<p> Currently, there is a gap in the literature highlighting the need for professional development in the form of mentoring support for first-year directors in Early Childhood Education (ECE). </p><p> The primary purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the experiences of first-year ECE directors who took part in the California Early Childhood Mentor Program (CECMP) during the 2015&ndash;2016 school year. Participants came from the northern and northeast regions of the CECMP. Using a narrative approach guided by personalized stories, along with in-depth one-on-one interviews, this study focused on the experiences of four prot&eacute;g&eacute; directors who engaged in a mentoring relationship with an experienced director mentor. By situating the prot&eacute;g&eacute;s&rsquo; experiences within a 4-path framework of Analyzing, Advancing, Acting and Accelerating, this study investigated the impact of the mentoring relationship on addressing challenges and leadership development in an ECE program. </p><p> Findings from this study revealed that when the elements of supportive guidance, supportive resources, self-reflection and supportive relationships are in place, first-year directors can become equipped to address challenges and develop the capacity for leadership. The ECE field must continue to promote the provision of systemic and relevant leadership training and mentoring in order to grow leaders and to sustain leadership capacity. Implications of this study reveal the need to incorporate a professional development system for emerging and future first-year directors that recognizes effective leadership as a vital component to the success of children, staff and families. </p><p> Recommendations for policy include increasing federal funding for mentoring and leadership training programs and the provision of options for an ECE director credential similar to the Clear Induction Tier 2 Standards put forth in K-12 for first-year principals. Recommendations for practice highlight the need for mandated mentoring hours as well as prolonged engagement in quality leadership development programs leading up to the first-year directorship. Recommendations for future research include the use of quantitative survey instruments to determine if first-year directors with mentors identify this study&rsquo;s findings as significant in a mentoring relationship.</p><p>

The purpose of this study was to determine whether parents and guardians understand the specific benefits of a music-based early intervention program for their child's development, when given data documented through observational methods. Participants (N=15) for this study were parents or guardians of children 2 to 4 years of age who attended "Music Play" in Tallahassee, Florida. On-task behavior data was coded from the 4 video recordings of the children who attended with their parents/guardians. After receiving the documentation, the parents were asked to complete the post-survey measure. Data was obtained from 8 parents out of the original 15 who consented to participate. Results from this study confirm that children benefit from music-based instruction for early intervention and that parental perceptions are altered when documented group on-task behaviors are presented. Further research needs to be conducted to affirm these responses with a larger sample size. Overall, parents and guardians have a good understand of the benefits of music-based instruction for their young children. / A Thesis submitted to the College of Music in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Music. / Fall Semester, 2014. / August 5, 2014. / early intervention, music therapy, parental awareness / Includes bibliographical references. / Jayne M. Standley, Professor Directing Thesis; Kimberly VanWheelden, Committee Member; Dianne Gregory, Committee Member.

