The page numbers in this index refer to the printed version of this book. The link provided will take you to the beginning of that print page. You may need to scroll forward from that location to find the corresponding reference on your e-reader.
Page numbers in italics refer to illustrations. Page numbers beginning with 305 refer to endnotes.
ABCs, 244
ability gaps, 20–21, 106–7, 228, 269, 292
academic performance, 26–30, 35, 87, 163–64, 252, 321
academic readiness, 7–8, 20, 46–47
adult expectations:
“adultifying” children and, xvii
child development and, 36–37, 52–55, 78
children’s behavior and, 128–31
language development and, 227
team sports and, 155
adult literacy, 231
Aegean Sea, 142
Africa, xii
Air Force, U.S., 142
Alcott, Bronson, 289
alphabet-learning strategies, 45–46
American Academy of Pediatrics, 165, 191, 310, 318
American Boy’s Handy Book, The (Beard), 138
American Idol (TV show), 175
Animal Hospital game, 150
applied behavior analysis, 148
Archie (classroom pet), 179–80
Armour Boys (Ford), 206–9
arts and crafts, critique of, 71–72
Asperger’s syndrome, 120
attachment, insecure, 205
attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), 29, 118, 129, 163, 310
attention problems, 175–76, 190
attention spans, 64–67
autism spectrum disorder, 115–20, 129, 148–49, 179
Baba Yaga, 221
Baby Einstein videos, 175
Bad Seed, The (Anderson and March), 203, 318
Baining people, 147
balanced literacy, 247–49
Barbie dolls, 171
Barnett, Steven, 251
Beanie Babies, 167
Bearman, Peter, 119
Big Bad Bruce (Peet), 222
biophilia hypothesis, 163
Birth of the Clinic, The (Foucault), 117
Bjorkland, David, 228
blocks, block play, 37–38, 170, 205
Bloom, Paul, 88–89
bookmaking, 235–36
Book of Nothing, The (Barrow), 169
Boston, Mass., 283
Boston Globe, 265
Bounty, Lauri, 207–9
Bradstreet, Anne, 337
brain development, 26–27, 88–92, 173, 262, 295
Briggs, Jean, 206
Brooklyn, N.Y., 165
Brothers Grimm, 222
Brown, Margaret Wise, 305
Bush, George W., 127
Calvin Hill Day Care Center, 1, 40, 69
Camarata, Stephen, 229
Cantor, Georg, 95
Carlsson-Paige, Nancy, 92–95, 102
Cat in the Hat, The (Seuss), 238
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 118, 318
Chicago, Ill., 32, 151, 164, 224, 252
child abuse, 114–16, 282, 333–34
childcare, 29, 36, 53, 170, 244
child development:
adult expectations and, 36–37, 52–55, 78
challenges of, xiii–xiv, 33–36
children’s brains and, 26–27, 88–92, 173, 262, 295
critical thinking and, 40–45
drawing and, 59
human connections and, 263–65, 299
key concepts and, 37–40
moral and emotional development and, 160
motivation to learn and, 45–49, 252–54
parenting skills and, 24, 56–57, 184, 214
school readiness and, 7–8, 20, 46–47, 51–52, 146, 229
teaching to test and, 49–51
see also play
childhood:
atypical development and, 126–27
habitat, 4, 138, 141, 151, 155, 156–158, 162, 218, 280–81
historical changes and, 113–15
medical diagnoses and, 117–21, 318
mortality rates and, 131–32, 282, 310
parental anxiety and, 133–37
perspectives on, 111–13
preservation of, 295–97
protected vs. prepared, 287–88
special needs and, 45, 115–26, 129, 190
childhood learning, see early childhood education and care (ECEC)
child rearing, 85, 206, 276, 283–84, 288, 337
see also parents
Children’s Hour, The (Hellman), 203
children’s literature, 219–21
see also reading; reading comprehension; stories, storytelling; specific books
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (film), 147
Choose Your Own Adventure books, 83
