Publisher Description

Comprehensive and authoritative, this forward-thinking book reviews the breadth of current knowledge about early education and identifies important priorities for practice and policy. Robert C. Pianta and his associates bring together foremost experts to examine what works in promoting all children's school readiness and social-emotional development in preschool and the primary grades. Exemplary programs, instructional practices, and professional development initiatives-and the systems needed to put them into place-are described. The volume presents cutting-edge findings on the family and social context of early education and explores ways to strengthen collaboration between professionals and parents.

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Early childhood education receives more attention and funding today than ever before, yet the quality of available programs varies widely. What interventions are most effective for promoting young children's school readiness? How can educators partner successfully with diverse families to help close the income- and race-based achievement gap? What are the obstacles to dissemination of evidence-based child care and preschool practices, and how can these obstacles be overcome? Bringing together foremost experts, this forward-thinking book reviews the breadth of current knowledge about early education and identifies important priorities for practice and policy. Part I describes the contemporary landscape of early education in the United States: what programs are in place; how they are utilized, administered, and funded; and their educational aims. Part II presents cutting-edge research on curricula and teaching methods that work. Coverage encompasses strategies for fostering specific skill areas--including language, literacy, and early mathematics and science--and for enhancing academic development overall. Next, Part III turns to the critical areas of social development and the family context of early education. Chapters describe exemplary approaches to supporting young children's executive functioning, self-regulation, social-emotional learning, and mental health. Rounding out the volume, Part IV addresses ways to better serve children with special needs, as well as how to strengthen the roles of early educators through professional development, higher education, and certification. Comprehensive and authoritative, this volume combines an impeccable research grounding with a strong applied focus. It belongs on the desks of researchers, teacher educators, and graduate students in early education, early literacy, child development, and special education; school and child care administrators; and education policymakers.

Author Biography

Robert C. Pianta, PhD, is Dean of the Curry School of Education at the University of Virginia, where he is also the Novartis Professor of Education and Director of the Center for Advanced Study of Teaching and Learning. A former special education teacher, Dr. Pianta's research focuses on investigating the effects of schooling on children's social and academic outcomes, and on improving school and classroom experiences through teachers' professional development. His team of education researchers has developed the Classroom Assessment Scoring System (TM), an observational measure that has been tested and proven effective in several large national studies and is being utilized by every Head Start program in the United States. Dr. Pianta is Editor of the Journal of School Psychology and the author of more than 400 journal articles, chapters, and books in the areas of early childhood development, transition to school, school readiness, and parent-child and teacher-child relationships. He consults regularly with federal agencies, foundations, and universities.


Associate Editors

W. Steven Barnett, PhD, is Board of Governors Professor and Director of the National Institute for Early Education Research at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey.

Laura M. Justice, PhD, is Professor in the College of Education and Human Ecology at The Ohio State University, where she also directs the Children's Learning Research Collaborative.

Susan M. Sheridan, PhD, is George Holmes University Professor of Educational Psychology at the University of Nebraska, where she is also Director of the Nebraska Center for Research on Children, Youth, Families, and Schools and of the National Center for Research on Rural Education.

