Childhood Education articles from June 2008

Childhood Education archives from June 2008

Shifting policy, shaping practice: when researchers and advocates work together.
June 22, 2008... In the United States and many other Western countries, governments and policy leaders are keen to harness the potential of preschool education to ameliorate the effects of disadvantage and ensure that all children enter school ready to learn....

Those were the days: learning about history through literature.
June 22, 2008... [A]ny fool can make history, but it takes a genius to write it. --Oscar Wilde History is not melodrama, even if it usually reads like that. --Robert Penn Warren I doubt if anything learnt at school is of more value than great...

Using science trade books to support inquiry in the elementary classroom.
June 22, 2008... Scientific inquiry, as defined by the National Science Education Standards (National Research Council [NRC], 1996), is a method by which students can find answers to questions they may have about the world around them. Students' questions must...

Supporting immigrant students' understanding of U.S. culture through children's literature.
June 22, 2008... How could I, as me, meet these new people? How would I have to change? What of me was superficial and might be sacrificed, and what need I keep to remain my self? --T. E. Lawrence (Cited in Clayton, 2003, p. 134) We begin this article...

Modeling: it's more than just imitation.(child behavior)
June 22, 2008... Ms. Lee's Classroom Vignette As children enter Ms. Lee's preschool classroom, she has them choose an area in which to play during the free-time period before circle time. As the first child to arrive, Jasmine chooses to play at the sand...

Managing change and transition, creating a future.
June 22, 2008... Beginning in childhood and on into adulthood, each of us experiences many transitions and changes in our lives. A child who transitions from preschool to kindergarten undergoes a major change in his/her life. Research shows that a successful...

Make the connection: ACEI serves as a source of information for both members and the general public who want to know more about the education and care of children.(Association for Childhood Education International )
June 22, 2008... Arguably, the single most important membership benefit that ACEI offers is the sharing of our combined skills and knowledge in the field of childhood education, ultimately for the betterment of children. Indeed, ACEI is about gathering and...

Actions recently taken by ACEI to benefit children.(Association for Childhood Education International )
June 22, 2008... ACEI continues to be actively involved in various projects for the benefit of children, both nationally and internationally, and we have some exciting news to share. One of our members, Rolf Grafwallner, represented ACEI at a seminar on early...

ACEI elects new executive board members.(Association for Childhood Education International )
June 22, 2008... ACEI is proud to announce the newly elected members of the ACEI Executive Board: James L. Hoot, ACEI President-Elect; Suzanne M. Winter, Vice President Representing Infancy and Early Childhood; Vidya Thirumurthy, Secretary; Melissa Jean...

Report on the symposium on preschool--the first step in education.(Conference notes)
June 22, 2008... House of Sweden, 2900 K St., NW, Washington, DC According to a recent OECD report, Starting Strong, Sweden ranks as one of the most successful school systems in the world, largely because of a well-designed universal early childhood system....

Dear reader, please write!
June 22, 2008... In our modern world of cellular phone calls, text messaging, and electronic mail, letter writing has become a lost art. What better way to motivate today's youth to experience the pleasure of "snail mail" than by reading a tale told through a...

Larger than life: reading and writing tall tales.
June 22, 2008... Where can a pancake griddle be so big that grown men can skate on it, wearing pats of butter on their feet? And in what universe does the Grand Canyon become a half-pipe for skateboarding? It can only happen in the fantasy world of tall tales....

America's children at an environmental crossroad.
June 22, 2008... Few issues have galvanized the attention of U.S. citizenry in the past year as have environmental concerns, especially climate change, global warming, and greenhouse gas emissions. Degradation to our fragile planet continues unchecked with only...

A world fit for children plus 5.(child welfare meeting)
June 22, 2008... The "World Fit for Children Plus 5" (WFFC+5) high level plenary meeting was held at the United Nations headquarters in New York, from December 11-13, 2007. The participants demonstrated a strong international commitment and collaboration for...

Teachers as social advocate leaders.
June 22, 2008... As the bell rings on a hot southern summer day at a rural elementary school, students come running in rambunctiously, oblivious to the motivational lessons on character and discipline given each day. In an attempt to gain a connection with the...

