Childhood Education articles from January 2008

Childhood Education archives from January 2008

Perspectives on school readiness and pre-kindergarten programs: an introduction.(Essay)
January 1, 2008... Recent trends in early childhood education have focused on providing formal education experiences for greater numbers of children at much earlier ages (Barnett, Hustedt, Friedman, Boyd, & Ainsworth, 2007). Perhaps rooted in an American ideal to...

Forty years of school readiness research: what have we learned?
January 1, 2008... The issue of children's school readiness concerns parents and teachers worldwide. Kindergarten teachers have reported that approximately one-third of U.S. children entering school are ill-prepared to achieve success (Boyer, 1991; Carnegie Task...

An authentic approach to assessing pre-kindergarten programs: redefining readiness.
January 1, 2008... In the wake of No Child Left Behind (NCLB), academic achievement, including school readiness, has come to be redefined as children's ability to earn a passing score on required standardized tests. By relying on test results to tell us if...

Starting school: a community endeavor.
January 1, 2008... Much of the current debate about children's transition to school focuses on children's readiness for school. Indeed, Boethel (2004, p. 17) describes transition as the "focal point of readiness." Typically, this focus extends to considering...

Early childhood school success: recognizing families as integral partners.
January 1, 2008... Much thought must go into preparing children for the transition from home or a child care environment to school. Transition experiences need to consider the whole child, including children's cognitive, socio-emotional, and physical readiness...

Ensuring school readiness through a successful transition to kindergarten: the Indiana ready schools initiative.
January 1, 2008... The kindergarten year symbolizes entrance into formal schooling and is a critical juncture for young children, although more and more children across the United States are entering formal schooling during pre-kindergarten. The extent to which...

Celebrating and honoring teachers and the teaching profession.
January 1, 2008... On April 30, 2008, at the White House Rose Garden, President Bush announced that Michael Geisen would be the recipient of the 2008 National Teacher of the Year honor. The National Teacher of the Year is selected by a National Selection...

Education makes the world go around.
January 1, 2008... On March 19, 2008, Diane Whitehead assumed the position of ACEI Acting Executive Director. As sire settles into her new responsibilities, sire offers the following reflections on the meaning of education: As my daughter approached her...

Community building through shared practice.
January 1, 2008... Ron Colbert, Vice President Representing Intermediate/Middle Childhood, submitted the following article, written by Susan B. Rosa of Fitchburg, State College. What is "community"? Webster (1976) defines community as a unified body of...

2008 ACEI Annual International Conference.(Association for Childhood Education International )(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Elizabeth Breathwaite Student Leadership Award winners, from left to right: Kathy Darr, Fenae M. Fenton, Callie Lane, and Jennifer Wesen. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Keynote speaker Richard Allington discussed...

Trick-or-treat for UNICEF.(United Nations Children's Fund)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... Let's all get ready to help our children support Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF this fall. We probably all remember those little orange collection boxes, ready to fill with coins to donate to children in need. Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF began in...

Increasing literacy in a pre-K classroom: super ideas for centers.
January 1, 2008... When we think back to our first school experiences, we remember playing house, molding Play-Doh, running outside, and enjoying recess. We do not remember chanting letters, memorizing, and undergoing stressful tests, especially in...

The Elizabeth Breathwaite Student Leadership Award.(Kathy Darr, Fenae M. Fenton, Callie Lane and Jennifer Wesen )
January 1, 2008... 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;...

Nancy Bartlett Hitch Student Scholarship Award.(Jorge De La Garza, Lakeisha Rena Rhodes and Susan Whitcomb received scholarship)
January 1, 2008... The Nancy Bartlett Hitch Student Scholarship Award ($300) is presented to deserving students to gain additional opportunities for personal and professional growth. The award honors both those who have made outstanding contributions to the...

Resolution on climate change in the lives of children and youth.
January 1, 2008... Whereas ACEI is an international organization, and Whereas ACEI is concerned with the welfare of all children and adolescents, and Whereas ACEI, in accordance with the United Nations' Department of Public Information-Non-Governmental...

2008 ACEI headquarters staff recognition award.(Barbara A. Hatcher)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... Barbara A. Hatcher, Professor of Early Childhood Education, Texas State University, San Marcos, Texas, has been named the recipient of the 2008 Staff Recognition Award in honor and appreciation of her many years of valuable assistance to ACEI...

