You likely have dreams for your early childhood environment that are greater than rating scales, regulations, and room arrangements. Designs for Living and Learning has been a favorite resource among educators and caregivers for more than a decade, and this new edition is packed with even more ideas that can be used as you create captivating environments that nurture children, families, and staff while supporting children's learning. With hundreds of all-new colorful photographs o...

Children thrive in spaces designed for living and learning.Dream big for your early childhood environment, beyond rating scales, regulations, and room arrangements. Designs for Living and Learning has been a favorite resource among educators and caregivers for more than two decades, and this new edition is packed with even more ideas that can be used as you create captivating environments that nurture children, families, and staff while supporting children's learni...

Offering an alternative approach to standardization and data-driven mandates, this book puts children at the center of planning your curriculum. Rather than a prescriptive curriculum, by using The Thinking Lens® protocol, teachers can translate educational theories into concrete ideas for working with children and families. Learn to create a welcoming classroom culture, develop routines for self-regulation, and use Learning Stories to enhance experiences for the children in your care....

With new chapters and updates from early childhood leaders Deb Curtis and Margie Carter invite early childhood educators to learn the art and skill of observation.The art of observing children is more than merely the act of watching them—it is also using what you see and hear to craft new opportunities in your classroom. This resource provides a wealth of inspiration and practice. It will help early childhood educators learn to observe in new ways, witness children's remarkable com...

As the field of early learning continues to grow and evolve, we must consider the impact of our approaches to working with adults and children. Early childhood professionals and leaders need to reconcile their responsibilities in never-ending administrative tasks, ensuring program quality, and supporting the growth of others. Creating a Culture of Reflective Practice: The Role of Pedagogical Leadership in Early Child Programs is a comprehensive practical look at creating systems, ...

Create a larger vision in your child care program and perform your job as a center director with motivation and creativity. Early childhood leaders Deb Curtis, Margie Carter, and Luz Casio provide inspiration and support in this newly updated edition of The Visionary Director. The third editionreflects new requirements and initiatives in early childhood programsadds QR Code access links with short video stories and print resources that further illuminate the ideas ...

Make the complex task of creating a child-centered curriculum easier with the practical guidelines and ideas in this updated and expanded handbook. Learn how to sharpen your observation and documentation skills, set up your space, and transform your teaching to reflect children’s interests and needs. Insightful classroom stories, assessment tools, checklists, comparative charts, and activities encourage new approaches and self-reflection as you plan your curriculum and put it into practice...

Teachers often see repetitive behaviors in toddler and preschool classrooms, such as building and knocking down block towers or dumping out toys. When children do these actions over and over it can be irritating to teachers and parents, but viewing these actions through the lens of schema theory, developed by Jean Piaget, can help understand what’s really going on in children’s brains when they display these repetitive behaviors.Children’s Lively Minds is filled with stori...

An inspiring and practical guide to creating a larger vision in early child care, this popular professional development tool has been thoroughly revised and offers a concrete framework for organizing an early childhood center director's ideas and work. Updated and expanded, it reflects new requirements and initiatives for center directors and addresses topics including cultivating a vision, developing "systems thinking" for management roles, implementing principles and strategies for mento...

People have a natural instinct to help other human beings; you just need to know how to channel this urge into what it is you specifically need them to do.Addresses a core need that remains a mystery to most of us: how to get the help we need.Each chapter ends with a summary and a list of do's and don'ts.The book will also include a "Why isn't he helping me?" matrix to help people diagnose their situation and take the right course of action....

After studying the current research on literacy learning for young children, delving into the beliefs and schools of Reggio Emilia, and discovering the Maker Movement, the authors created StoryMaking. With great success, they implemented it in their diverse and large public school district. StoryMaking shares the processes, first steps, next steps, uses for materials, and lessons learned so teachers can implement their own versions in their classrooms. The book shares practical su...

Educators at all levels want their students to develop habits of self-directed learning and critical problem-solving skills that encourage ownership and growth. In The Learner-Directed Classroom, practicing art educators (PreK–16) offer both a comprehensive framework for understanding student-directed learning and concrete pedagogical strategies to implement student-direct learning activities in school. In addition, research-based assessment strategies provide educators with evide...