Table of Contents

I. Early Education Opportunities in the United States1. Early Education in the United States: Programs and Access, Dale J. Epstein and W. Steven Barnett2. Early Childhood Care and Education: Enrollment Patterns and Expenditures, Clive R. Belfield3. Investments in Early Education: Resources at the Federal and State Levels, Jason T. Hustedt, Allison H. Friedman, and W. Steven Barnett4. Accountability and Program Evaluation in Early Education, Walter S. Gilliam and Ellen Frede5. More Than Teachers: The Early Care and Education Workforce, Sharon Ryan and Marcy Whitebook 6. Restructuring and Aligning Early Education Opportunities for Cultural, Language, and Ethnic Minority Children, Cristina Gillanders, Iheoma Iruka, Sharon Ritchie, and Carolyn T. Cobb7. Language, Culture, and Early Education in the United States, Eugene E. Garcia8. Poverty Is a Knot, and Preschool Is an Untangler, Cynthia LamyII. Instruction and Curriculum in Early Education Settings: Impacts on Young Children's Preacademic Outcomes9. Promoting Lower- and Higher-Level Language Skills in Early Education Classrooms, Mindy Sittner Bridges, Laura M. Justice, Tiffany P. Hogan, and Shelley Gray10. Promoting Early Literacy and Language Development, Douglas R. Powell and Karen E. Diamond11. Mathematics Learning, Assessment, and Curriculum, Douglas H. Clements and Julie Sarama12. Science and Early Education, Kathy Cabe Trundle and Mesut Sackes13. Teacher-Child Play Interactions to Achieve Learning Outcomes: Risks and Opportunities, Jeffrey Trawick-Smith14. A Transactional Model of Effective Teaching and Learning in the Early Childhood Classroom, Claire E. CameronIII. Developmental Processes, Early Education, and Families 15. An Ecological Perspective for Understanding the Early Development of Self-Regulatory Skills, Social Skills, and Achievement, Sara E. Rimm-Kaufman and Shannon B. Wanless16. Executive Functioning and Developmental Neuroscience: Current Progress and Implications for Early Childhood Education, Jelena Obradovic, Ximena A. Portilla, and W. Thomas Boyce17. Scaffolding Self-Regulated Learning in Young Children: Lessons from Tools of the Mind, Elena Bodrova and Deborah J. Leong18. Fostering Collaborative Partnerships between Early Childhood Professionals and the Parents of Young Children, Lisa L. Knoche, Keely D. Cline, and Christine A. Marvin19. Interventions That Promote Social-Emotional Learning in Young Children, Celene E. Domitrovich, Julia E. Moore, Ross A. Thompson, and the CASEL Preschool to Elementary School Social and Emotional Learning Assessment Workgroup20. Supporting the Social Competence of Young Children with Challenging Behavior in the Context of the Teaching Pyramid Model: Research-Based Practices and Implementation in Early Childhood Settings, Mary Louise Hemmeter and Maureen A. Conroy21. Promoting Young Children's Mental Health through Early Childhood Consultation: Ecological Advances and Research Needs, Susan M. Sheridan, Brandy L. Clarke, and Tanya B. IhloIV. Building Systems of Effective Early Intervention Supports: Meeting the Needs of Diverse Children and the Adults Who Serve Them22. Implications of Research on Postinstitutionalized Children for Practice and Policy in Early Education, Jamie M. Lawler and Megan R. Gunnar23. Access, Participation, and Supports: A Framework for Improving Inclusive Early Education Opportunities for Children with Disabilities, Virginia Buysse 24. Enhancing Teachers' Intentional Use of Effective Interactions with Children: Designing and Testing Professional Development Interventions, Bridget K. Hamre, Jason T. Downer, Faiza M. Jamil, and Robert C. Pianta25. Improving Language and Literacy Outcomes in Child Care, Susan B. Neuman26. Higher Education for Early Childhood Educators and Outcomes for Young Children: Pathways toward Greater Effectiveness, Marilou Hyson, Diane M. Horm, and Pamela J. Winton
27. Making the Case: Why Credentialing and Certification Matter, Sue Bredekamp and Stacie G. Goffin

Review

"At a time when there are quite vocal challenges to the wisdom of providing early care and education to children and families in need, Pianta and his coeditors have assembled leaders in the field to report on the state of the science and practice. This comprehensive handbook conveys current knowledge about all dimensions of early childhood education: its history, developmental processes that underlie practices, exemplary instruction, and systems to put practices in place in states and communities. The Handbook is the definitive work of its kind and will be a great resource for practitioners, policymakers, and education scientists."--Samuel L. Odom, PhD, Director, Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

"Early childhood education has seen a dramatic explosion of research and programs over the past 20 years. This handbook not only examines the research of the past, it anticipates what we may discover in the future. Taken as a whole, these chapters address one of the most important questions we face as a nation: 'How can we improve the lives of children and families--particularly those living in poverty or those raising children under challenging conditions?'"--Samuel J. Meisels, EdD, President, Erikson Institute