2008 Patty Smith Hill award winner.(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... This award recognizes one truly outstanding ACEI member who has contributed significantly to the betterment of ACEI and children. The qualifications include membership in ACEI for 20 years or more; exemplary, consistent contributions to ACEI;...

Marlene Morgan--2008 Outstanding Member Service Award recipient.(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... 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 2008 winner is Marlene Morgan. Marlene is a dedicated ACEI...

Outstanding Branch Member Service award.(Sara Mayberry )(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... ACEI is pleased to recognize the work of Sara "Sally" Mayberry with the Outstanding Branch Member Service award. Currently serving as Vice-President for Infancy and Early Childhood on the Florida ACEI Executive Board, Mayberry has been an...

Best Professional Development Workshop/ Conference Award.(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... The University of Central Florida-Orlando (Orlando-UCF) ACEI Student Branch is always looking for creative ways to encourage the continuous professional growth of Orlando-UCF students and educators. They are commended for hosting three teachers...

Best Communications Award.(Buffalo State College Emerging Educators ACEI Student Branch )(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... The Buffalo State College Emerging Educators ACEI Student Branch is recognized for keeping its membership informed of Branch activities, meetings, and initiatives through its website, e-mail, newsletters, and printed announcements around...

Best "Global Focus" Award.(University of Houston-Clear Lake)
January 1, 2008... The House of Hope orphanage and St. Anna's Day Care Center in Kenya were in need of school supplies. The University of Houston-Clear Lake (UHCL) ACEI Student Branch joined forces with its sister ACEI Branch at Lee College to provide over 1,000...

Best Fundraiser Award.(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... The Western New York ACEI Student Branch is recognized for designing and selling a multicultural cookbook to raise funds for branch development. The multicultural cookbook, which features recipes from over 20 countries, is a very creative way...

Best Children's Event/Community Service Award.(University of Houston-Clear Lake )(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... The University of Houston-Clear Lake (UHCL) ACEI Student Branch is recognized for creating "First Book" outreach day. This annual "literacy-rich outreach" event promotes the mission of ACEI by providing support and optimal educational...

Peace Corps call for experienced educators.(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... The Peace Corps is encouraging experienced educators and teachers to use their skills as Peace Corps Volunteers. As part of its ongoing effort to bring more skilled and knowledgeable volunteers to the field, the Peace Corps is reaching out to...

Meet Callie Lane--2008 Elizabeth Breathwaite Student Leadership Award winner.
January 1, 2008... At the 2008 ACEI Annual Conference in Atlanta, Georgia, I had the opportunity to meet Callie Lane, one of ACEI's Elizabeth Breathwaite Student Leadership Award recipients. Callie, a full-time student at the University of Central Florida,...

Time to transition: the connection between musical free play and school readiness.
January 1, 2008... From the time we are born, and even in the womb, we experience the pulse and rhythm of our culture. These musical elements have been called "cultural microrythms" (Condon, 1982), and are considered to be the beginnings of our musicality (Stern,...

Building emotional literacy: groundwork to early learning.
January 1, 2008... A child has a sensitive period which lasts until he is almost five years old and which enables him to assimilate images from his environment in a prodigious fashion. He is an observer truly actively receiving these images through his senses....

Transition to kindergarten: reaching back to preschoolers and parents through shared summer school.
January 1, 2008... Making the transition from preschool to kindergarten is a milestone in a young child's life, and it does not always go smoothly. Consequently, the authors developed Shared Summer School, our unique approach to kindergarten transition, in which...

Teachers wanted: no experience necessary.
January 1, 2008... As a private child care center owner, administrator, and teacher, I have come across many issues that seem impossible to resolve or manage in positive ways. These issues have included adapting curricula, scheduling, budgeting, dealing with many...

Immigrant parents: how to help your children succeed in school.
January 1, 2008... One of the top reasons immigrants give for coming to the United States is a desire to provide better educational and economic opportunities for their families and children. Immigrants voice this sentiment regardless of their educational level,...

Note from the editor.(Editorial)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... Note from the Editor: "Present to the class, and write a review of, a recently published children's book that you feel is worthy of a recommendation and that is written to help children understand and cope with an issue or concern." This was an...

