Early Childhood Reports

Preschool Curriculum: What's in it for parents and teachers?

As the Obama administration turns its attention to expanding access to quality preschool education, a new Shanker Institute report shows that the efficacy of preschool programs, both in stimulating children’s cognitive development and effectively reducing the achievement gap, can be significantly improved if programs are aligned with new research about how children learn in the academic areas of oral language, literacy, math, and science. (Report by the Albert Shanker Institute)

Early Childhood Environmental Education Programs: Guidelines for Excellence (NAAEE, 2010)

Early Childhood Environmental Education Programs: Guidelines for Excellence (NAAEE 2010), the newest addition to the continuing guidelines series, contains a set of recommendations for developing and administering high-quality environmental education programs for young children from birth to age eight, with a focus on ages three to six . These guidelines provide a tool that can be used to ensure a firm foundation for new programs or to trigger improvements in existing ones. The overall goal of these guidelines is to chart an appropriate and positive process whereby educators can start young children on their journey toward becoming environmental ly responsive youth and adults.

NAEYC Position Statement on Developmentally Appropriate Practice in Early Childhood Programs Serving Children from Birth through Age 8

NAEYC position statement on developmentally appropriate practice reflects both continuity and change in the early childhood field. Still central since its last iteration (NAEYC 1996) are our fundamental commitments to excellence and equity in educating children and our core understanding of how children learn and develop. At the same time, new knowledge gained over the last decade has deepened that understanding, allowing us to revise and refine our ideas about how to promote every child’s optimal development and learning.

NAEYC Overview of Developmentally Appropriate Practice in Early Childhood Programs Serving Children from Birth through Age 8

The purpose of this position statement is to promote excellence in early childhood education by providing a framework for best practice. Grounded both in the research on child development and learning and in the knowledge base regarding educational effectiveness, the framework outlines practice that promotes young children’s optimal learning and development. Since its first adoption in 1986, this framework has been known as developmentally appropriate practice.