Child Development Today And Tomorrow

Writing expressly for this book, the foremost innovators in child development today have contributed state-of-the-art chapters that summarize current trAnds in the field and point the way to the future. Each author examines a major topic and reveals what we know, how to interpret this knowledge, what requires further research, and how we may resolve some of the remaining questions.

What if, despite the best of intentions, we are raising our children to succeed in a world that no longer exists? The Toddler Brain helps parents recognize the connection that exists between their own parenting behaviors and their child's ability to acquire valuable twenty-first-century skills. Dr. Laura A. Jana draws on studies and stories from pediatrics, neuroscience, social science, and childcare, as well as the world of business and innovation to show parents how to equip their children with seven key skills. Dr. Jana explores the importance of play and curiosity, imagination and empathy, and strategically strengthening children's neural connections in their first five years.

Children are already learning at birth, and they develop and learn at a rapid pace in their early years. This provides a critical foundation for lifelong progress, and the adults who provide for the care and the education of young children bear a great responsibility for their health, development, and learning. Despite the fact that they share the same objective - to nurture young children and secure their future success - the various practitioners who contribute to the care and the education of children from birth through age 8 are not acknowledged as a workforce unified by the common knowledge and competencies needed to do their jobs well. Transforming the Workforce for Children Birth Through Age 8 explores the science of child development, particularly looking at implications for the professionals who work with children. This report examines the current capacities and practices of the workforce, the settings in which they work, the policies and infrastructure that set qualifications and provide professional learning, and the government agencies and other funders who support and oversee these systems. This book then makes recommendations to improve the quality of professional practice and the practice environment for care and education professionals. These detailed recommendations create a blueprint for action that builds on a unifying foundation of child development and early learning, shared knowledge and competencies for care and education professionals, and principles for effective professional learning. Young children thrive and learn best when they have secure, positive relationships with adults who are knowledgeable about how to support their development and learning and are responsive to their individual progress. Transforming the Workforce for Children Birth Through Age 8 offers guidance on system changes to improve the quality of professional practice, specific actions to improve professional learning systems and workforce development, and research to continue to build the knowledge base in ways that will directly advance and inform future actions. The recommendations of this book provide an opportunity to improve the quality of the care and the education that children receive, and ultimately improve outcomes for children.

How we raise young children is one of today's most highly personalized and sharply politicized issues, in part because each of us can claim some level of "expertise." The debate has intensified as discoveries about our development-in the womb and in the first months and years-have reached the popular media. How can we use our burgeoning knowledge to assure the well-being of all young children, for their own sake as well as for the sake of our nation? Drawing from new findings, this book presents important conclusions about nature-versus-nurture, the impact of being born into a working family, the effect of politics on programs for children, the costs and benefits of intervention, and other issues. The committee issues a series of challenges to decision makers regarding the quality of child care, issues of racial and ethnic diversity, the integration of children's cognitive and emotional development, and more. Authoritative yet accessible, From Neurons to Neighborhoods presents the evidence about "brain wiring" and how kids learn to speak, think, and regulate their behavior. It examines the effect of the climate-family, child care, community-within which the child grows.

This is the first volume in a four book series in Early Childhood Education. All four volumes will be released simultaneosly, allowing instructors the opportunity to mix and match books into customized teaching package.

-"Extending your Learning" activities provide opportunities for further discussion and debate.

This is the first in a series of four books which form part of the Open University course Child Development. They provide a detailed and thorough undergraduate-level introduction to the central concepts, theories, current issues and research evidence in developmental psychology. These books assume no previous knowledge of the field and encourage the reader's active involvement, especially through the use of activities. Examples drawn from case-studies, psychological research and practice stimulate critical appreciation of the issues covered. Selected short readings accompany the chapters to present ideas from a variety of sources. The Foundations of Child Development is a broad and accessible introduction to theory and research, presenting integrated research-based accounts of development in key areas of early childhood, such as perceptual abilities, social relationships, individuality and object knowledge. A focus on modern developmental theories is complemented by detailed consideration of models of developmental processes. A theme that runs through the book is a concern with the ways in which biological, social and cultural influences interact in development.

"This book presents findings from current scientific research in child development, highlighting how scientists tackle issues that impact children and their families." The authors have integrated examples of diversity throughout the book, in the domains of physical, psychological and cultural differences, gender, race, ethnicity, and social and economic status. Community and social issues are also covered extensively, which help readers to think critically about their world. As many readers of this book are pursuing careers as teachers, care providers or parents, the authors focus the material on these real-world applications, and demonstrate how theory and research matter for what readers need in their own lives." For those involved in the fields of early childhood education.

Part of the authoritative four-volume reference that spans the entire field of child development and has set the standard against which all other scholarly references are compared. Updated and revised to reflect the new developments in the field, the Handbook of Child Psychology, Sixth Edition contains new chapters on such topics as spirituality, social understanding, and non-verbal communication. Volume 1: Theoretical Models of Human Development, edited by Richard M. Lerner, Tufts University, explores a variety of theoretical approaches, including life-span/life-course theories, socio-culture theories, structural theories, object-relations theories, and diversity and development theories. New chapters cover phenomenology and ecological systems theory, positive youth development, and religious and spiritual development.