Early Care and Education Choices of Women in a Parent Support Group in a Working Class Neighborhood: Three Women Coconstruct Notions of Appropriate Settings

In the process of choosing early out-of-home care and education for their young children, 3 mothers living in a working class neighborhood in New York City coconstructed understandings of care and education settings and practices offered within their community. A feminist–pragmatist framework guided the analysis of data that highlighted the processes by which they sought information and support to make those choices. Data indicated that their appreciation of child development theories and educational practices arose from experiences derived from their active participation in the development of a parents network. This grassroots network acted as an invaluable source of childrearing information, supported reflection on identity formation, and prompted political participation at varying levels. These 3 women coconstructed knowledge of early care and education settings by bringing thought to action—from inception, to development, and culminating in fulfillment.     

Troubled Relationships in Early Childhood Education: Parent-Teacher Interactions in Ethnoculturally Diverse Child Care Settings

In order to study the nature of the relationships between early childhood educators and minority families, we interviewed child care teachers (N = 199) and supervisors (N = 77) in three Canadian cities of major immigrant influx. Views of minority families were elicited through 14 focus groups (total attendance, N = 108) in these cities. A coordinated analysis of data revealed four main findings as follows: 1) Although both minority parents and teachers agreed that minority parents were not involved enough in the child care setting, they disagreed about the reasons for the lack of involvement. 2) Minority parents and teachers tended to be unaware of their basic differences in ECE goals, particularly with respect to cognition, social skills, and respect for authority; they gave conflicting accounts of difficulties related to these goals. 3) Schools and minority parents appeared to have substantial differences over what constitutes proper child-rearing methods in the home. The practices of minority parents were often viewed by teachers as lax. 4) Based on teachers' and parents' reports, racial and discriminatory incidents, according to the various definitions of those involved, were not uncommon in child care centers; sometimes teachers were unaware of them. Subtle and unintended effects of racism were much more noticed by some parents than by many teachers. Some of these difficulties may be linked to an “expert model” of early childhood education; hence it is proposed that a collaborative approach is one avenue to better relations between teachers and minority parents.     

Early Nonparental Care and Social Behavior in Elementary School: Support for a Social Group Adaptation Hypothesis

This study examined the contribution of nonparental child‐care services received during the preschool years to the development of social behavior between kindergarten and the end of elementary school with a birth cohort from Québec, Canada (N = 1,544). Mothers reported on the use of child‐care services, while elementary school teachers rated children's shyness, social withdrawal, prosociality, opposition, and aggression. Children who received nonparental child‐care services were less shy, less socially withdrawn, more oppositional, and more aggressive at school entry (age 6 years). However, these differences disappeared during elementary school as children who received exclusive parental care caught up with those who received nonparental care services. This “catch‐up” effect from the perspective of children's adaptation to the social group is discussed.     

Addressing Disparities in Parent Education: Examining the Effects of Learn the Signs/Act Early Parent Education Materials on Parent Outcomes

Early intervention is critical for improved prognosis and quality of life for young children with developmental delays and disabilities. Yet, disparities persist among underserved families with young children. These disparities include knowledge of child development, use of medical providers as referral sources, and later diagnosis. The current study employed a mixed method, randomized controlled trial to examine participant outcomes among low-income, underserved families who received child development information. The information included the 42-page Milestone Moments booklet that was developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Learn the Signs/Act Early initiative. Participants (n = 108) included parents or legal guardians of children ages birth through 5 years. The participants were predominantly Black/African American (86 %) and female (90 %), and all had incomes below the federal poverty level. Study variables related to the location (home vs. child care center) and context (single session vs. extended visits) for delivering the information did not yield significant differences. Yet, there were clear findings that parents who received the booklet reported increased knowledge about child development, a decrease in concern about their own children’s developmental progress, and a positive perception of the booklet. On interview, parents reported learning new information about child development or being reminded of developmental information they had forgotten and the importance of following up with professionals when concerns arose. While not statistically significant, there was a consistent trend toward greater participant outcomes for parents who received materials in the child care setting relative to the home.     

Women Working in Higher Education: A Review of the Position of Women in Higher Education and Policy Developments

This review is concerned with the position of women in higher education, and particularly that of women staff at all levels. A set of statistics is presented to illustrate the UK scene. Similar infmnation is given for some other countries. There is an emphasis on comparison with Australia because the situation there is changing. The position of women academics is clearly revealed – there are not many, they have more difficulty than men in obtaining tenured positions and much more difficulty in obtaining promotion. Some of the causes and consequences of this situation are discussed.
The development of policy needed to bring about change is examined with emphasis on the institutional attitudinal climate.     

美国学前教育机构《家长手册》的特点及启示

《家长手册》是美国学前教育机构联系家庭的一种重要形式，不论是在价值取向、外表设计上，还是在目录设置、内容呈现上都具有一些鲜明的特点。对这些特点加以科学的剖析，有助于我们研制中国幼儿园的《家长手册》，并发挥其在完善家园关系中的独特作用。     

Outcomes for Women and Infants Following Assisted Conception: Implications for Perinatal Education,Care, and Support

Assisted conception is becoming an increasingly more common treatment option for women and couples who experience fertility problems. Links have been made in the literature between assisted conception and a greater incidence of pregnancy or birth complications, low birth weight or premature babies, and babies with congenital abnormalities. In addition, evidence suggests that the experience of assisted conception may influence the development of early mothering relationships and impact parenting adjustment. Although this commentary article does not strategically review all available literature, it provides an overview of the health issues that women and families undergoing assisted conception have experienced or may experience. Through raising awareness and promoting discussion of these issues, practitioners will be better equipped to provide informed education and support.     

