Childhood Education articles from January 2006

Childhood Education archives from January 2006

Educating the urban child: special challenges--promising programs.
January 1, 2006... In discussing the topic "important issues in urban education," some might address the following: poor academic achievement, behavior problems, low teacher satisfaction, struggles with school budgets, parent involvement, and lack of motivation...

Getting ourselves together.(childhood education)
January 1, 2006... "The more things change, the more they remain the same" (Sarason, 1996). Long-term perspective can enlarge our vision of current problems. After 50 years as a dedicated reader of Childhood Education, I am grateful to find therein recurrent...

Preferential option for the poor: making a pedagogical choice.
January 1, 2006... It was around four o'clock on a crisp fall afternoon when Marcus Thornton was on his way over to his best friend Jimmy's house. Marcus loved autumn and especially liked hearing the crackling and crunching sounds as the wheels of his bike split...

Finding their place in the community: urban education outside the classroom.
January 1, 2006... In the spring of 2005, the Bush administration announced that guidelines for following the mandates of No Child Left Behind (NCLB) had been made less restrictive. More of this "loosening" will follow, albeit quietly, lest the public discover...

Who said these kids don't want to learn?
January 1, 2006... Since the 1970s, both authors have been involved in the school reform movement, sharing a passion for improving public education, particularly urban public education. Our experiences as teacher and professor in an urban magnet laboratory school...

Ain't nothin' like the real thing: preparing teachers in an urban environment.
January 1, 2006... In her first journal reflection, Stephanie, a preservice teacher, described her initial impression of the urban school in which she was working. She wrote, "To be totally honest, my first impression was that I have never seen so many black...

Promising practices in preservice teacher preparation: the Ball State University urban semester.
January 1, 2006... Fostering preservice teachers' multicultural development is critically germane to teacher education programs. While populations of ethnic minorities are growing rapidly in the United States, diversity among preservice educators remains minimal....

Children's support services: providing a system of care for urban preschoolers with significant behavioral challenges.
January 1, 2006... Research showing the critical importance of school readiness highlights the need for early intervention with children who are exhibiting significant behavior problems. Young children who are perceived as socially competent and well-adjusted...

Promoting the well-being of children.(President's Message)
January 1, 2006... Friends know Mari as a very talented and level-headed beginning teacher. Her students look forward to her well-designed and fun lessons that highlight their ability to learn. Colleagues and supervisors observe that Mari seems like a natural...

A festival of the minds.(2006 Annual International Conference and Exhibition, Embracing a Confluence of Cultures in the Education of Children)
January 1, 2006... The photo essay at the right offers a glimpse of the many highlights of the 2006 Annual International Conference & Exhibition in San Antonio, April 12-15. This year's theme was "Embracing a Confluence of Cultures in the Education of Children."...

2006 Annual Conference and Exhibition.
January 1, 2006... San Antonio, Texas Joe Frost received the Patty Smith Hill award, ACEI's highest honor. He is shown here with ACEI President Jeanie Burnett and his wife Betty. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] A group of conference attendees enjoyed the...

Developing cross-cultural understanding among preservice teachers.(International/Intercultural)
January 1, 2006... Teacher educators worldwide attempt to expose their students to professional cross-cultural experiences in order to nurture the future teachers' awareness of and sensitivity toward international issues and diversity. With this in mind, American...

"Children of War" video and resource guide.(Brief article)
January 1, 2006... This videotape is designed as an instructional tool for professionals dealing with refugee/immigrant children. It includes highlights from the play Children of Win, in which five adolescent refugees tell stories of war, loss, and displacement....

Language of peace in the peaceful classroom.(Peace Education & Conflict Resolution Network)
January 1, 2006... For the past 30 years, peace educators have drawn attention to the vital role of language--the caring, creative words that describe and enhance peace. As far back as the 1970s, Priscilla Prutzman and her colleagues in a Quaker Project on...