Christakis, Dimitri (author’s brother-in-law), 174–76
Chua, Amy, 68
Circle Time, 11, 40–45, 101, 229
Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS), 267
classroom documentation, 69, 101
classroom pets, 178–80
classroom rules, 200–202
clay work, 76–77
Close, Nancy, 196
Codman Health Center, 283–84
cognitive skills, 61, 76–78, 155, 228
Cohen, Larry, 140
Collins, Molly, 46
Common Core, 91–92, 96–106, 152, 315, 316
comprehension skills, see reading comprehension
Connor, 17–19
constructivism, 11
consumerism, see materialism
conversation:
among children, 32, 169, 199–202, 229
during Circle Time, 40–45, 229
literacy development and, 232, 249–52
teacher-student, 1–4, 20, 58–61, 124–25, 168, 251–52
Conversations with Children and the Gospels (Alcott), 289
cooking, 181
craft making, 71
Creative Arts curriculum, 99–102
creativity:
artmaking vs. creative thinking, 66–72
children’s cognitive abilities and, 76–78
early childhood curriculum and, 72–76
family involvement and, 71–72
figure drawing and, 58–62
self-expression and, 78–79
teachable moments and, 83–86
teaching environment and, 79–83
Thanksgiving turkey crafts and, 62–66, 62
cueing systems, 245–46
curriculum:
“child-centered,” 74
childhood creativity and, 72–76
Core Knowledge Preschool Sequence, 75
fostering independence and, 54
HighScope Plan-Do-Review, 69
nature and, 163–66
of preschools, 35, 38, 46–48, 54, 316
story-driven crafts and, 71
Tools of Mind, 69
see also Common Core
Cuthbertson, Judy, 82
Dahl, Ophelia, 216
Dahl, Roald, 216
daily living skills, 54
daycare, 15, 110, 258, 268. See also childcare
daycare abuse litigation, 263–64
deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum, 87, 206
developmentally appropriate practices (DAP), 82
Dewey, John, 289
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, 120
dialogic reading, 102
direct instruction (DI), 8–10, 37, 47–48, 78, 234, 307
disequilibrium and accommodation cycle, 4
Disney videos, 276
Disney World, 197
distance learning, 177–78
Door, Matthew, 151
DVDs, 156
dyslexia, 234
early childhood education and care (ECEC):
academic vs. environmental learning, 25–28
advocating for children’s needs in, 297–98
caretaking functions of, 267–69
childhood learning and, xiii, 17–19, 78, 90–91, 96
crisis in, 28–30
education policy and, 28, 247, 272, 279–80
in Finland, 26, 103–8, 231, 255, 290
gender stratification in, 266
indirect instruction and, 10–11, 234–35
language development and, 226–27
learning habitats and, xvi, 1–5, 30–31
learning zones and, 11–14
myths about, 8–10
negative aspects of, 14–17
nomenclature of, xx–xxi
as “God’s work,” xiii
platooning in, 17
positive outcomes of, 21–24
quality preschools and, 19–21
teacher competance and, 269–75
teacher scaffolding and, 1–5
U.S. innovation and, 290–95
see also preschools
Ebert, Roger, 88
Edison, Thomas, 174
Education for All Handicapped Children Act (EHA), 114
education policy, xv, 28, 247, 272, 279–80
education reform, 7, 52, 90, 95, 104, 106, 107, 259, 268, 273
education system, 121–26
British vs. U.S., 285–87
Education Week, 178
electronic toys, 173
Eleni (author’s daughter), 112
elimination communication, 184
Emerson, Ralph Waldo, 289
emotional problems, 204–5, 318
adult guidance and, 221–23
classic books and, 219–21
fantasy and, 139, 150–51, 216–19
in group settings, 195–98
inner lives and, 203–9
problems with, 204–5
shared emotional vocabulary and, 213–14
testing anxiety and, 215–16
validity of, 198–203
see also social-emotional skills