Parental Plurilingual Capital in a Monolingual Context: Investigating Strengths to Support Young Children in Early Childhood Settings

Parents who are plurilingual have a portfolio of assets they can use to support the language development of their children. This portfolio of assets is positioned as a strength that parents bring into their partnership with early childhood educators. However, not all parents who are plurilingual have the same assets in their language portfolios. Our study, using case studies of parents who have multiple languages and a desire to raise their children with more than one language, demonstrates that previous parental experiences with multiple languages, and intra-familial support for multiple languages combine to impact on parental language strengths and the expectations parents have of early childhood professionals. To build effective partnerships with parents, early childhood professionals need to understand the assets in parental language portfolios.     

Early Childhood Education and Care in the Time of COVID-19: Introduction to a Special Issue of Early Childhood Education Journal

Early Childhood Education Journal -     

Missing the Boat with Technology Usage in Early Childhood Settings: A 21st Century View of Developmentally Appropriate Practice

Technology use permeates virtually all aspects of twenty-first century society, though its integration in early childhood settings and recognition as a developmentally appropriate practice remains problematic. A position is taken that education professionals may be ‘missing the boat’ by not embracing technology usage as a developmentally appropriate practice. Concerns are presented that both preservice education and inservice professional development require substantial improvement if early childhood education professionals are to both recognize the role of technology in developmentally appropriate practice and develop skills in using it in classroom settings.     

The Significance of Education for Establishment in the Care Sector: Women and Men and Care Workers with a Migrant Background

In this article, we have followed women and men with a Swedish or an immigrant background that have completed the Upper Secondary Health Care Program. In which occupations do they work? Who employs them? Which target groups do they serve? Official statistics and survey data were used. The interaction between occupational structure and educational experiments was in focus. Gendered and cultural segregation and concentration within and between occupational groups were analysed in relation to defined target groups and employer. We found that official statistics were not sensitive enough to capture the latent structure, while the survey uncovered signs of concentration and segregation of the care workers to certain occupations or target groups. Traditional career patterns were strengthened. Elderly care attracted women while mental care attracted men. We also found some unexpected paths among immigrant workers who chose more autonomous niches.     

德国学前教育的发展现况和未来趋势

德国的学前教育长期以来并没有形成统一的学前托管模式,入园率、师资等在原东德和原西德地区之间存在很大差异.德国的学前教育计划由各州自行制定、实施并监管,但联邦政府还是从政策和财政投入两方面积极推动学前教育的发展.为了使母亲有更多的就业机会,德国政府不断加强对学前教育的关注度和投入力度:从法律上保障儿童接受学前教育的权益;提供灵活多样的社会托管服务;将托管服务对象由3～6岁扩大到0～6岁并致力于改善托幼机构的育儿质量.     

Broadening the Definition of Collaboration in Early Care and Education

ABSTRACT

Research Findings: This article summarizes current peer-reviewed research and conceptualizations of collaboration and presents a new conceptual model. Authors found that the existing peer-reviewed literature does not adequately reflect emerging understandings of the nature of early childhood collaborations or the contributions such collaborations make to outcomes. The paper fills a gap in the literature by presenting a broader conceptualization of collaboration in which stakeholders work together and use data to achieve common goals through engaging in shared activities. Authors provide examples of how collaborations take place within a network of early care and education programs. Practice or Policy: Practitioners can use information presented in this to support collaborations at different levels of an early childhood system. More research needs to be conducted to identify and measure collaborative activities and outcomes across levels of collaboration to align with a broader definition of collaboration.     

马克思的教育之思:嵌入工人阶级解放的构想

教育哲学家彼得斯将教育理解为价值,他提供了一个理解教育的新角度;陈桂生揭示了教育价值的演变,指出现代教育价值包含教育(狭义)价值与教养价值。在此基础上,本文探讨了马克思的教育思考。他的思考融入其对生产劳动、社会斗争和学校教学的评价,对这些评价的分析表明,马克思的教育思考深嵌入工人阶级解放的构思之中。论文从工人阶级解放角度考察教育价值如何嵌入三类评价,亦立足教育价值透视马克思教育思考的特点。这些分析表明,把握马克思的教育思想不能离开其对工人阶级解放的理论构思;在教育(狭义)价值和教养价值上,马克思重视后者甚于前者,这种不平衡同其对道德、道德品质形成的思考有关。从社会结构来看,马克思的选择不无合理之处,如立足于个体道德人格的养成,德育的作用又不可等闲视之。     

Maternal Attitudes and Parent Education: How Immigrant Mothers Support Their Child’s Education Despite Their Own Low Levels of Education

A study of Mexican immigrant mothers of young children in the AVANCE-Dallas early childhood intervention program demonstrates that low-educational parents often exhibit ambitious attitudes about educational achievement for their children. Though they lack an extensive academic background, which places their children at risk for low education, their positive attitude manifested in daily pro-educational behaviors overcomes their low education level because they both motivate their children to pursue academic success and participate in their children’s learning. The best way to capitalize on immigrant parents’ educational drive for their children is to partner with them—either through an intervention program or through early childhood educators’ interaction with parents—by showing them how their participation in their children’s learning through concrete activities (such as regular mother–child conversation, daily reading, and playtime activities that teach developmental skills) may increase their chances of achieving academic success.     

在涉老专业群中开展生死观与临终关怀教育的意义和路径研究

临终关怀作为一种关注人性的高质量的服务形式,已日益引起全社会的重视和关注。但在我国,在专门培养高素质为老服务与管理人才的高等院校,生死观与临终关怀教育却尚未引起高度重视。希望通过开展生死观与临终关怀教育的意义和路径研究,包括"生死观与临终关怀"课程建设、实践基地建设、专业临终关怀教学团队建设等研究,推动我国生死教育和临终关怀教育的发展。