Resolution for awareness and prevention of childhood obesity.(Association for Childhood Education International)
January 1, 2006... At the 2006 Annual Conference and Exhibition, the ACEI membership passed the following resolution: Whereas ACEI is an international organization; and Whereas ACEI is committed to supporting young children (infancy to 11 years old) and...

Announcing an advocacy Web site.(Association for Childhood Education International, Equipping Teachers for Advocacy)(Brief article)
January 1, 2006... ACEI UN Representatives Lynn Staley and Eva Zygmunt-Fillwalk have created Equipping Teachers for Advocacy, a Web site dedicated to providing teachers with worldwide resources to inform and educate student advocates. The site is maintained by...

Mariann Pezzella Winick.(In Memoriam)(In memoriam)(Brief article)
January 1, 2006... Regretfully, we have learned of the death of Professor Emerita Mariann Pezzella Winick, a long-time active member of ACEI. Winick was an exceptional educator and mentor who taught at Lehman College of the City University of New York from 1970...

Marion Margaret Craig.(In Memoriam)(In memoriam)(Brief article)
January 1, 2006... Long-time member Marion Margaret Craig passed away on March 26, 2006. A graduate of Aroostook State Normal School (now University of Maine at Presque Isle) and Oregon College of Education (now Western Oregon University) with a master's degree...

Birthdays and books.(Classroom Idea-Sparkers)
January 1, 2006... No holiday is quite as special to a young child as his or her birthday. After all, a birthday is their own special day. Because birthdays are interesting to children, they are a good topic for literacy activities. Many appropriate reading and...

The State of the World's Children, 2006.(United Nations Children's Fund)
January 1, 2006... In UNICEF's 2006 State of the World's Children report: titled Excluded and Invisible, Anne Veneman, the Executive Director of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), aptly describes the many children around the world who are without...

Elizabeth Breathwaite Student Leadership Award.(Awards and Honors)(Sheila Melton and Melissa Anderson)(Brief article)
January 1, 2006... The Elizabeth Breathwaite Student Leadership Award ($300) is presented to students who have shown evidence of leadership and participation in professional, social, school, and civic activities; interest in teaching or child-related occupations;...

ACEI Outstanding Member Service Award.(Awards and Honors)(Association for Childhood Education International)(Judit Szente, Bonnie Berg, and Charlotte Elmer)
January 1, 2006... The ACEI Outstanding Member Service Award recognizes the outstanding contributions made by an ACEI member to the betterment of children, to the field of education, and to ACEI. The 2006 winners are Judit Szente, Bonnie Berg, and Charlotte...

Celebrating teachers.(Public Affairs Update)
January 1, 2006... ACEI has celebrated Week of the Classroom Teacher, a celebration many members have referred to as "U.S. focused," since 1995. Now, with the celebration of World Teachers' Day, we ask the question, "What is your country doing to recognize the...

Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF.(Brief article)
January 1, 2006... Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF is an annual national event put on by the children of the United States. It has become more than a campaign about raising funds or little kids in scary costumes with the trademark orange collection box in hand. It has...

Urban education.(Program Development)
January 1, 2006... How does urban education differ from suburban or rural education? Although urban students from similar socio-economic groups fare as well academically as students from suburban and rural areas, according to the National Assessment of...

Montessori Centenary Celebration in Rome.(Brief article)
January 1, 2006... Join in this once in a lifetime opportunity to celebrate Maria Montessori! The Montessori Centenary Celebration will be held January 4-10, 2007, in Rome, Italy. Academic, artistic, and historic programs will be included, plus the unparalleled...

Beginning teachers and unions.
January 1, 2006... I always thought about teaching as a profession much like being a doctor or lawyer. We go through years of training, approach our jobs with care and planning, and hold positions of importance in our communities. Unlike doctors and lawyers,...

