Winter 2002 | Volume 6, Number 1

Social

Processes

and

Outcomes

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
early developments 2 | Winter 2002
early developments 3 | Winter 2002

So what’s all

the fuss about?

Why are social

relationships the

focus of much

discussion in

today’s world

of early childhood?

“HUMAN RELATIONSHIPS are the

building blocks of healthy development.”

This quote, from From Neurons to Neighborhoods, a recent publication of the National

Research Council of the Institute of Medicine, captures the essence of this issue of

Early Developments. It also gets at the heart

of current debates about the nature and

consequences of organized programs for

the care and education of young children.

Developmental psychologists and early

childhood educators have long recognized

that children are inherently social beings.

From the moment of birth, infants and

parents alike begin a process often referred

to as attachment – the development of a

close and enduring relationship based on

mutual affection and caring. A secure

attachment, one in which the child is

confident of the loving and enduring nature

of this relationship, is highly predictive of

healthy social-emotional development.

A healthy emotional relationship between

parents and children also is important for

healthy language and cognitive development. As children get older, they develop

relationships with people other than

their parents. These relationships include

Relationships

critical to healthy development

by Don Bailey Director, Frank Porter Graham Child Development Center

extended family members, neighbors, peers,

child care professionals and teachers. These

relationships are important because they

provide other contexts in which children

feel cared for and accepted. And it is in the

context of these relationships that much

learning occurs.

So what’s all the fuss about? Why are social

relationships the focus of much discussion in

today’s world of early childhood? Highly publicized and dramatic incidences of school

violence propagated by students who don’t fall

into the traditional risk categories caused the

nation to start asking questions about the roots

of violence and looking to the early childhood

period for answers. A recent study that linked

aggressive behavior in young children with

their participation in child care created

headlines and led to lively debate among

researchers about the findings and their

implications for child care.

Another issue that has been the subject

of much discussion is whether the growing

emphasis on preparing children for academic

success through pre-K programs might place

too much emphasis on cognitive and literacy

development to the detriment of social

development. >
early developments 4 | Winter 2002

We need to make sure

that programs serving

young children preserve

the important bonds

that children have

with their families.

These issues are complicated and often emotionally charged. At least six specific issues have

emerged as areas in need of further research into

the factors that enhance or inhibit social development in young children:

(1) What factors challenge a healthy relationship

between parents and children?

(2) What interventions are effective when

children exhibit early signs of aggression

and antisocial behavior?

(3) How does the placement of children in child

care or early education programs affect their

attachment relationships with their families

and their social-emotional development?

(4) What should early childhood programs do

to maximize children’s social development?

(5) How can we balance the need to prepare

children for success in school with the need

to nourish social development?

(6) What challenges do children face in developing social relationships with other children

who differ from them in terms of race,

ethnicity, gender or ability?

This issue of Early Developments highlights

some current work at FPG related to these

questions. As an organization, we believe that

the Institute of Medicine statement regarding the

importance of healthy human relationships is of

central importance to the early childhood field.

We should be concerned about children’s socialemotional development during the early childhood

years. We need to make sure that programs

serving young children preserve the important

bonds that children have with their families.

We also need to ensure that early childhood

programs attend to children’s needs for warm

and nurturing relationships with adults and peers

and that teachers and other caregivers foster these

important relationships through a variety of

environmental and instructional approaches. |ed|
early developments 5 | Winter 2002

Winter 2002 | Volume 6 Number 1

Supervising Editors

Pam Winton, Virginia Buysse

Writer

Loyd Little

Design/Layout

Turner McCollum

Photography

Don Trull

Editorial Offices

521 South Greensboro Street

Suite 206

Carrboro, NC 27510

www.fpg.unc.edu

www.ncedl.org

ISSN 1536-4739

Adobe Image Library

Contents

Relationships critical to

healthy development 2

Challenging behavior

in preschool classrooms:

Linking research to practice 6

Effects of quality care

and mother’s depression 10

Continuity of care 14

FPG recent publications 17

Friendship formation 18

NCEDL NEWS

Researcher–Constituent

Collaboration: Opportunities

and Challenges 20

New study–

Teacher education programs 23

NCEDL recent publications 26
early developments 6 | Winter 2002

Challenging behavior
early developments 7 | Winter 2002

A SURVEY INVOLVING

NEARLY 400 CHILDREN in preschools and child care centers

indicates that 40% of preschoolers exhibit at least one antisocial

behavior each day, 24% exhibit

three or more per day and 10%

exhibit six or more antisocial

behaviors each day.

This new information comes

at a time when preschool teachers

report concerns about increasing

rates of challenging behaviors in

their classes.

