Introduction to Early Childhood Education

Brief Contents

1 Introduction to Early Childhood Education

2 An Overview of Early Childhood History and Philosophies

3 Universal Design for Early Childhood Education

4 From Theory and Philosophy to Rationale for UDECE

5 Supporting Access for Children: High Quality Early Childhood Education for All

6 Supporting Access for Families: Creating an Essential Partnership

7 Supporting Access for Professionals: The Professionalization of the Field

8 From Theory to Classroom: Standards, Curricular Models and Approaches

9 Planning Through Authentic Assessment

10 Implementing Curriculum: Social and Emotional Development as the Core

11 Implementing Curriculum: The Learning Environment as the Third Teacher

12 Implementing Curriculum: Effective Teaching Practices

13 Whole Program Planning and Assessment

14 Ensuring Accountability for Equity and Success

• Focuses on the complementary needs of children, families, and professionals as opposed to a topic based approach–the needs of these three groups are embedded throughout the text.
  • Gives theory and application strategies for children, families, and professionals within each chapter.
  • Highlights access for children, families, and professionals and strategies supportive of equity, accountability, and success.
• Incorporates Issues of Access and Equity feature in each chapter–focuses on the issues of the day that impact the success and equity of children.
• Embeds Teaching and Learning Connections within each chapter to support student application of material.
  • Spotlights specific practices students can use within their classroom to complement and extend presented course materials.
• Ties in the content of the text to the NAEYC and DEC standards through multiple box features called Supporting Diversity Applications for the following topics:
  • Observation and Assessment: Provides observations and assessment activities directly tied to text chapters supportive of student knowledge and skills.
  • Teaching and Learning: Supports knowledge skills, and dispositions in the area of teaching practices that support children’s development and learning.
  • From Theory to Field: Supports student application of early childhood theory to practices within the field.
  • From Field To Professional: Tied to the NAEYC code of ethics, this feature serves as a model for reflection and resolve on ethical dilemmas as a current or future professional.
• Connects chapter materials to the NAEYC’s accreditation standards with a box feature, Spotlight on Accreditation.
• Includes two separate chapters on assessment--supporting individual, professional, and whole program assessment practices.
• Gives extensive coverage (five chapters) on the intentional curriculum--Preparing professionals for effective curricular assessment, planning, and implementation.
  • Includes assessment, curricular models, supporting social and emotional development as the core of the curriculum, teaching practices, and program based assessment.
  • Each of these chapters begins with the Standards at the Forefront feature.
  • Covers the curricular needs of children age birth through eight years.
• Provides ongoing presentation of professional development issues and strategies to support professional development over time.
• Includes end of chapter activities that support appropriate professional knowledge, skills, and dispositions.
• Provides extensive examples and chapter vignettes--bringing the field to life and creating meaningful connections.
• Presents materials in a way that supports scaffolded learning for both new and more seasoned professionals.
• Uses pictures and figures to demonstrate key assessment, planning, and implementation strategies.
• Focuses on children’s developmental strengths–with extensive developmental information presented through knowledge of red flags.
• Ends Chapters 5-13 with a case study–profiling either an infant/toddler, preschool, kindergarten, or primary grade classroom. Tied specifically to the content in the chapter.
  • Exemplifies the materials presented and provides students with real-world examples.

Benefits to Faculty Members

• Structures the text to reflect diverse levels of professional experiences and needs.
• Focuses on connecting theory, planning, implementation, and assessments through both the structure of the text and the presentation of materials.
• Supplies chapter activities that complement student development and learning.
• Includes a DVD that exemplifies key content.
• Provides extensive supplemental materials, including instructor syllabi--Supportive of integration of course materials into the classroom environment
• Supports individual course creation through extensive online learning materials.
• MyEducationLab! To package this text with the course-specific version of MyEdLab use this ISBN: 0-136-10107-0

Johnna Darragh has taught courses at the associate through master’s degree level. She is currently a full-time faculty member at Heartland Community College and the liaison to Heartland’s inclusive Child Development Lab and Learning Center. She is a member of the Illinois Professional Development Leadership Team and she is also the state liaison for the National Professional Development Center on Inclusion. She is also a parent of two children with disabilities.

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