Meet long-time ACEI member Rhoda Bierstedt.(Association for Childhood Education International )
June 22, 2008... I recently had the opportunity to communicate with long-time ACEI member Rhoda Bierstedt. Rhoda is a former kindergarten teacher, and has been a member of ACEI for more than 25 years. In 1968, a friend invited Rhoda to attend her first ACEI...

Getting more from your membership.(Association for Childhood Education International )(Brief article)
June 22, 2008... ACEI E-News In December 2007, ACEI added a new publication to the list of benefits members receive. In order to receive this valuable new publication, you must have a current e-mail address on file as part of your membership record. ...

Summer workshops 2008 Talleres De Verano books in Spanish for young readers.(Brief article)(Calendar)
June 22, 2008... The Barahona Center for the Study of Books in Spanish for Children and Adolescents at California State University San Marcos announces three workshops: June 9-11--Current Issues: Books in Spanish for Young Readers. Introduction to and...

Universal design in elementary and middle school: designing classrooms and instructional practices to ensure access to learning for all students.
June 22, 2008... The Association for Childhood Education International's (ACEI) mission includes helping educators meet the needs of students in a climate of societal change. One such change is the increasing diversity of learning needs within elementary and...

"What are you?" Biracial children in the classroom.
June 22, 2008... Over the last 30 years, biracial individuals have become one of the fastest growing populations in the United States. Despite this rapid growth, these citizens are only slowly beginning to be acknowledged among monoracial groups and in academia...

Physical science in constructivist early childhood classrooms.
June 22, 2008... A squeal of delight erupts from the edge of the classroom. "It's working! It's working!" a girl exclaims. Classmates eagerly make their way over to see the source of the child's glee. They are rewarded with the sight of a marble traveling over...

Movin' on up: transitioning to kindergarten, with tips for easing anxiety.
June 22, 2008... As we near the end of another school year, many parents are concerned with helping their children prepare for the transition to kindergarten in the fall. For some children, the anxiety of entering kindergarten is matched by the anxiety of...

Bode, N. E.: The Somebodies.(Brief article)(Children's review)(Book review)
June 22, 2008... Bode, N. E. THE SOMEBODIES. ISBN-13: 978-0-06-079111-7. New York: HarperCollins, 2006. 280pp. $16.99. The Somebodies is the comedic tale of Anybodies Fern and Howard, and their adventures in a magical underworld beneath New York City. While...

Buchmann, Stephen, & Diana Cohn: The Bee Tree.(Brief article)(Children's review)(Book review)
June 22, 2008... Buchmann, Stephen, & Diana Cohn THE BEE TREE. Il. by Paul Mirocha. ISBN-13: 978-0-938317-982. El Paso, TX: Cinco Puntos Press, 2007. 40 pp. $17.95. This book is the story of a very brave boy, Nizam, who proves to himself and to his grandfather,...

Cochran, Bill: The Forever Dog.(Brief article)(Children's review)(Book review)
June 22, 2008... Cochran, Bill THE FOREVER DOG. Il. by Dan Andreasen. ISBN 978-0-06-053939-9. New York: HarperCollins, 2007. 32 pp. $15.99. The bond between Mike and Corky, his beloved dog, is very strong. Corky shares every milestone with Mike and they...

Cumbaa, Steven: Sea Monsters.(Brief article)(Children's review)(Book review)
June 22, 2008... Cumbaa, Steven SEA MONSTERS. Il. by Margot Thompson. ISBN978-1-55337-559-3. New York: Kids Can Press, 2007. 40 pp. $14.95. Have you ever heard of the deadly devilfish or the mythical Loch Ness monster? How about the ancient ichthyosaur or the...

Deacon, Alexis: While You Are Sleeping.(Brief article)(Children's review)(Book review)
June 22, 2008... Deacon, Alexis WHILE YOU ARE SLEEPING. Il. by author. ISBN-13: 978-0-374-38330-5. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2006. 32 pp. $16.50. "All day long we sit still as stone, waiting, waiting, waiting...." But at nighttime, the bedside toys...

Holmes, Sara Lewis: Letters from Rapunzel.(Brief article)(Children's review)(Book review)
June 22, 2008... Holmes, Sara Lewis LETTERS FROM RAPUNZEL. ISBN: 0-06-078073-8. New York: HarperCollins, 2007. 184 pp. $19.99. Cadence is a determined young girl with an endless imagination and a knack for writing. When her father is diagnosed with a mental...