“Some antisocial behavior can

be expected in young children,”

said Donna Bryant, a senior

scientist at the Frank Porter

Graham Center and an author

of the study. “If 40% children

exhibit one antisocial behavior

a day, we can’t consider that

‘abnormal;’ if 10 to 25% children

show high rates of aggressive

behavior, we do need to be

concerned.”

She pointed out, however,

that it is also important to keep

in mind that the majority of preschoolers were not reported to

show any aggressive behaviors

on a daily basis. >

 in preschool classrooms Linking research to practice
early developments 8 | Winter 2002

Putting it in context

These data help researchers,

policy makers and others understand the extent of the problems

resulting from antisocial behavior

that many preschool teachers

report are on the increase.

The implications of these rates

of antisocial behaviors are perhaps better understood in the

context of a typical preschool

classroom with 15-20 children,

said Mike Willoughby, a doctoral student in psychology at the

University of North Carolina at

Chapel Hill and lead author

of the study.

Data suggest that in an average-sized preschool

classroom between six and eight children (about 40%)

will exhibit at least one antisocial act each day. Furthermore, two of these children will likely exhibit six or

more antisocial behaviors each day.

“From this perspective, we can better understand the

pressures reported by early childhood educators and

the need for additional training and resources to help

teachers use effective and appropriate strategies to

address these behaviors,” said Willoughby.

Because these estimates are based on a random sample

of children and classrooms, the authors note that specific

rates of daily antisocial behavior may be greater in

programs that serve more high-risk children, such as

intervention child care and Head Start centers, or in

classrooms where teachers don’t have positive relationships with children or are not well trained in social and

emotional development.

Prevalence by behavior

The study found that arguing-disagreeing was the

most frequent antisocial behavior, while pinching,

biting and playing mean tricks were the least common.

Data suggest that boys exhibit higher rates on four of

the twelve items than girls: hitting and kicking, pushing

and shoving, calling names and playing mean tricks.

Boys and girls did not differ on any of the remaining

eight items.

Overt, covert dimensions

Another purpose of the study was to investigate the

structure of antisocial behavior in a normative sample

of preschoolers. In studies involving older children,

both overt (obvious) and covert (hidden) dimensions

of antisocial behavior have been typically reported, but

FPG investigators wondered whether this was true for

preschoolers.

Janis Kupersmidt, professor of psychology at UNC-CH

and another author of the study, said more research on

subtypes of antisocial behavior is needed. “While some

types of challenging behavior may be typical of normal

development, others may not. These atypical behaviors

may help to identify children who are at risk for negative

long-term outcomes.” It remains to be seen whether

covert behaviors as defined in this study are actually early

manifestations of more serious forms of covert behavior

that were the focus of previous studies, she said.

Other findings

– Although overt antisocial behaviors were more

common than covert behaviors, covert behaviors

were not rare. For example, while 15% of children

exhibited three or more overt behaviors each day,

10% of children exhibited three or more covert

antisocial behaviors each day.

– Overt and covert antisocial behavior were

about equivalent for males and females.

Types, frequency of antisocial behavior

Frequency(% children rated)

Once per Once 3-4 times Once Many times

Types month or less per week per week per day per day

Hit or kick other kids 59 19 11 4 6

Push, shove, or grab other kids 53 17 11 10 10

Pinch or bite other kids 94 2 2 1 1

Argue or disagree with other kids 36 16 20 11 18

Threaten or “boss around” other kids 64 15 10 6 6

Call names or tease other kids 63 13 8 6 11

Do sneaky things when others are not looking 52 14 14 10 10

Take things when others are not looking 65 8 11 10 6

Play mean tricks 92 4 1 2 2

Tell kids not to play with someone 70 11 7 8 4

who is not around to hear it

Tell lies about kids when they are not around 84 7 3 4 2

Say mean things about kids behind their back 82 11 4 3 1
early developments 9 | Winter 2002

Implications for screening

The increasingly common finding that antisocial

behavior among preschoolers is best viewed as multidimensional in nature has implications for early screening

practices.

More research is needed to determine if preschoolers

who exhibit developmentally inappropriate covert antisocial behavior are at increased risk for negative outcomes and if these apparently mild covert behaviors are

precursors of more serious behaviors that are indicative

of conduct disorder. |ed|

If you want to know more

Bryant, D., Vizzard, L.H., Willoughby, M., & Kupersmidt, J. (1999). A review of

interventions for preschoolers with aggressive and disruptive behavior.

Early Education and Development, 10(1), 47-68.

Campbell, S.B. (1995). Behavior problems in preschool children: A review of

recent research. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 36, 113-149.

Crick, N.R., Casas, J.F., & Mosher, M. (1997). Relational and overt aggression in

preschool. Developmental Psychology, 33, 579-88.