"The editors have assembled an outstanding handbook at the nexus of practice, policy, and research in early childhood education, one that captures the contemporary realities of this fast-moving, multidisciplinary field. The 27 chapters synthesize the knowledge base across four themes: early education opportunities, the impact of instruction and curriculum, developmental processes in early childhood, and building an effective early education system. The result is a tour de force because the individual authors do more than summarize--they write to forge connections between science and the education sector. This important volume is essential reading for students, researchers, practitioners, and policymakers."--Kathleen McCartney, PhD, Dean, and Gerald S. Lesser Professor in Early Childhood Development, Harvard Graduate School of Education

"This handbook accomplishes two impressive feats. It brings together in one place a rich array of chapters that reflect the contemporary realities and knowledge base in early childhood education--and the writing is consistently clear and crisp. The volume promises to become a definitive reference and required reading for researchers, policymakers, program administrators, and students in early childhood education."--Deborah Lowe Vandell, PhD, Professor and Chair of Education, University of California, Irvine

"This handbook signals a new era--one in which early education is the foundation of a transformed public education system in the United States. Chapters on policy set the stage for the focus on learning and instruction, bolstered by chapters on development and on serving diverse learners. This volume will become an essential part of the preparation of educators, researchers, and policymakers striving to create a 21st-century education system that promises equality of opportunity for all children."--Ruby Takanishi, PhD, President and CEO, Foundation for Child Development, New York

Review Quote

"At a time when there are quite vocal challenges to the wisdom of providing early care and education to children and families in need, Pianta and his coeditors have assembled leaders in the field to report on the state of the science and practice. This comprehensive handbook conveys current knowledge about all dimensions of early childhood education: its history, developmental processes that underlie practices, exemplary instruction, and systems to put practices in place in states and communities. The Handbook is the definitive work of its kind and will be a great resource for practitioners, policymakers, and education scientists."--Samuel L. Odom, PhD, Director, Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill "I used this book as a text in our introductory Trends and Issues course for new PhD students. Student feedback was outstandingly positive. The book has a wonderful combination of breadth and depth. It exposes students to a variety of topics for future study and research. I will use the text in this course again next Spring."--M. Susan Burns, PhD, College of Education and Human Development, George Mason University "Early childhood education has seen a dramatic explosion of research and programs over the past 20 years. This handbook not only examines the research of the past, it anticipates what we may discover in the future. Taken as a whole, these chapters address one of the most important questions we face as a nation: 'How can we improve the lives of children and families--particularly those living in poverty or those raising children under challenging conditions?'"--Samuel J. Meisels, EdD, President, Erikson Institute "The editors have assembled an outstanding handbook at the nexus of practice, policy, and research in early childhood education, one that captures the contemporary realities of this fast-moving, multidisciplinary field. The 27 chapters synthesize the knowledge base across four themes: early education opportunities, the impact of instruction and curriculum, developmental processes in early childhood, and building an effective early education system. The result is a tour de force because the individual authors do more than summarize--they write to forge connections between science and the education sector. This important volume is essential reading for students, researchers, practitioners, and policymakers."--Kathleen McCartney, PhD, Dean, and Gerald S. Lesser Professor in Early Childhood Development, Harvard Graduate School of Education "This handbook accomplishes two impressive feats. It brings together in one place a rich array of chapters that reflect the contemporary realities and knowledge base in early childhood education--and the writing is consistently clear and crisp. The volume promises to become a definitive reference and required reading for researchers, policymakers, program administrators, and students in early childhood education."--Deborah Lowe Vandell, PhD, Professor and Chair of Education, University of California, Irvine "This handbook signals a new era--one in which early education is the foundation of a transformed public education system in the United States. Chapters on policy set the stage for the focus on learning and instruction, bolstered by chapters on development and on serving diverse learners. This volume will become an essential part of the preparation of educators, researchers, and policymakers striving to create a 21st-century education system that promises equality of opportunity for all children."--Ruby Takanishi, PhD, President and CEO, Foundation for Child Development, New York

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