Aubrey, Annette: There for You.(Brief article)(Children's review)(Book review)
January 1, 2008... Aubrey, Annette THERE FOR YOU. Il. by Patrice Barton. ISBN 978-1-59566-390-0. Laguna Hills, CA: QED Publishing, 2007. 23 pp. $24.25. Therefor You, part of QED Publishing's Understanding Series, is intended to help children cope with divorcing...

Best, Cari: What's So Bad About Being an Only Child?(Brief article)(Children's review)(Book review)
January 1, 2008... Best, Cari WHAT'S SO BAD ABOUT BEING AN ONLY CHILD? Il. by Sophie Blackall. ISBN-13: 9780374399436. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2007. 32 pp. $16.00. Rosemary doesn't like being an only child. All she wants in the world, more than...

Hest, Amy: Remembering Mrs. Rossi.(Brief article)(Children's review)(Book review)
January 1, 2008... Hest, Amy REMEMBERING MRS. ROSSI. Il. by Heather Maione. ISBN 978-0-7636-2163-6. Cambridge, MA: Candlewick Press, 2007. 192 pp. $14.99. How does a child cope with the loss of a parent? What does a child understand about death? Amy Hest gives us...

Kennedy, Pamela: Granny's Cozy Quilt of Memories: Remembering Grandmother's Love through Her Lasting Gift.(Brief article)(Children's review)(Book review)
January 1, 2008... Kennedy, Pamela GRANNY'S COZY QUILT OF MEMORIES: Remembering Grandmother's Love Through Her Lasting Gift. Il. by Amy Wummer. ISBN 0-8249-5538-2. Nashville, TN: GPKids, 2006. 32 pp. $8.95. Author Amy Wummer wrote this story to help parents...

Levins, Sandra: Was It the Chocolate Pudding?: A Story for Little Kids about Divorce.(Brief article)(Children's review)(Book review)
January 1, 2008... Levins, Sandra WAS IT THE CHOCOLATE PUDDING?: A Story for Little Kids About Divorce. Il. by Bryan Langdo. ISBN 1-59147-308-X. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association, 2005. 40pp. $14.95. Inchild-friendly language, Sandra Levins...

Moore-Mallinos, Jennifer: Daddy's Getting Married.(Brief article)(Children's review)(Book review)
January 1, 2008... Moore-Mallinos, Jennifer DADDY'S GETTING MARRIED. Il. by Marta Fabrega. ISBN 10-7641-3503-1. Hauppauge, NY: Barron's Educational Series, 2006. 31 pp. $6.99. Divorce is such a prominent occurrence all over the world today and children of all...

Penn, Audrey: The Kissing Hand.(Brief article)(Children's review)(Book review)
January 1, 2008... Penn, Audrey THE KISSING HAND. Il. by Ruth E. Harper and Nancy M. Leak. ISBN 1933718-00-5. Terre Haute, IN: Tanglewood Press, 2006. 32 pp. $16.95. How can a parent give loving comfort to a child about to enter into a difficult situation? This...

Raschka, Chris: The Purple Balloon.(Brief article)(Children's review)(Book review)
January 1, 2008... Raschka, Chris THE PURPLE BALLOON. II by author. ISBN 9-7803-7584-1460. New York: Schwartz and Wade, 2007. 32 pp. $16.99. The Purple Balloon gently addresses the death of a child. The illustrations show how lonely death can be unless caring and...

Stinson, Kathy: Mom and Dad Don't Live Together Anymore.(Brief article)(Children's review)(Book review)
January 1, 2008... Stinson, Kathy MOM AND DAD DON'T LIVE TOGETHER ANYMORE. Il. by Vlan Oelofsen. ISBN 978-1-55451-094-8. New York: Annick Press, 2007. 24 pp. $19.95. Divorce is never easy for children. Kathy Stinson's updated and newly illustrated version of Morn...

Willems, Mo: Knuffle Bunny Too: A Case of Mistaken Identity.(Brief article)(Book review)
January 1, 2008... Willems, Mo KNUFFLE BUNNY TOO: A Case of Mistaken Identity. Il. by author. ISBN 1-4231-0299-1. New York: Hyperion Books for Children, 2007. 49 pp. $16.99. This story is about a preschool girl named Trixie and her favorite stuffed animal,...