England, see United Kingdom
English Language Arts curriculum (ELA), 96–99, 152, 225–26
environmental awareness, 165–66
environments:
childhood creativity and, 79–83
early childhood education and, 25–28
language development and, 252–55
teaching methods and, 10–11
see also learning habitats; play habitats
Erikson, Erik, 39
essential skills, 39
Europe, 104
family dinners, 327
Far from the Tree (A. Solomon), 115–16
feral children, 262
Field Museum, 164
figurative drawing, 58–62
Finland:
academic performance in, 26, 309
culture of, 103–8
early childhood education in, 255, 290, 316
literacy instruction in, 231
Florida, 296
Ford, Laura, 206
Foucault, Michel, 117
Four Square game, 144
Fox, Renée C., 55–56
free play, 145
Friends Center for Children, 170–71
Fuller, Bruce, 275
fun, 147–49
Fusselman, Amy, 153
Galinsky, Ellen, 39
games, 88, 98, 109, 144, 150, 169
Gardner, Howard, 127
gender stratification, xx, 266
gender variation, 128–29
Georgia, 128
Germany, 132
Gesell, Arnold, xii
gifted and talented programs, 280, 317
Gilbert, Daniel, 197
Gilliam, Walter, 22, 83, 146, 209–10, 267, 295
Go, Dog. Go! (Eastman), 216
Goldberg, Rube, 215
Goldstein, Rebecca Newberger, 33
Goodnight Moon (Brown), 305
Google, 147
government, federal, 247
Grahame, Kenneth, 163
Gravity (film), 54
Gray, Peter, 146
Great Depression, 7
Gross, Mark, 295–96
Groundhog Day, 66
Guatemala, 92
Haiti, 216
Hallowell, Edward, 118
hands-on experiences, 39–40, 183, 241
Happy Meal toys, 171
Harry Potter (Rowling), 228
Head Start programs, xxi, 7, 180, 259, 282
Henkes, Kevin, 220
Hirsch, E. D., 74
home visiting programs, 281–83
Horwitz, Carla, 69
hot potato game, 98
Humane Society, 178–79
human soul, 203–4
I Love Lucy (TV show), 68
imagination, 139, 150–51, 216–19
Important Book, The (Brown and Weisgard), 305
income inequality, 107
Individualized Education Plans (IEPs), 121–26
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), 114
indoor recess, 168
infants, infant development, 88–89, 182, 227
innovation, 290–95
intelligence, measuring of:
ability gaps and, 20–21, 106–7, 228
brain development and, xviii, 26–27, 88–92, 173, 262, 295
ECEC in Finland and, 103–8
parents and, 107–10
state learning standards and, 92–102
iPads, 144, 154, 162, 165, 174
iPhones, 295
Iran, 168
Israel, 136
Jefferson, Thomas, 291
Jobs, Steve, 177
Kathryn (author’s sister), 150–53
Kentucky, 120
key concepts, 38–40
Kibbe, Melissa, 90
language development:
comprehension and, 241–52
language instruction and, 224–30
language-rich environments and, 252–55
oral language, 249–52
social context of, 228
socioeconomic status and, 105
writing and, 224–25, 225, 235–41
Larcom, Lucy, 285
learning disabilities, 129–30, 190, 317
learning habitats, xvi, 1–5, 30–31, 138, 218
learning processes, xiv, 25–28, 44–45, 104–5, 229–32
learning zones, 3–4, 11–14, 276
Lee, Harper, 84
leisure time, 189
licensing regulations, 16, 33, 91, 186, 264
Light, Melinda, 151
Lightfoot, Sarah Lawrence, 258
Lincoln, Mass., 87
Lincoln Nursery School, 68, 87, 164–65, 188, 196–97, 206–7
literacy instruction, 9, 45, 49–51, 181, 229–33
see also reading; reading comprehension
Little House books (Wilder), 36–37, 262
Little Prince, The (Saint-Exupéry), 193
Little Princess, A (Burnett), 151
living standards, 132
Lizzie (author’s cousin), 151
Long Island, N.Y., 143
Lord of the Flies (Golding), 203
Los Angeles, Calif., 211
Louisiana, 232
Lysander (author’s son), 152, 224, 225
Madeline (Bemelmans), 88
Mad Men (TV show), 181
Mao Tse-tung, 203