Kaiser, B., & Rasminsky, J.S. (1999). Meeting the challenge: Effective strategies

for challenging behaviors in early childhood environments. Available from

NAEYC, Washington, DC. http://www.naeyc.org

Kupersmidt, J.B., Bryant, D., & Willoughby, M. (2000). Prevalence of aggressive

behaviors among preschoolers in Head Start and community child care

programs. Behavioral Disorders, 26(1), 42-52.

Loeber, R., & Hay, D. (1997). Key issues in the development of aggression and

violence from childhood to early adulthood. Annual Review of Psychology,

48, 371-410.

Miller, L.S., Koplewicz, H.S. & Klein, R.G. (1997). Teacher ratings of hyperactivity,

inattention, and conduct problems in preschoolers. Journal of Abnormal Child

Psychology, 25, 113-119.

Willoughby, M., Kupersmidt, J., & Bryant, D. (2001). Overt and covert

dimensions of anti-social behavior in early childhood. Journal of Abnormal

Child Psychology, 29, 177-187.

Implications

The primary implication of this study is the strong need

for training and education of early childhood teachers

and their supervisors on strategies for helping children

learn to get along well together, control their anger and

solve problems without resorting to aggression, Bryant

said. Many positive strategies are effective in reducing

such behaviors and the ultimate goal, of course, is to

prevent them, she said.

The study took place in child care and Head Start

programs in four counties in the Triangle area of North

Carolina. The investigators are now conducting an

intervention study as part of the Head Start Mental Health

Research Consortium funded by the federal Administration for Children, Youth and Families and the National

Institutes of Mental Health. This consortium has been

helping Head Start supervisors, teachers and parents

learn effective ways of dealing with children’s antisocial

behaviors. Parents want to learn better ways of helping

their children, too, said Kupersmidt, but reaching parents

requires different approaches than working with classroom teachers.

Willoughby said that while the finding of both overt

and covert subtypes of behavior in preschoolers is new,

he cautiously interpreted the results because the study

used only teacher reports. “Future studies of covert antisocial behavior in early childhood will likely benefit from

using multiple measures that include both adult ratings

and observation paradigms,” he said.

The majority of

preschoolers

were not reported

to show any

aggressive behaviors

on a daily basis.
early developments 10 | Winter 2002

RESEARCH INVOLVING SCIENTISTS

AT FPG is adding to the growing body of

evidence that shows how early education

affects children’s behavior, language and

cognitive skills. A study sponsored by the

National Institute of Child Health and

Development found that three aspects of

care were most predictive of children’s

language skills: how much caregivers talked

to children, how much they responded to a

child’s question and whether the caregivers

asked children engaging questions.

Interestingly, this study also found two

factors that could hinder a child’s cognitive

development: too much TV and a poorly

organized physical setting.

Earlier data from the same study showed

that children of depressed mothers performed more poorly on measures of school

readiness, verbal comprehension and

expressive language skills at 36 months

of age than children of mothers who never

reported depression.

Children of depressed mothers were also

reported to be less cooperative and to have

more problem behaviors at 36 months.

But these effects only occurred when

depression resulted in less sensitive behavior on the part of the mother. Depressed

mothers who were also poor were more

likely to show low sensitivity to their

children than mothers with more financial

resources.

of quality care and mother’s depression

Collectively these findings show the value

of caregiver sensitivity, the power of simple

conversation and interaction, and the benefits

of having stimulating materials in children’s

settings.

“In summary, these data underscore, again,

the fact that high-quality child care can have

many benefits for children,” said Martha Cox,

former senior scientist at FPG, now Director

of the Center for Developmental Science at

UNC-CH and one of the lead researchers

nationally on the project. Working with her

is Peg Burchinal, who directs FPG’s design

and statistical unit and serves as methodologist

for the entire study, which is the largest longterm investigation of its kind ever undertaken.

NICHD is following about 1,100 children from

infancy, assessing the effects of child care.

The most recent data show that at age 4,

children in better quality child care score

higher on tests of thinking and language

skills than others who stay home or who

receive lower-quality care. Those findings

mirror results reported two years ago for the

same children at age 3.

“This is an important study because at age

4 children make the transition into school,

and there are a number of expectations that

we haven’t imposed on them in quite the

same way before,” Cox said. “They go to

school and are expected to have or attain

skills related to reading and also cooperate

in routines that are much more formal than

what they were used to.”
early developments 11 | Winter 2002

This work documents

more strongly than

ever before that better

educated and trained

teachers are providing

more language stimulation so that the

children they take

care of show enhanced

intellectual growth

regardless of family

background.

early developments 11 | Winter 2002

with children with little child care – less than 10 hours

per week on average,” Burchinal said. “That was 16%

of subjects in the former group versus 5% in the latter.

‘Behaviors not extreme’

“At the same time, though, we want to emphasize

that these were not extreme behaviors, were well

within the normal range and might or might not

disappear entirely later on,” she said. “By the time

the children were in kindergarten, differences had

narrowed to 17% versus 9%.”