Gerstein, Mordicai: The Man Who Walked Between the Towers.(Brief article)(Book review)
January 1, 2008... Gerstein, Mordicai THE MAN WHO WALKED BETWEEN THE TOWERS. Il. by author. ISBN 0-312-36878-X. New York: Roaring Book Press, 2007. 40 pp. $6.95. This is the paperback edition of the 2004 Caldecott Medal-winning book. Mordicai Gerstein introduces...

Nonfiction Author Studies in the Elementary Classroom.(Book review)
January 1, 2008... NONFICTION AUTHOR STUDIES IN THE ELEMENTARY CLASSROOM. Carol Brennan Jenkins & Deborah J. D. White (Eds.). Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann, 2007. 160 pp. $19.00. Are you an elementary educator searching for methods to effectively integrate nonfiction...

Sensory Integraton: A Guide for Preschool Teachers.(Book review)
January 1, 2008... SENSORY INTEGRATON: A Guide for Preschool Teachers. Christy Isbell & Rebecca Isbell. Beltsville, MD: Gryphon House, 2007. 140 pp. $19.95. In a format written for the practitioner, this book defines Sensory Integration Processing (SIP), explains...

Read! Move! Learn!: Active Stories for Active Learning.(Book review)
January 1, 2008... READ! MOVE! LEARN!: Active Stories for Active Learning. Carol T. Hammett & Nicki C. Geigert. Beltsville, MD: Gryphon House, 2007. 232 pp. Paperback, $19.95. This richly informative text addresses ways of adding fun and excitement to the...

School Success for Kids with Asperger's Syndrome.(Book review)
January 1, 2008... SCHOOL SUCCESS FOR KIDS WITH ASPERGER'S SYNDROME. Stephan M. Silverman, Ph.D., and Rich Weinfeld. Waco, TX: Prufrock Press, 2007. 218pp. $16.95. School Success for Kids With Asperger's Syndrome is an easy-to-read, informative book, offering...

The New Strong-Willed Child: Birth Through Adolescence.(Book review)
January 1, 2008... THE NEW STRONG-WILLED CHILD: Birth Through Adolescence. James Dobson. Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House, 2007. 219 pp. Paperback, $14.99. Educators and parents today are struggling with disciplining children, especially children with a strong...

The Wondrous Toy Workshop: Hanni's Inspiring Life and Her Toys That Anyone Can Make.(Book review)
January 1, 2008... THE WONDROUS TOY WORKSHOP: Hanni's Inspiring Life and Her Toys That Anyone Can Make. Nancy B. Miller. Minneapolis, MN: Syren Publishing, 2008. 67pp. $15.95. Welcome to a hope-filled world of limitless possibilities! Hanni Sager enters the...

Nurturing Knowledge: Building a Foundation for School Success by Linking Early Literacy to Math, Science, Art, and Social Studies.(Book review)
January 1, 2008... NURTURING KNOWLEDGE: Building a Foundation for School Success by Linking Early Literacy to Math, Science, Art, and Social Studies. Susan B. Neuman and Kathleen Roskos, with Tanya Wright and Lisa Lenhart. Scholastic, 2007. 200pp. $21.99. In...

Discovering the world of very young children.('Ready To Learn', 'Learning Happens', and 'Kindergarten Countdown!')(Video recording review)
January 1, 2008... As societies realize that testing doesn't necessarily equate to learning, it is time to examine the world of very young children to discover how they learn and who their teachers are. The three DVD/video productions reviewed here attempt to...

Teaching for success.(among the periodicals)(Author abstract)
January 1, 2008... Over 30 years ago, J. T. Molloy (1975) published a book titled Dress for Success. Since its publication, the fashion industry has changed its definition of what "dressing for success" means. Similarly, educators have modified what constitutes...

School readiness and pre-kindergarten programs.(Bibliography)
January 1, 2008... This column presents and summarizes recent resources related to school readiness and pre-kindergarten programs. Books ACHIEVING EXCELLENCE IN PRESCHOOL LITERACY INSTRUCTION. Laura M. Justice & Carol Vukelich, Eds. 2007. 344pp....