Often referred to as a laboratory from which the general early childhood education community can learn, Head Start has benefited from more than 45 years of experience. Its unique blend of early childhood practices, assessments, and monitoring, along with a social service style approach, contribute to Head Start standing out as a premiere early childhood program. This book is designed to be a teaching tool for workshops and courses as well as an on-site resource for current and future Head Start teaching staff and others in early childhood education. By presenting background information, vignettes, research, and classroom activities, this book on school readiness combines best practices in early childhood education with relevant applications. Topics, written by experts in their fields, include: Approaches to learning and teaching strategies Assessments Behavior management Classroom set up Curriculum and lesson plans Early language, literacy, math, science, social studies, and creative arts Physical health and development (gross and fine motor skills) Social and emotional development Teaching young children with disabilities and dual language learners Tips for involving parents in their children’s education

Catalog of publications, videotapes, and services designed to provide resources for Head Start grantees and delegates to use in the planning, management, and operations of their programs.

The long-awaited new edition of NAEYC's book Developmentally Appropriate Practice in Early Childhood Programs is here, fully revised and updated! Since the first edition in 1987, it has been an essential resource for the early childhood education field. Early childhood educators have a professional responsibility to plan and implement intentional, developmentally appropriate learning experiences that promote the social and emotional development, physical development and health, cognitive development, and general learning competencies of each child served. But what is developmentally appropriate practice (DAP)? DAP is a framework designed to promote young children's optimal learning and development through a strengths-based approach to joyful, engaged learning. As educators make decisions to support each child's learning and development, they consider what they know about (1) commonality in children's development and learning, (2) each child as an individual (within the context of their family and community), and (3) everything discernible about the social and cultural contexts for each child, each educator, and the program as a whole. This latest edition of the book is fully revised to underscore the critical role social and cultural contexts play in child development and learning, including new research about implicit bias and teachers' own context and consideration of advances in neuroscience. Educators implement developmentally appropriate practice by recognizing the many assets all young children bring to the early learning program as individuals and as members of families and communities. They also develop an awareness of their own context. Building on each child's strengths, educators design and implement learning settings to help each child achieve their full potential across all domains of development and across all content areas.

Catalog of publications, videotapes, and services designed to provide resources for Head Start grantees and delegates to use in the planning, management, and operations of their programs.