EDU/HSER 1128

This Scholastic web site contains a plethora of useful early childhood resources and information.

Spaces for Children creates developmentally appropriate spaces that enhance a child's growth and that are convenient and a pleasure for teachers to use. Aesthetically pleasing, long lasting designs promote child development and attract and maintain high-caliber staff. Teachers who feel comfortable and effective in their classrooms provide the continuity essential to a child's sense of well being. The firm's hands-on approach includes time spent with teachers and administrators, observation of existing facilities if applicable, and, at the completion of construction, staff training and follow-up. The principals' expertise ranges from programming to building design, from classroom layout to furniture and outdoor play yard design, from the specifics of appropriate materials, fastenings, and finishes that assure optimum play value, child safety, and durability to the selection of low-toxic materials and optimization of indoor air quality. It is this knowledge, developed through working together as a team on a large number of projects, that sets Spaces for Children apart from other architecture firms designing childcare facilities.

We often remark on the marvelous creativity of young children's drawings, dramatic play, and invented language. Children show imaginative use of color, themes, and flights of fancy in their language. As teachers, we play an important role in supporting children's ability in art, dramatic expression, and creative responses to problems.

This chart provides information on how children develop creative-thinking skills from birth to age 6.

On this site you will find a plethora of information on parenting styles, including an overview of the four basic parenting styles and how parenting styles seem to affect children.

Children Now's mission is to find common ground among influential opinion leaders, interest groups and policymakers, who together can develop and drive socially innovative, "win-win" approaches to helping all children achieve their full potential.

This site contains information about Urie Bronfenbrenner and the ecology of human development.

The work of Lev Vygotsky is increasingly cited as we reconsider the theory and practice of constructivist education. This program introduces the life, vocabulary and concepts of Lev Vygotsky. The video illustrates four basic concepts integral to his work: Children construct knowledge, learning can lead development, development cannot be separated from its social context, and language plays a central role in cognitive development. Elena Bodrova brings an easy familiarity to these concepts. Deborah Leongs commentary and the lively classroom examples enable students, teachers in training, and classroom teachers to incorporate these concepts into their understanding of child development. with deborah Leong, Ph.D. and Elena Bodrova, Ph.D. This is a short clip form the film. Further information is available at www.davidsonfilms.com.

This document contains information on positive discipline and child guidance, which is designed to be shared with parents. Topics include proactive strategies, possible reasons children misbehave, positive discipline techniques, responding to misbehavior, parenting styles, child development, nurturing, and additional resources for parents.

HighScope Educational Research Foundation is an independent nonprofit research, development, training, and public outreach organization with headquarters in Ypsilanti, Michigan. HighScope's mission is to lift lives through HighScope Headquarters - Hutchinson House January 2008education. We envision a world in which all educational settings use active participatory learning so everyone has a chance to succeed in life and contribute to society. HighScope activities include - Training preschool and elementary teachers and administrators Conducting research projects on the effectiveness of educational programs Developing curricula for infant/toddler, preschool, elementary, youth development, and movement and music programs Developing early literacy curricula and assessment materials and conducting related research Presenting an annual International HighScope Conference for teachers and teacher-trainers Publishing books, videos, curriculum materials, and assessment tools for educators and researchers Operating a Demonstration Preschool in Ypsilanti, Michigan, that serves children in the local community and provides a model of "HighScope in action" for visiting educators Operating the HighScope Retreat and Meeting Center in Clinton, Michigan

Positive Discipline is a program based on the work of Alfred Adler and Rudolf Dreikurs and designed to teach young people to become responsible, respectful and resourceful members of their communities. Based on the best selling Positive Discipline books by Dr. Jane Nelsen and co-authors Lynn Lott, Cheryl Erwin, Kate Ortolano, Mary Hughes, Mike Brock, Lisa Larson and others, it teaches important social and life skills in a manner that is deeply respectful and encouraging for both children and adults (including parents, teachers, childcare providers, youth workers, and others). Recent research tells us that children are "hardwired" from birth to connect with others, and that children who feel a sense of connection to their community, family, and school are less likely to misbehave. To be successful, contributing members of their community, children must learn necessary social and life skills. Positive Discipline is based on the understanding that discipline must be taught and that discipline teaches.