Lujan, Jorge: Tarde de Invierno/Winter Afternoon.(Brief article)(Children's review)(Book review)
June 22, 2008... Lujan, Jorge TARDE DE INVIERNO/WINTER AFTERNOON. Il. by Mandana Sadat. ISBN-13: 978-0-88899-718O. Toronto, Ontario: Groundwood Books, 2006. 28 pp. $16.95. In this simple, bilingual picture book, a small child looks through a frosted windowpane...

McCully, Emily Arnold: The Escape of Oney Judge: Martha Washington's Slave Finds Freedom.(Brief article)(Children's review)(Book review)
June 22, 2008... McCully, Emily Arnold THE ESCAPE OF ONEY JUDGE: Martha Washington's Slave Finds Freedom. Il. by author. ISBN 10: 0-374-32225-2. New York: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux, 2007. 32 pp. $16.00. This is a powerful story that sheds light on the first...

McMullan, Kate: I'm Dirty.(Brief article)(Children's review)(Book review)
June 22, 2008... McMullan, Kate I'M DIRTY. Il. by Jim McMullan. ISBN 13: 978-0-06-009293-1. New York: Joanna Cotler Books/HarperCollins, 2006. 40 pp. $16.99. The McMullans introduce readers to a backhoe loader who loves getting dirty! Throughout the story, the...

Miles, Victoria: Old Mother Bear.(Brief article)(Children's review)(Book review)
June 22, 2008... Miles, Victoria OLD MOTHER BEAR. Il. by Molly Bang. ISBN-13: 978-0-8118-5033-9. San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 2007. 42 pp. $16.95. The seasons of a mother grizzly bear's life unfold in this narrative that is rich with both factual information...

Ries, Lori: Aggie and Ben: Three Stories.(Brief article)(Children's review)(Book review)
June 22, 2008... Ries, Lori AGGIE AND BEN: Three Stories. Il. by Frank W. Dormer. ISBN-13: 978-1-57091-594-9. Watertown, MA: Charlesbridge, 2006. 48pp. $12.95. In this beginning reader chapter book, Ben gets a mischievous new puppy named Aggie from the pet...

Riggs, Shannon: Not in Room 204.(Brief article)(Children's review)(Book review)
June 22, 2008... Riggs, Shannon NOT IN ROOM 204. Il. by Jaime Zollars. ISBN: 978-0-8075-5764-8. Morton Grove, IL: Albert Whitman, 2007. 29pp. $16.99. Mrs. Salvador is the no-nonsense teacher in Room 204. She makes it clear to the class that they might get away...

Stanley, Diane: The Trouble With Wishes.(Brief article)(Children's review)(Book review)
June 22, 2008... Stanley, Diane THE TROUBLE WITH WISHES. Il. by author. ISBN 0-06-055451-7. New York: HarperCollins, 2007. 32 pp. $16.99. After working nonstop for days, Pyg has finally carved his marble masterpiece: a beautiful, perfect goddess. Full of...

Williams, Susan: Wind Rider.(Brief article)(Children's review)(Book review)
June 22, 2008... Williams, Susan WIND RIDER. ISBN-IO: 0-06-087236-5. New York: Laura Geringer Books,2006. 320pp. $16.99. It is 4000 B.C. and Fern, a young girl with a twin brother, is living on the steppes of western Asia. Fern views the limited role of women...

Jenkins, Steve: Dogs and Cats.(Brief article)(Children's review)(Book review)
June 22, 2008... Jenkins, Steve DOGS AND CATS. Il. by author. ISBN: 10: 0-618-50767-1. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2007. 40pp. $16.00. Everything you ever wanted to know about dogs and cats is contained in this book. Amazing facts and information are shared in a...

Micklethwait, Lucy: I Spy Colors in Art.(Brief article)(Children's review)(Book review)
June 22, 2008... Micklethwait, Lucy I SPY COLORS IN ART. ISBN-13: 978-0061348372. Greenwillow Books, 2007. 40 pp. $19.99. Lucy Micklethwait has written three well-acclaimed children's books using fine art paintings: I Spy Shapes in Art; I Spy: An Alphabet in...

