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pt. 1. Foundations of early childhood education |
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1. Developmentally appropriate practice : an evolving framework for teaching young children |
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Why is there a need for DAP? |
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The early childhood profession responds |
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What it means to be developmentally appropriate |
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General practices typically associated with DAP |
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It requires judgment to determine developmental appropriateness |
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DAP has historic roots |
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There Is empirical support for developmentally appropriate programs |
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DAP programs vary in structure and content |
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The high/scope approach to early childhood education |
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The Reggio Emilia approach to early childhood education |
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The DAP debate |
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What does the DAP debate mean for early childhood practitioners? |
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Implications of DAP for professional practice |
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2. Teaching and learning in developmentally appropriate programs |
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Early childhood educators need to know about child development and learning |
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Early childhood educators need to know about effective teaching strategies |
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Which teaching strategies are best? |
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Common teaching strategies |
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The cycle of learning |
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Linking the cycle of learning to teaching |
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Teaching in the zone of proximal development |
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Early childhood educators need to know about content |
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Addressing content in early childhood education |
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Benefits of standards |
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Challenges in using standards |
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Addressing the challenges |
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pt. 2. Setting the stage for learning |
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3. Planning and implementing effective small-group activities |
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Why plan? |
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Characteristics of effective planning |
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Teachers as planners |
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Planning basics |
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Creating developmentally appropriate plans |
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Aligning all the parts of the lesson plan |
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Using principles of developmental direction to enhance your planning |
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Applying the principles of developmental direction to your plans |
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Common activities in early childhood programs |
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Making and implementing plans |
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4. Planning and implementing effective group-time activities |
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Planning effective group times |
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Writing group-time plans |
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Group-time preparations and strategies |
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Variations on traditional group times |
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Common questions practitioners ask about group time |
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Adaptation of whole-group instruction for children of different ages and abilities |
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Pitfalls to avoid during group-time planning |
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5. Organizing space, materials, and time |
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Organizing the physical environment |
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Why use learning centers? |
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Characteristics of effective early childhood learning centers |
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Examples of centers |
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Dealing with implementation issues |
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Adjusting the physical environment |
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Selecting materials for each curricular domain |
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General guidelines for the selection and use of materials |
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Using the same materials for many purposes |
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Creating a daily schedule |
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Sample schedule |
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6. Child guidance in early childhood classrooms |
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What children need to know |
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What self-discipline is |
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How self-discipline evolves |
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Degrees of self-discipline among children and within the same child |
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Developmental influences on self-discipline |
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How experience influences self-discipline |
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How adult discipline styles influence children's self-discipline |
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The relation between authoritative teaching and DAP |
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Authoritative teaching and the importance of teamwork among staff |
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Questions adults ask about promoting self-discipline in children |
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7. Evaluating and guiding children's progress by using authentic assessment |
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The changing face of early childhood assessment |
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Responsible early childhood assessment and evaluation |
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Standardized testing : what part should it play in evaluating children's progress? |
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Placement of young children on the basis of test results |
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The concept of authentic assessment |
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Strategies for assessment in the early childhood classroom |
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Organization and use of authentic assessment and evaluation data : portfolios and student-led conferences |
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8. Strengthening developmentally appropriate programs through family involvement |
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The changing nature of family involvement in early childhood education |
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Barriers to family involvement |
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Characteristics of effective family involvement |
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Effective family involvement techniques |
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pt. 3. The curriculum |
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9. The aesthetic domain |
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Aesthetics defined |
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The arts defined |
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Scope of this chapter |
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Aesthetic education for young children |
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Importance of aesthetic learning |
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Relationship between aesthetic learning and knowing |
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Children's acquisition of a fundamental knowledge base for aesthetic development |
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Aesthetic learning and the teacher's role |
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Current educational issues |
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Purpose and goals |
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Teaching strategies |
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Pitfalls to avoid |
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Approaches to teaching the arts |
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Activity suggestions |
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10. The affective domain |
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Children's developing self-awareness and sense of competence |
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Children's acquisition of a fundamental knowledge base for affective development |
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Children's stress reactions in response to overwhelming emotional demands |
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Promotion of healthy self-esteem in the early learning environment |
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Current educational issues |
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Purpose and goals for affective development |
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Affective teaching strategies |
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Activity suggestions |
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11. The cognitive domain |
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Cognitive maturation |
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Children's acquisition of a fundamental knowledge base for cognitive development |
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National expectations and standards |
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Current educational issues |
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Purpose and goals for the cognitive domain |
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Teaching strategies |
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Activity suggestions |
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12. The language domain |
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Oral language development |
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Children's acquisition of literacy : connections among oral language, phonological and phonemic awareness, and emerging reading and writing |
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Integration of language experiences across the curriculum |
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Current educational issues |
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Purpose and goals for the language domain |
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Teaching strategies |
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Activity suggestions |
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13. The physical domain |
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Physical activity |
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Health, safety, and nutrition |
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Current educational issues |
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Purpose and goals |
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Teaching strategies |
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Activity suggestions |
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14. The social domain |
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Social skill development |
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Socialization : children's behavior and adult expectations |
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Social responsibility |
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Social studies |
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Relationship between the social domain and cognition |
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Current educational issues |
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Purpose and goals |
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Teaching strategies |
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Activity suggestions |
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pt. 4. Integrating curriculum |
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15. Integrating curriculum through pretend and construction play |
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Characteristics of play |
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Pretend and construction play across the curriculum and in development |
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Integration of multiple domains |
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Teachers' questions regarding pretend and construction play |
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Promotion of play skills |
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16. Integrating curriculum by using themes and projects |
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Defining themes and projects |
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How themes and projects contribute to children's concept development |
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Additional benefits for children |
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Teachers' benefits |
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Program effects |
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Pitfalls in theme teaching |
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Principles of effective theme teaching |
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How to create thematic units |
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Common questions about themes and projects |
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Appendix A. Sample lesson plans |
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Appendix B. Field trips |
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Appendix C. The big, big turnip |
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