Social interaction: is it necessary for adolescents?(Public Affairs)(Brief article)
January 1, 2006... Adolescent students (12 to 14 years old) are in the middle of their developmental years. This is a very delicate time for each of them. Social interaction activities are needed for all students, but especially for the adolescent. Thus, in 2005...

Best Fundraiser Award.(Villa Julie College awarded)(Brief article)
January 1, 2006... The Best Fundraiser Award ($50) is presented to the Branch that holds the most successful fundraiser. Money raised must stem from an original idea. The 2006 winner is Villa Julie College, in Stevenson, Maryland. The Villia Julie College...

Correction.(Correction notice)
January 1, 2006... Correction: The article "Keeping Busy at Villa Julie College," on page 226-M of the Summer 2006 ACEI Exchange, was written by Kathy Ullrich.

A recommendation for action.(Brief article)
January 1, 2006... The National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE) and the American Heart Association (AHA) have issued a reminder that "Physically active, healthy kids learn better!" School-age youth need at least 60 minutes of moderate to...

Keep social studies in the elementary school.(Issues in Education)
January 1, 2006... In my elementary social studies methods course, I ask my students to discuss three social studies topics they studied during their elementary years. After some thought, most students could name one topic, without prompting. With some prompting,...

Is your child's sandbox a safe place to play?
January 1, 2006... My father, visiting from another state, had just finished a homemade sandbox for my children and was unloading sand from the local home improvement store. I hurried outside to make sure the bag specifically was labeled play sand; I had heard...

Capatti, Berenice: Klimt and His Cat.(Brief article)(Book review)
January 1, 2006... Capatti, Berenice KLIMT AND HIS CAT. Il. by Octavia Monaco. ISBN 0-06-623614-2. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, 2005. 40 pp. $18.00. This biographical sketch introduces the life and work of Austrian painter Gustav Klimt,...

Engelbreit, Mary: Queen of Hearts.(Brief article)(Children's review)(Book review)
January 1, 2006... Engelbreit, Mary QUEEN OF HEARTS. Il. by author. ISBN 0-06-008182-1. New York: HarperCollins, 2005. 32 pp. $16.89. Ann Estelle's favorite holiday is Valentine's Day. Although she loves chocolate, candy hearts, and valentines from her family and...

Gay, Marie-Louise: Caramba.(Brief article)(Children's review)(Book review)
January 1, 2006... Gay, Marie-Louise CARAMBA. Il. by author. ISBN 088899-6674-5. Toronto: Groundwood Books, 2005. Unp. $16.95. Young readers will easily relate to Caramba, a kitten who will teach them the important lesson that we should accept and cherish our...

Katz, Susan: Looking for Jaguar: And Other Rain Forest Poems.(Brief article)(Children's review)(Book review)
January 1, 2006... Katz, Susan LOOKING FOR JAGUAR: And Other Rain Forest Poems. Il. by Lee Christiansen. ISBN 0-06-029791-3. New York: Greenwillow Books, 2005. 39 pp. $16.89. This collection of 19 poems introduces readers to the world's rain forests and their...

Kochka: The Boy Who Ate Stars.(Brief article)(Children's review)
January 1, 2006... Kochka THE BOY WHO ATE STARS. Translated by Sarah Adams. ISBN-13: 978-1-4169-0038-2; ISBN-10: 1-4169-0038-1. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2004. 112 pp. $12.95. This engaging novel, nominated for the prestigious Rennes Prize in France, would be...

Look, Lenore: Uncle Peter's Amazing Chinese Wedding.(Brief article)(Children's review)(Book review)
January 1, 2006... Look, Lenore UNCLE PETER'S AMAZING CHINESE WEDDING. Il. by Yumi Heo. ISBN978-0-689-84458-4. New York: Atheneum Books, 2006. 31 pp. $16.95. The Chinese wedding culture is depicted through the eyes of Jenny, who is not happy that her uncle Peter...