Marshmallow Test, 39–40
Maryland, 191
Massachusetts, 68, 91, 134, 321
materialism:
advance of technology and, 172–73
children and, 173–80
delayed toilet training and, 183–86
interactive technologies and, 182–83
and needs vs. wants, 168–72
preschool schedules and, 188–93
teaching materials and, 186–88, 312
maternal employment, 6–7, 30, 310–11
math concepts, 46–48, 60, 92–95
Mazur, Eric, 44
Medicaid, 120
Meltzoff, Andrew, 226
memory games, 88
mental health, 29, 120, 209, 267, 318
see also emotions; social-emotional skills
Mickey Mouse figurines, 89
Middle Ages, 262
Milton, John, 285
Minnesota, 104
Mississippi, 15–16
Miss Mary Mack game, 169
Mister Rogers (TV show), 176
Modern Family (TV show), 175
mommy wars, 244
monkey bars, 108
Montessori, Maria, xii, 78, 289
Montgomery, Md., 114
mood meter, 212–14
mortality rates, 131–32, 282, 310
Mother’s Day cards, 68
motor skills, 53–54, 58, 76, 155
museums, 44, 73, 87, 163, 206–8
Nagel, Thomas, xix–xx, 113, 306
Napoleon I, emperor of France, 290
naps, napping, 191–93
Nash, Ogden, 220
National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), 38, 82, 149, 263, 270
National Center for Hearing Assessment and Management, 318
National Early Literacy Panel, 247
National Early Literacy Report, 248
National Institute for Early Education and Research, 251
National Sleep Foundation, 191
Native Americans, 147
natural caregivers, 274–75
natural math, 93
nature, 163–66, 196–97, 249–50
Nelson, Charles, 262
nesting, 151
Netflix, 156
New England:
childhood in the 1960s in, 142, 280
preschools in, 15
Puritan settlers in, 288
summer camps in, 291
New England Girlhood, A (Larcom), 285
New Hampshire, 232
New Haven, Conn., 1, 40, 82, 170, 205
New Haven MOMS partnership, 282
New Mexico, 262
New York Times, xv, 80, 120, 229, 251–52, 311, 333
No Child Left Behind legislation, 7, 95
North Carolina, 291
North Carolina Abecedarian Project, 282
nosology, 117
Nurse-Family Partnership, 282
obesity epidemic, 163, 262, 327
observation, 43, 55–57, 161, 230, 257, 274
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), 33
occupational therapy (OT), 53, 122–24
Omar, 37–38
101 Dalmatians (film), 156
Onion, 167
oral language, 249–52
see also conversation
Orange Co., Calif., 133
Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), 309
Orwell, George, 5
Otto (puppy), 224
overstimulation, 175–76
Panama Canal, 142
Papua New Guinea, 147
Paradise Regained (Milton), 285
parents:
as children’s best teachers, 19
children’s intelligence and, 107–10
language development and, 56–57, 229
parental anxiety and, 133–37, 258
parent-child relationships and, xviii–xix, 279–81
parenting gap and, 279–80
parenting skills and, 24, 56–57, 184, 214
parent-teacher relationships and, 55, 83, 258–61
Peet, Bill, 222
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), 178–79
performance outcomes, see academic performance
Perry, Bruce, 205
Perry Preschool, 23–24, 214, 282
Peter Pan (play), 150
pet therapy, 178–80
Philippines, 142
phonemic awareness, 233–34
phonics instruction, 9, 226, 231, 232–33
meaning-based instruction vs., 241–47
physical affection, 261–67
physical exercise, 108
Piaget, Jean, xii, 4, 88, 208–9, 248–49
Picasso, Pablo, 79
Pinker, Steven, 226–27
platooning, 17
absence of, 145–47
active learning and, 48–49
American children and, 138
autism and, 148–49
benefits of, 144–54
block play and, 37–38, 170, 205
definition of, 145–46
gender variation in, 128–29
give-and-take of, 150
golden age of, 141