Roop, Peter and Connie Roop: River Roads West: America's First Highways.(Brief article)(Children's review)(Book review)
June 22, 2008... Roop, Peter and Connie Roop RIVER ROADS WEST: America's First Highways. ISBN-13: 978-1590784303. Honesdale, PA: Calkins Creek, 2007. 61 pp. $19.95. Using maps, photographs, drawings, paintings, song lyrics, famous quotations, myths, and poetry...

Combating Gender Violence in and Around Schools.(Book review)
June 22, 2008... COMBATING GENDER VIOLENCE IN AND AROUND SCHOOLS. Fiona Leach & Claudia Mitchell (Eds.). Sterling, VA: Trentham Books, 2006. 228 pp. $32.50. A collection of 37 authors, from a variety of cultures and experiences, contributed to this book. Some...

The Last Word: The Best Commentary and Controversy in American Education.(Book review)
June 22, 2008... THE LAST WORD: The Best Commentary and Controversy in American Education. Education Week. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass (A Wiley Imprint), 2007. 244 pp. $19.95. Published since 1981, Education Week is a nonpartisan, independent newspaper covering...

Differentiated Reading Instruction: Strategies for Primary Grades.(Book review)
June 22, 2008... DIFFERENTIATED READING INSTRUCTION: Strategies for Primary Grades. Sharon Walpole & Michael C. McKenna. New York: The Guilford Press, 2007. 180 pp. $24.00. Differentiated Reading Instruction: Strategies for the Primary Grades could be the...

Teacher Man.(Book review)
June 22, 2008... TEACHER MAN. Frank McCourt. New York: Scribner, 2005. 258 pp. Paperback, $15.00. Teacher Man is a witty and candid memoir of Frank McCourt's life as a high school teacher for 30 years. This book is the third in this Pulitzer Prize-winning...

Teaching English Language Learners: A Differentiated Approach.(Book review)
June 22, 2008... TEACHING ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS: A Differentiated Approach. Carol Rothenberg & Douglas Fisher. Columbus, OH: Pearson Education, 2007. 273 pp. Paperback, $17.00. Teaching English Language Learners: A Differentiated Approach is an...

Only Connect: The Way To Save Our Schools.(Book review)
June 22, 2008... ONLY CONNECT: The Way To Save Our Schools. Rudolph F. Crew. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2007, 272 pp. $24.00. Rudolph F. "Rudy" Crew holds a Doctor of Education degree in educational administration and a Master's of Education degree in...

Learning English with iPods.
June 22, 2008... Across the world, technology is part of the social and academic lives of our students. In particular, iPods are one of the most popular forms of technology. Wikipedia, an excellent online source for information, notes that Apple has sold more...

Teaching Tolerance.(educational materials)(Brief article)
June 22, 2008... TEACHING TOLERANCE. Southern Poverty Law Center. Teaching Tolerance, a project of the Southern Poverty Law Center, provides educators with a variety of high-quality, free educational materials that promote respect for differences and...

Votes Count: Legislative Action on Pre-K Fiscal Year 2008.(Brief article)
June 22, 2008... VOTES COUNT: Legislative Action on Pre-K Fiscal Year 2008. Pre-K Now, 2008. In 2007, 36 states, including eight that anticipate enrollment-based funding increases, identified high-quality, voluntary pre-kindergarten as a cost-effective and...

Literacy: A Path Out of Extremism? Report From the Fourth Annual Global Perspectives on Literacy.(Report)(Brief article)
June 22, 2008... LITERACY: A Path Out of Extremism? Report From the Fourth Annual Global Perspectives on Literacy. International Reading Association, 2007. The International Reading Association sponsors a global literacy forum each year. This report...

Standards for Middle and High School Literacy Coaches.
June 22, 2008... STANDARDS FOR MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL LITERACY COACHES. International Reading Association, 2006. In addition to IRA, four separate education organizations contributed to the writing of this publication (National Council of Teachers of...

What Makes a Teacher Effective?(fbnrf)(Report)
June 22, 2008... WHAT MAKES A TEACHER EFFECTIVE? National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education, 2006. The National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education advances an agenda that calls for extensive teacher preparation. This brochure...