Say, Allen: Kamishibai Man.(Brief article)(Children's review)(Book review)
January 1, 2006... Say, Allen KAMISHIBAI MAN. Il. by author. ISBN 0-618-47954-6. New York: Houghton Mifflin, 2005. 32 pp. $17.00. A wonderful tale of a Japanese storyteller and his kamishibai, or "Paper Theater," illuminates the evolution of children's...

Sweet, Melissa: Carmine: A Little More Red.(Brief article)(Children's review)(Book review)
January 1, 2006... Sweet, Melissa CARMINE: A Little More Red. Il. by author. ISBN 0-618-38794-3. New York: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2005. Unp. $16.00. Melissa Sweet presents a creative alphabet book based on the timeless tale of "Little Red Riding Hood." This...

Empowering Parents, Families, Schools and Communities during the Early Childhood Years.(Book review)
January 1, 2006... EMPOWERING PARENTS, FAMILIES, SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITIES DURING THE EARLY CHILDHOOD YEARS. Kevin J. Swick. Champaign, IL: Stipes Publishing L.L.C., 2004. 261 pp. $26.80. This well-written, reader-friendly book presents a practical approach to...

Vocabulary Instruction: Research to Practice (Solving Problems in Teaching of Literacy).(Brief article)(Book review)
January 1, 2006... VOCABULARY INSTRUCTION: Research to Practice (Solving Problems in Teaching of Literacy). James F. Baumann and Edward J. Kame'enui (Eds.). New York: The Guilford Press, 2004. 244pp. Paperback, $29.00. The editors offer readers a marvelous...

Imagination and Play in the Electronic Age.(Book review)
January 1, 2006... IMAGINATION AND PLAY IN THE ELECTRONIC AGE. Dorothy G. Singer and Jerome L. Singer. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2005. 210pp. Hardcover, $29.95. Senior Research Scientist Dorothy G. Singer and Professor Emeritus Jerome L. Singer,...

Sustainable Leadership.(Brief article)(Book review)
January 1, 2006... SUSTAINABLE LEADERSHIP. Andy Hargreaves and Dean Fink. San Francisco: John Wiley & Sons, 2006. 325pp. Paperback, $25.00. Using plain and simple language, the authors focus their study, not on the qualities of a good leader, or what constitutes...

Childhood Lost: How American Culture Is Failing Our Kids.(Book review)
January 1, 2006... CHILDHOOD LOST: How American Culture Is Failing Our Kids. Sharna Olfman (Ed.). Westport, CT: Praeger, 2005. 240 pp. Hardcover, $39.95. This is an edited book about the bleak future of children in the United States. This scathing collection,...

The Emergency Teacher.(Book review)
January 1, 2006... THE EMERGENCY TEACHER. Christina Asquith. Washington, DC: West Parley Press, 2005. 272 pp. $19.95. At first glance, The Emergency Teacher appears to be another Stand and Deliver or Dangerous Minds, in which a new teacher encounters a class of...

Connections & Commitments: Reflecting Latino Values in Early Childhood Programs.(Brief article)(Book review)
January 1, 2006... CONNECTIONS & COMMITMENTS: Reflecting Latino Values in Early Childhood Programs. Costanza Eggers-Pierola. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann, 2005. 244pp. $24.50. Costanza Eggers-Pierola makes a passionate call for the cultural connection in early...

The Minds of Boys: Saving Our Sons from Falling Behind in School and Life.(Book review)
January 1, 2006... THE MINDS OF BOYS: Saving Our Sons From Falling Behind in School and Life. Michael Gurian and Kathy Stevens. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2005. 351 pp. $24.95. Michael Gurian and Kathy Stevens present the results of recent gender-based brain...

When Reading Begins: The Teacher's Role in Decoding, Comprehension, and Fluency.(Book review)
January 1, 2006... WHEN READING BEGINS: The Teacher's Role in Decoding, Comprehension, and Fluency. Ardith Davis Cole. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann, 2004. 175 pp. $20.00. Any teacher of beginning readers who owned this book would make it a dog-eared, prized...