First- and second-language education is a much researched and universal phenomenon. Like in many other countries, South African children attend preschools from a young age. They often attend dual-medium or English preschools, although South Africa has 11 official languages, of which Afrikaans, the mother-tongue of the participants in this study, is one. During the preschool years, important milestones are achieved in terms of social, emotional and language development. Many researchers argue that basic concepts are best acquired in the mother-tongue, while other researchers highlight the advantages of multilingualism. The primary research question that is explored in this study is: How does the social and emotional development of Afrikaans mother-tongue three-year-olds who receive mother-tongue, dual-medium or second-language education present? This study aimed to expand the insight and knowledge regarding language of education, language dynamics, language diversity and social and emotional development during the early years. Phenomenological principles are at the basis of this study and the researcher built the conceptual framework on Erikson’s psychosocial theory. Vignette research, with supporting quantitative and qualitative questionnaires, explored the social and emotional development and language of education of three-year-olds. Vignette research provided in-depth, observational data on three participants’ experiences in their learning environments. Mothers’ (n = 36) and educators’ (n = 15) experiences of the children’s social and emotional development were captured using questionnaires. On a quantitative level, no major differences in three-year-olds’ social and emotional development were evident when they received mother-tongue, dual-medium or second-language education. On a qualitative level, significant granular differences and finer nuances were, however, evident in three-year-olds who received mother-tongue, dual-medium or second-language education. Although both groups of participants showed high levels of language skills, differences included the three-year-olds’ experience of social and emotional security in the learning environment, independence and initiative-taking in informal settings, empathy for peers and relationships characterised by qualitative depth and the processing of auditory information. Although the study focused on South African early-learning contexts, the findings may provide insights for future research on multilingualism. / Afrikaans: Moeder- en tweedetaalonderrig is ’n wyd nagevorsde en universele fenomeen. In ooreenstemming met ander lande woon Suid-Afrikaanse kinders van ’n jong ouderdom af dikwels kleuterskool by. In Suid-Afrika vind voorskoolse onderrig in baie gevalle in dubbelmedium- of Engelse kleuterskole plaas, alhoewel Suid-Afrika 11 amptelike landstale het, waarvan Afrikaans, die moedertaal van die deelnemers aan hierdie studie, een is. Gedurende die voorskoolse tydperk vind belangrike sosiale, emosionele en taalontwikkeling plaas. Verskeie navorsers redeneer dat basiese konsepte ten beste in die moedertaal vasgelê word, terwyl ander die voordele van meertaligheid beklemtoon. Die primêre navorsingsvraag wat in hierdie studie ondersoek is, was: Hoe presenteer die sosiale en emosionele ontwikkeling van Afrikaans-moedertaaldriejariges wat moedertaal-, dubbelmedium- of tweedetaalonderrig ontvang? Die doel van hierdie studie was om die insigte en kennis oor taal-van-onderrig, taaldinamika, taaldiversiteit en sosiale en emosionele ontwikkeling te verbreed. Fenomenologiese beginsels het die basis van hierdie studie gevorm en die navorser het die konseptuele raamwerk op Erikson se psigososiale teorie gebou. Vinjetnavorsing, met ondersteunende kwantitatiewe en kwalitatiewe vraelyste, het die sosiale en emosionele ontwikkeling en taal-van-onderrig van driejariges ondersoek. Vinjetnavorsing voorsien observasiedata van drie deelnemers se ervarings binne hulle leeromgewing. Moeders (n = 36) en opvoeders (n = 15) se ervarings van die driejariges se sosiale en emosionele ontwikkeling is deur middel van vraelyste vasgelê. Die bevindings dui aan dat daar op ’n kwantitatiewe vlak oppervlakkig nie ’n groot verskil in driejariges se sosiale en emosionele ontwikkeling is wanneer hulle moedertaal-, dubbelmedium- of tweedetaalonderrig ontvang nie. Op ’n kwalitatiewe vlak is daar egter belangrike granulêre verskille en fyner nuanses in die sosiale en emosionele ontwikkeling van hierdie driejariges wat moedertaal-, dubbelmedium- of tweedetaalonderrig ontvang. Alhoewel die deelnemers van beide groepe sterk taalontwikkeling toon, presenteer daar verskille ten opsigte van geborgenheid binne die leeromgewing, onafhanklikheid en inisiatief binne informele situasies, empatie vir die portuurgroep en verhoudings wat gekenmerk word deur kwalitatiewe diepte, asook die verwerking van ouditiewe inligting. Alhoewel hierdie studie op die Suid-Afrikaanse konteks gefokus het, bevorder die bevindings insigte en moontlikhede vir toekomstige navorsing oor hierdie fenomeen. / Thesis (PhD (Vroeë Kinderonderwys))--University of Pretoria, 2021. / Die Suid-Afrikaanse Akademie vir Wetenskap en Kuns / Early Childhood Education / PhD (Vroeë Kinderonderwys) / Unrestricted

Thesis (Ed.D.)--Boston University.

Creativity is a cornerstone of complex, unconventional thinking, and developing creativity begins at a young age. With this book, early childhood teachers will discover how to tap into and scaffold children's natural curiosity and creative abilities. / https://dc.etsu.edu/etsu_books/1154/thumbnail.jpg

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Book Summary: Gode læringsmiljøer for børn giver ideer til, hvordan man kan skabe gode udviklings- og læringsmiljøer i daginstitution og skole, så børn på samme tid kan have gode børneliv og lære noget i inspirerende og spændende omgivelser.

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Book Summary: The Developing Child, 13e gives students the tools they need to organize, retain, and apply information from the broad field of child psychology, while offering balanced coverage of theory and application. Through The Developing Child, 13e Helen Bee and Denise Boyd generate excitement about scientific inquiry by connecting research with applications. All integrated features within the text are designed to engage students and provide them with the support they need to understand, learn, and apply the material. Interactive resources like MyDevelopmentLab with MyVirtualChild offer students additional support and the ultimate hands-on learning experience.