nesting play and, 151
outdoor time and, 53, 109, 162–66
play, downtime, and family time (PDF), 252
readiness skills and, 146
social vs. solitary, 14
structured vs. unstructured, xvi, 139
21st-century trends and, 141
unsupervised, 141–43
Play-Doh, 76
playground design, 164–65
play habitats:
mixed-age groups and, 156–57
nature and, 163–66
play dates as, 158–62
playgrounds as, 32, 108, 158–60
summer camps as, 157, 163, 291–92
Playmobil, 144
PLAY Project, 148–49
Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear? (Carle), 49, 97
politics, 28, 247, 272, 279–80
poverty, 107, 226, 266, 276, 282
Preschool Mental Health Climate Scale, 267
preschools:
curriculum of, 35, 38, 46–48, 54, 316
education vs. care in, 275–79
labeling behavior and, 34–35, 118
language instruction in, 225–28
licensing regulations of, 16, 33, 91, 186, 264
nomenclature and, xx–xxi
operating budgets of, 275
play-based, 8
print-rich environments of, 33, 236, 255
public funding and, xv, 91, 266
relationship building and, 13, 48, 65–66, 171, 269–72
schedules of, 34–35, 188–93, 190
toilet training in, 183–86
in the United States, 6–7, 15, 24, 269
“Preschool Teachers No Longer Know How to Teach Pre-K,” 292
pretend play, xii, 150–51, 180–82
professional development, see teacher training
see also Head Start programs
public health field, xii
Pull-Ups iGo Potty app, 183–84
puppets, 199–202
Puritans, 288
Quakers, 170
Quality Ratings Improvement System (QRIS), 266
reading:
adult literacy and, 231
components of, 232–35
dialogic reading and, 102
language development and, 61, 230–35
readiness for, 232
shared, 49–51
see also literacy instruction
reading comprehension, 232
balanced literacy and, 247–49
cueing systems and, 245–46
literature-rich environments and, 254–55
oral language and, 249–52
phonics- vs. meaning-based instruction and, 226, 241–47
Reading First initiative, 247–48
Reading Wars, 226, 241–43, 246–47
Red Sox, 155
relationship building:
children’s needs and, 267–69, 283–84
home visiting programs and, 281–83
parent-child, xviii–xix, 279–81
physical affection and, 261–67
in preschools, 13, 48, 65–66, 171, 269–72
teacher-student, xiv, 8–9, 78, 101, 215, 256–58
Reyes, Chin, 166
Rhode Island, 292
“Ring Around the Rosy,” 234–35
Roder, Sanam, 283
Romania, 262
RULER program, 212–14
Rwanda, 216
salaries, 20, 81, 102, 106, 273
Salem, Mass., 203
San Antonio, Tex., 148
sand castle building, 298–99
Santa Claus, 219
Santa Claus Is Coming to Town (film), 147
Scarry, Richard, 37
Schiavone, Allyx, 170
school libraries, 253
school readiness, 7–8, 20, 46–47, 51–52, 229
Sebastian (author’s son), 72–74
Seedlings Educators Collaborative, 82
sensory tables, 187–88
separation anxiety, 220
September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, 79, 205
Serafini, Frank, 253
Sesame Street (TV show), 24, 72
sexual abuse, 333–34
shared reading, 49–51
sibling rivalry, 220
sign language, 233
Singapore, 321
sleep, sleep deprivation, 189–92, 259, 268
Smith, Megan, 205
Sobel, David, 208
social-emotional learning (SEL), 40, 43–44, 209–15
social-emotional skills, 7, 20, 21, 28, 33–34, 35, 40, 43–44, 65, 116, 146, 148–49, 160, 188, 195, 205–206, 209–15, 217, 292, 323
Solomon, Andrew, 115–16
Solomon, Rick, 148–49
Somalia, 268
South Dakota, 264
South Sudan, 268
special needs:
applied behavior analysis and, 148
Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) and, 121–26
learning disabilities and, 129–30, 190
one-to-one instruction and, 45
state learning standards:
Creative Arts and, 99–102
developmentally appropriate practices (DAP) and, 82
English Language Arts (ELA) and, 96–99, 152, 225–26
math concepts and, 92–95
“teaching to test” and, 49–51
standards business and, 100–102
standards documentation and, 69, 101
stories, storytelling, 61, 71, 147, 220–23, 235–37, 247, 252, 262
student-teacher relationships, 8–9, 78, 101, 215, 256–58
“Stuffed Animal Biodiversity Rising,” 167
summer camps, 157, 163, 291–92
Sunny Farm’s Children’s Center, 49
Swain, Peter, 292
Sweden, 132
symbolic play, 182
Talbot, Margaret, 333
Tale of Custard the Dragon (Nash), 220
teacher certification, xxi, 15, 127, 186
teacher compensation, 20, 81, 102, 106, 270, 273
teacher salaries. See salaries
teacher scaffolding, 1–5, 108, 140, 169
teachers unions, 273
teacher training, xxii, 36, 46–47, 91, 248, 270–72
Teach for America, 265
teaching materials, 8, 33, 186–88, 312
teaching methods:
child-led environments and, 10–11
constructivism, 11
direct instruction and, 8–10, 37, 47–48, 234
framing technique and, 220
imitation as, 64
learning style instruction and, 127
letter-of-the week and, 45
own-name advantage and, 46
picture walk and, 253
reflective teaching practices and, 21
turtle technique, 209
technology:
assistance for deafness and, 116
human development and, 174, 177
personal interactions and, 29
progressiveness and, 182–83
young children and, 173–80
TEDx talks, 92
test anxiety, 29
Thanksgiving turkey crafts, 62–66, 62
These Happy Years (Wilder), 262
Thoreau, Henry David, 154, 168
Time, 133
toilet training, 183–86
To Kill a Mockingbird (Lee), 84
Tokyo, 153
Tom (student), 121–26
Tom Sawyer (Twain), 195
Tong Liu, 293–95
tooth fairy, 219
transferable skills, 43–44
Trawick-Smith, Jeffrey, 146
Trelease, Jim, 296
Trevor, 58–62
Tucson, Ariz., 246
Tulsa, Okla., 275
Twain, Mark, 19, 145, 195, 286, 291
Twenty Questions game, 169
UN Declaration of the Rights of the Child, 268
education system in, 285–87
United States:
academic performance in, 26–28
adult literacy in, 231
autism epidemic in, 119
children’s tantrums and, xi, 189, 197, 202
child survival rates in, see mortality rates
diverse culture of, 103, 288–90
early childhood education and care in, 4–9, 15, 24, 272
educational toys in, 177
state learning standards and, 97, 100
teacher unions in, 273
view of childhood in, 113–15
unsupervised play, 141–43
Venezuela, 260
Vermont, 66
vocabulary, 13, 60–61, 228, 232
Volkmar, Fred, 119
Voltaire, 204
Walden (Thoreau), 154
Waldorf schools, 71
Warner, Judith, 318
Washington Post, 191
Watson, Mehrnoosh, 168
We’ve Got Issues (Warner), 318
Weisgard, Leonard, 305
Wellesely, Mass., 317
What Do People Do All Day? (Scarry), 37
“What Is It Like to Be a Bat?,” xix–xx, 113, 306
“When Animals Act Like People,” 216, 330
Wikipedia, 286
Wilder, Laura Ingalls, 36–37, 262
Willingham, Daniel, 240–41
Windsor, Vt., 66
Wind in the Willows, The (Grahame), 163
Wisconsin, 291
workforce, women in, xii, 6–7, 30, 310–11
writing:
language development and, 235–41
passion for language and, 238–39
purposes of, 237–38
role in literacy and, 235–36
Wynn, Karen, 89–90
Yale-China Program on Child Development, 293
Yale University:
Child Study Center, xii, 22, 119
Infant Cognition Center, 88
Peabody Museum, 44
Zigler Center in Child Policy and Social Development, xi, 146
YMCA Camp Fuller, 292
Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA), 291, 292
Ypsilanti, Mich., 23
zero-tolerance policies, 152
Zigler, Edward, 21
Zucker Natural Exploration Area, 165