Human development and learning.(developmental psychology)(Brief article)
January 1, 2006... The focus on developmental psychology as the foundation for teaching infants through early adolescents has received much criticism over the past 20 years (McLaren, 2002; Wink, 2005). Still, many researchers continue to use developmental theory...

Calendar Math in Preschool and Primary Classrooms: Questioning the Curriculum.(Book review)
January 1, 2006... CALENDAR MATH IN PRESCHOOL AND PRIMARY CLASSROOMS: Questioning the Curriculum. Ethridge, E., & King, J., Early Childhood Education Journal, 2005, 32(5), 291-296. The main issue in this article is the question of using calendar math to teach...

Significance of Touch in Young Children's Lives.
January 1, 2006... SIGNIFICANCE OF TOUCH IN YOUNG CHILDREN'S LIVES. Carlson, F., Young Children, 2005, 60(4), 79-85. Touch is an essential part of a young child's development. From the moment of birth, when uterine contractions caress the baby, touch is a...

Constructivism Does Not Only Happen in the Individual: Sociocultural Theory and Early Childhood Education.(Brief article)
January 1, 2006... CONSTRUCTIVISM DOES NOT ONLY HAPPEN IN THE INDIVIDUAL: Sociocultural Theory and Early Childhood Education. Edwards, S., Early Childhood Development and Care, 2005, 175(1), 37-47. Susan Edwards discusses the evolution of constructivism and...

The Problem with Construcivism.(education innovations)(Brief article)
January 1, 2006... THE PROBLEM WITH CONSTRUCIVISM. Elkind, D., The Educational Forum, 2004, 68(4), 306-312. Although constructivism is now a widely accepted educational philosophy, the lack of success in implementing it in classrooms can be considered, according...

Effects of Kindergarten Retention Policy on Children's Cognitive Growth in Reading and Mathematics.
January 1, 2006... EFFECTS OF KINDERGARTEN RETENTION POLICY ON CHILDREN'S COGNITIVE GROWTH IN READING AND MATHEMATICS. Hong, G., & Raudenbush, S., Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 2005, 27(3), 205-224. Grade retention and social promotion have been two...

Comprehension Instruction in Content Area Classes.
January 1, 2006... COMPREHENSION INSTRUCTION IN CONTENT AREA CLASSES. Neufeld, P., The Reading Teacher, 2005, 59(4), 302-312. As theory meets practice in reading instruction, we often wait for a maturational presentation or sensitive stage to arrive and solve a...

Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivational Orientations in the Classroom: Age Differences and Academic Correlates.
January 1, 2006... INTRINSIC AND EXTRINSIC MOTIVATIONAL ORIENTATIONS IN THE CLASSROOM: Age Differences and Academic Correlates. Corpus, J., Lepper, M., & Iyengar, S., Journal of Educational Psychology, 2005, 97(2), 184-195. Studies in the field of educational...

References.(Bibliography)(Brief article)
January 1, 2006... Aldridge, J., & Goldman, R. (2002). Current issues and trends in education. Boston: Allyn and Bacon. McLaren, P. (2002). Life in schools: An introduction to critical pedagogy in the foundations of education (4th ed). Boston: Allyn and...

Elementary education in the inner city.(ECAP Report)(Bibliography)(Column)
January 1, 2006... This column presents and summarizes recents resources that discuss some problems and solutions related to elementary education in inner-city urban areas. Books and Paper Presentations CENTRAL PARK EAST AND ITS GRADUATES: "Learning by...

Education: there are no shortcuts.
January 1, 2006... In Appreciation: All of us at ACEI are saddened by the recent passing of Mariann Pezzella Winick, co-editor of this column for the past six years. Mariann was a long-time member who contributed a great deal to the association. She will be...