Educators for Social Responsibility (ESR) works directly with educators to implement systemic practices that create safe, caring, and equitable schools so that all young people succeed in school and life, and help shape a safe, democratic and just world. Founded in 1982, ESR is a national leader in school reform and provides professional development, consultation, and educational resources to adults who teach young people in preschool through high school.

Compassionate Kids is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in the year 2004 by Kelly Palmatier, a vegan (vegetarian) foster/adoptive mom with a background in business, communications, and web design. Compassionate Kids, Inc. is dedicated to helping teach children compassion towards the Earth, people, and animals. The website, CompassionateKids.com, has articles, book reviews, and free printable activities. There are local chapters all across the country that host compassion-oriented field trips and community service events approximately once a month. Field trips and events vary from month to month and from state to state, but are always related to compassion. A field trip to an organic farm can teach about helping the Earth. A canned food drive benefits people. A visit to an animal sanctuary teaches about the value of all living creatures.

Due to the expanding volume of information on the Web, parents and professionals often have difficulty locating the information they want. Even when they find information that seems relevant, they have difficulty determining if it is credible. The Child & Family WebGuide describes trustworthy websites on topics of interest to parents and professionals. All the sites listed on the WebGuide have been systematically evaluated by graduate students and faculty in child development. These sites have been selected from thousands that are available on the Web, based primarily on the quality of the information they provide. The goal of the WebGuide is to give the public easy access to the best child development information on the Web. There are five main categories of information: family/parenting, education/learning, typical child development, health/mental health, and resources/recreation. The first four categories contain sites with research-based information. The fifth category, resources/recreation, contains sites with information about specific programs and things to do. The resources/recreation sites, which were added at the request of parents, do not contain research-based information. The WebGuide also offers an option of searching for sites that are especially relevant to a particular age group (topics by age) and it offers several features requested by parents (e.g., ask an expert sites; research news sites).

This site contains reliable and accurate information on child development, including many good links to information for educators and for parents.

Teaching is a rewarding and challenging profession where you can make a lasting impact. You can have a positive influence on students, schools, and communities now and into the future. Schools across the nation are in need of a diverse set of talented teachers, especially in our big cities and rural areas, and especially in the areas of Math, Science, Technology, Special Education, and English Language Learning. The TEACH campaign is an initiative of the United States Department of Education designed to raise awareness of the teaching profession and get a new generation of teachers to join the ones who are already making a difference in the classroom. At TEACH.gov you can learn what it's really like to be a teacher and get the tools you need to launch your own career in education.

"The work of Jean Piaget has become the foundation of current developmental psychology and the basis for changes in educational practice. David Elkind, author of The Hurried Child and Miseducation, and a student of Jean Piaget, explores the roots of Piagets work and outlines important vocabulary and concepts that structure much of the study of child development. Using both archival film of Dr. Piaget and newly shot sequences of Dr. Elkind conducting interviews with children of varying ages, this film presents an overview of Piagets developmental theory, its scope and content. The film can serve either as an introduction to Piagets work or as a review of it. With David Elkind, Ph.D. This is a short clip from the film. Further information is available at www.davidsonfilms.com."

"Narrated by Erikson's colleague, Margaret Brenman-Gibson, Ph.D. and Ruthie Mickles, Ph.D. Using archival materials and newly shot footage, this film introduces students to the rich wisdom of Erik H. Erikson. Best known for his identification of the eight stages of the life cycle, Erikson spent a lifetime observing and studying the way in which the interplay of genetics, cultural influences and unique experiences produces individual human lives. This film combines biographical information about Erikson with his theoretical proposals to give students an understanding of the relationship between the life experience of a theorist and the work that is produced. Further information is available at www.davidsonfilms.com."

This is the site for the Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning, which is a federally funded, national resources center. It includes excellent resources on using observation.

The #1 ranked resource for 'parental involvement in public schools' in Google, & Yahoo! As a parent it can be a struggle sometimes to figure out how much and how exactly to be involved with your child's school life and community. It is important to have a resource to turn to that is universal to parents across the United States. Project Appleseed provides resources for parents who want to be involved in their children's schools and for schools who seek their involvement. From volunteering to home life to communication, you will find valuable information in all areas here at Project Appleseed, the national campaign for public school improvement!