APPROACHES TO EARLY CHILDHOODAND ELEMENTARY EDUCATION -- DEDICATION -- CONTENTS -- PREFACE -- INTRODUCTION -- SCOPE OF THE BOOK -- ACKNOWLEDGMENTS -- JOHN DEWEY AND THE BANK STREET APPROACH -- INTRODUCTION -- FOCUS QUESTIONS -- JOHN DEWEY AND PROGRESSIVE EDUCATION -- Dewey's Ideas about Education -- The Curriculum -- The Content (Scope) of Curriculum Should Emanate from Children's Experiences -- The Structure (Sequence) of the Curriculum is Based on a Child's Natural Learningand Development -- Education is Not Preparation for the Future -- All Children Should Have Art Education -- Learning Occurs Through Experience -- Children Learn by Doing -- Learning Occurs though Educational Experiences -- Children are Whole-Child Learners -- Much of Learning is Social -- The School as a Social Institution -- Teaching Requires Unique Skills -- Education is a Vehicle for Social Change -- Impact of Dewey's Philosophy -- BANK STREET DEVELOPMENTAL-INTERACTION APPROACH -- Roots of the Bank Street Philosophy -- Focus on the Early Years -- Philosophy of the Bank Street Approach -- Putting It All Together -- The Role of the Environment -- The Role of the Family -- The Role of the Curriculum -- Social Studies is at the Heart of the Curriculum -- The Study of History Should Begin with Each Child's Community -- The Role of the Teacher -- The Teacher is the Connection between the Child and the Body of Knowledge -- The Teacher Implements the Philosophy -- Program Activities for Preschoolers -- The Role of Assessment -- CONCLUSION -- PROJECTS/ACTIVITIES -- CONSTRUCTIVIST APPROACH -- INTRODUCTION -- FOCUS QUESTIONS -- PIAGET'S THEORY -- Genetic Epistemology -- Power -- Schemes -- Assimilation and Accommodation -- Stage Theory -- Sensorimotor Stage -- Preoperational Stage (2-6/7) -- Concrete Operations (6/7 - 11/14 years old) -- Formal Operations (11 + years old).

Piagetian Early Childhood and Elementary School Programs -- Learning at the Child's Level -- Provide Ever-More Complex and Challenging Activities -- Self Discovery Method -- Peers and Mixed-Age Groups -- Mixed-Age Activities -- Opportunities to Learn the Operations of Each Stage -- Active Learners Using Concrete Materials -- Material Used in the Program -- Field Trips -- Play -- Transformations -- Learning Mathematics -- Learning Science: Shadows -- Meaningful Learning -- After Piaget -- Infant Capacity -- Impact of the Environment -- Content-Based Standards Approach -- Multiculturalism -- CONCLUSION -- QUESTIONS/PROJECTS -- THE HIGH/SCOPE APPROACH -- INTRODUCTION -- FOCUS QUESTIONS -- HIGH/SCOPE APPROACH -- Active Learning: Initiative and Social Relations -- Adult Support of Active Learning -- Quality of Adult-Child Interactions -- Building Blocks of Human Relationships -- Supportive Climate -- Learning Environment -- The Outdoor Environment -- Key Experiences -- 58 Key Experiences -- Purpose of Key Experiences -- Daily Routines -- Daily Routines: Plan - Work - Recall -- Planning Time -- Work Time -- Recall -- Daily Routines: Large and Small Group Time and Outdoor Time -- Small Group Time -- Large Group Time -- Outside Time -- Authentic Assessment -- Daily Observations -- Note Taking/Anecdotal Notes -- Portfolios -- The Renaissance Children's Center -- Comprehensive Model for Developing the Whole Child -- Use of the High/Scope Curriculum -- The High/Scope Preschool Curriculum Comparison Study and the PerryPreschool Study -- Results of the Research -- The Original Perry Preschool Study -- Results After Age 40 -- Education -- Economic Performance -- Crime Prevention -- Health/Family/Children -- Cost Benefit Analysis -- Do Low Income, Minority Children Require Direct Instruction? -- Study in Washington, DC Schools -- CONCLUSION -- QUESTIONS/PROJECTS.

RESOURCES -- MONTESSORI -- INTRODUCTION -- FOCUS QUESTIONS -- HISTORY -- THE MONTESSORI METHOD -- Basic Montessori Concepts -- Basic Stages -- Sensitive Stages -- The Absorbent Mind -- Children are Self-Motivated to Learn -- Prepared Environment -- Individual Learning -- Inner Discipline -- Daily/Practical Living -- Multi-Sensory Learning -- Use of the Arts -- Freedom of Choice -- Learning about the Real World -- Learning Though Movement -- Curriculum -- Materials -- Classroom -- Practical Life -- Sensorial: Exploring the World -- Mathematics -- Language -- Art and Music -- Daily Schedule -- Outdoor Environment -- Role of the Teacher -- Stretching the Definition of a Montessori School -- CORNERSTONE MONTESSORI SCHOOL -- Preschool Room -- Children's Activities -- Role of the Teacher -- Assessment -- Montessori Affiliation -- CONCLUSION -- QUESTION/PROJECTS -- RESOURCES -- WALDORF, BRITISH INFANT/PRIMARY SCHOOLS,AND FREE SCHOOLS -- INTRODUCTION -- FOCUS QUESTIONS -- WALDORF SCHOOLS -- Educational Philosophy -- Three Developmental Stages -- Curriculum Elements -- Early Childhood Curriculum -- Rhythms of the Day -- The Environment -- Teachers' Behaviors -- Teachers' Modeling -- Play -- Reverence for Nature -- Middle School Years -- Curriculum -- Assessment -- Current Status of Waldorf Schools -- BRITISH INFANT/PRIMARY SCHOOLS -- Philosophy -- The Integrated Day -- Mixed-age Groups -- Emphasis on Thought Processes -- Deconstruction of the Work-Play Dichotomy -- Intrinsic Motivation -- The Teacher as a Guide, Facilitator, and Supporter -- Preparation for the Future -- Today's British Infant/Primary Schools -- Whole-child Approach -- Emphasis on Creativity and Learning-by-Doing -- Importance of the Environment -- STANLEY BRITISH PRIMARY SCHOOL -- Assessment -- FREE/OPEN/ALTERNATIVE SCHOOLS -- Free/Open School Philosophy -- Parent Run Schools -- CONCLUSION.

