1. The need for child care and early childhood education.

Child care and families.

Setting the foundation for school success.

The needs of young children.

Parent education.

Global child care and early childhood programs.

2. Types of early childhood programs.

A need for child care and early education.

Public school early childhood programs.

Religious early childhood programs.

Head Start programs.

Military child care.

Private school-based programs.

Private early childhood programs.

Campus child care.

Family child care.

School-age care.

3. Important people and movements.

European descendants.

U.S. pioneers.

1950s to 1970s.

Present.

4. Curricular approaches.

What is curriculum?

Objectives, outcomes, standards, scope, and sequence.

Different early childhood curricula.

Implementing curriculum.

5. Environments.

Evaluating child care environments.

Should early childhood environments be like home or like school?

Infants and toddlers.

Preschool.

Children age kindergarten to 8 years old.

Environments and children's behaviors.

6. Diversity in early childhood programs.

Diversity, equality, and equity.

Exceptional students.

Responding appropriately to diversity.

7. Teachers as professionals.

Who becomes a teacher?

Becoming a teacher.

Professionalism.

Early childhood teachers in society.

Working with parents.

8. Play as curriculum.

What is play?

Theories of play.

Play and how children learn.

Outdoor play.

Role of adults in play.

9. Child growth and development.

Typical development.

Stage theories.

Cognitive theories.

Behaviorism.

Social/emotional theories.

Other learning theories.

10. Encouraging literacy.

Oral language development.

Development of emergent writing.

Young children and books.

The critical role of the family in language and literacy development.

Environmental print.

Use of technology to support emergent literacy.

Role of teachers in literacy development.

Failure to learn to read and write.

Bilingual education and second language acquisition.

11. Encouraging creativity.

Why creative activities are critical in early childhood.

The visual arts.

Music and movement.

12. Guiding behavior: Social and moral development.

Children's self image.

Social competence.

Erikson's psychosocial stages.

Moral reasoning.

Behaviorism.

Social learning theory.

Guidance.

Peer mediation.

Working with parents.

13. Math and science.

Theoretical basis for math and science education.

How fundamental math and science skills develop.

How to teach math and science.

Teaching math.

Setting up the environment.

Teaching science.

Arranging the science environment.

Math for elementary school students.

Science for elementary schools students.

14. Observation/evaluation/assessment.

Purposes of assessment, observation, and evaluation.

Types of assessment/evaluations.

Issues in testing.

Combination approaches.

15. Future issues/controversial issues.

Alternative structures.

Funding streams.

Curricula.

Diversity.

Teacher/caregiver preparation.

Quality care and early childhood education.

Use of technology.

Males in early childhood.

Glossary.


References.