exploration of their environment. A teacher familiar with the research on early brain development should design an environment for children to move and learn.

41. Beyond Community Helpers: The Project Approach in the Early Childhood Social Studies Curriculum, Ted L. Maple, Childhood Education, Spring 2005

Ted Maple provides a first-hand look into how he opened up his traditional social studies curriculum to a more meaningful exploration by the children. The project approach is child centered and involves active authentic experiences where the children are engaged in their learning. The key social studies standards can effectively be implemented by using a project approach.

42. Promoting Creativity for Life Using Open-Ended Materials, Walter F. Drew and Baji Rankin, Young Children, July 2004

Children’s creativity still plays an important role in their overall development and should not be pushed aside with the focus many put solely on academic performance. Teachers who provide many open ended creative materials and experiences will enable children to develop life long skills that will serve them well in all areas of development.

43. Building Culturally and Linguistically Competent Services, Kathy Seitzinger Hepburn, Early Care and Education Environment, May 2004

The focus of this article is on providing appropriate multicultural and anti-bias materials and learning experiences for young children. A checklist for teachers is included and is a valuable tool for classroom use.