QUESTIONS/PROJECTS -- RESOURCES -- CONTEXTS:BRONFENBRENNER AND VYGOTSKY -- INTRODUCTION -- FOCUS QUESTIONS -- ECOLOGY OF HUMAN DEVELOPMENT -- Microsystem -- Mesosystem -- Exosystem -- Macrosystem -- Chronosystem -- ECOLOGY OF CHILD CARE AND EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION -- Microysytem Influence of Early Care and Education on Children -- Mesosystem Influence on Early Care and Education -- Macrosystem's Impact on Early Care and Education -- Chronosystem Influences on Early Care and Education -- Impact of Technology -- ECOLOGY OF SCHOOLS -- Macrosystem's Influence on Schools -- Chronosytem Influence on Schools -- Violence -- Technology -- Standards/Accountability -- Immigration -- Globalization -- ECOLOGICAL APPROACH TO EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATIONAND SCHOOLS -- Mesoystem Approaches -- Families -- Program-Home Linkages -- Working with Parents to Reinforce Learning -- Educational Program-Community Linkages -- VYGOTSKY'S SOCIOCULTURAL THEORY -- Sociocultural Context -- The Social Nature of Education and Cognition -- Importance of Language -- Zone of Proximal Development -- Scaffolding -- Private Speech -- Context of Private Speech -- Private Speech and Scaffolding -- USE OF VYGOTSKY'S IDEAS IN EARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAMSAND SCHOOLS -- Structure for Learning -- Teacher-Child Involvement -- Child-Child Interactions -- Other Ideas for Using Vygotsky in the Classroom -- Block Building -- Making Patterns -- Dramatic Play -- CONCLUSION -- QUESTIONS/PROJECTS -- REGGIO EMILIA -- INTRODUCTION -- FOCUS QUESTIONS -- HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY -- Philosophical Underpinnings -- SPACE AND THE ENVIRONMENT -- Space in Reggio Emilia -- Space Reflects the View of the Child -- Space in Reggio Emilia Schools -- Changing the Space -- Environments -- The Environment as a Third Teacher -- Continuity and Change -- Public v. Private Space -- Care and Cleaning.

TIME AND PROJECTS IN REGGIO EMILIA PROGRAMS -- Time -- Example of a Daily Schedule -- Wait Time -- Projects -- Intended Projects -- Environmental Projects -- Daily Life Projects -- Self-Managed Projects -- DOCUMENTATION -- Possible Products -- Adaptation to the Reggio Emilia Approach to Different Settings and Cultures -- Reflecting on Current Practice -- Physical Features -- Time -- Collaboration -- Partnership with Parents -- Curriculum -- The Role of the Adult and Child -- Documentation -- BOULDER JOURNEY SCHOOL -- Conceptual Framework -- Overview -- Training Institute -- Documentation -- Curriculum -- Studio and Outdoors -- CONCLUSION -- QUESTIONS/PROJECTS -- RESOURCES -- THE STANDARDS AND CORE KNOWLEDGECURRICULAR APPROACHES -- INTRODUCTION -- FOCUS QUESTIONS -- THE PUBLIC SCHOOL APPROACH: A BRIEF HISTORY -- Pendulum Swings -- Kindergarten -- Kindergarten Today -- Public School Early Childhood Programs -- PUBLIC SCHOOL CURRICULAR APPROACHES -- Scope -- Relevance to Public Early Childhood Programs -- Sequence -- Three Ways to Sequence Learning -- Goals and Standards -- What are Standards? -- Where do Standards Come from? -- Assessment -- Standardized Assessments -- Accountability -- Standards and Early Childhood Education -- Conclusion -- CORE KNOWLEDGE CURRICULUM -- Philosophy of the Core Knowledge Curriculum -- Intellectual Capital -- Children Should Enter School Ready to Learn -- The Origins of the Intellectual Capital Taught in Schools -- Preschool Curriculum -- Instruction -- Teaching Using the Core Knowledge Curriculum -- Criticism of Developmentally Appropriate Practice -- Assessment -- Curriculum-Based Assessment -- Assessing Content and Skills -- Use of Assessments -- EVERGREEN COUNTRY DAY SCHOOL -- Core Knowledge Preschool -- Adapting the Core Knowledge Curriculum -- Physical Space and Organizational Structure -- CONCLUSION.

QUESTIONS/PROJECTS.