Cox pointed out that the 17% figure is comparable

to the number of kids in the normal population who

would also be active in such ways occasionally.

“Instead of citing this figure in an attempt to cast child

care in a negative light, we should be using it to ask

how to make child care better.”

Burchinal noted that while 17% such children exhibited some modest behavioral problems, 83% are doing

just fine. Higher quality care corresponded with fewer

pro-blem behaviors, the study showed. Center care

during infancy was not linked to either positive or

negative trends among participating children.

The study found that children who watched more television scored lower on tests of mathematical reasoning

and vocabulary and displayed more behavior problems. >

High-quality care

Both high-quality care, regardless of type,

and center care, independent of quality,

appeared to boost intellectual growth,

memory and language skills. Differences

were small but statistically significant.

Those in lower quality care, for example,

fell into the 42nd percentile, on average, in

pre-academic skills, while those in higher

quality care averaged the 57th percentile,

Burchinal said.

Children with fewer than 10 hours a week

of center care averaged the 44th percentile in

language skills, while those with 30 or more

hours a week fell into the 57th percentile,

on average.

“This work documents more strongly than

ever before that better educated and trained

teachers are providing more language

stimulation so that that the children they take

care of show enhanced intellectual growth

regardless of family background,” Cox said.

“Quality indeed makes a difference.”

Unfortunately, one negative finding in the

study caught the attention of some media,

which lost sight of the many positive findings. The study found that youngsters

spending more time in child care in general

and center-based care in particular were

somewhat more aggressive than other

children who spent less time there or who

remained at home.

Cox said, “Whether that heightened

aggression is a problem that will continue

remains to be seen.”

Researchers found that children who spent

more time in care outside the home were

somewhat more aggressive toward other

children and disobedient or defiant toward

adults at 54 months and later when they were

in kindergarten. They also were more likely

to bully, fight with or act mean to others.

“We saw that three times as many kids with

extensive child care – 30 or more hours per

week on average between birth and 54

months – had behavioral problems compared
early developments 12 | Winter 2002

Women who were

despondent most

of the time not only

were least sensitive

but also were the

only group to show

a decline in sensitivity

between the 15-month

and 24-month

assessments.

Research has shown that mothers’ interactions with their offspring play a crucial role in

children’s mental development, of which

language skills are an important part.

Investigators consider their sample moderately representative of US mothers and their

children. Overall, about 55% of the participants were never depressed and 8% were

chronically depressed.

Women who were despondent most of the

time not only were least sensitive but also

were the only group to show a decline in

sensitivity between the 15-month and 24-

month assessments. As toddlers emerged

from the period that some call the “terrible

twos” and became less willful, interactions

with mothers grew more positive.

In addition, at 36 months, the children

were tested for cognitive and language

development and observed following

requests to clean up toys. Mothers also

reported on their children’s social behavior.

“Among other things, our findings suggest

that women who are depressed shouldn’t just

Depressed mothers

The earlier data about depressed mothers

showed that maternal sensitivity played an

important role in the well-being of children.

Even when mothers were depressed, if they

were also sensitive, their children fared

better. Mothers who were respectful of their

children, who were supportive of their

children’s activities and did not interfere

unnecessarily, and who responded appropriately to their children’s emotions were rated

as sensitive.

“Even if mothers continue to be depressed,

they can still provide the kind of experience

their children need,” Burchinal said.

Also, women with higher incomes and other

advantages were more responsive and played

better with their children despite their

depression possibly because they were less

stressed. “Income made no difference in

sensitivity and responsiveness among

mothers who were not depressed, but

was significant for the depressed mothers,”

said Cox.

Adobe Image Library
early developments 13 | Winter 2002

AviGoldscheider

Other findings

• Children of mothers who had more prolonged

depression were seen as less cooperative, and their

mothers reported the children had more problem

behaviors than children whose mothers were never

depressed. These children also scored lower on tests

of school readiness, expressive language, and verbal

comprehension. Children of mothers who were

depressed some of the time fell in between

these two groups.

• Children whose mothers were more sensitive did

better on cognitive and language tests, were more

helpful in the clean-up task, and their mothers

reported them to be more cooperative and to have

fewer problem behaviors, regardless of their mothers’

level of depression.

• Lower levels of maternal sensitivity in depressed

mothers partly explained their children’s poorer

school readiness, verbal comprehension, and

expressive language and higher rates of problem

behavior. This suggests that depression can lead

to less sensitive maternal behavior which, in turn,

leads to poorer child development.

|ed|

tough it out but instead should seek help

from health-care professionals and support

from family and friends,” said Cox.

“We tend in our society to expect people

to deal with their problems by themselves

unless those problems are just very extreme,”

she said. “Our group of mothers were not

chosen because they had come to clinics

for help but were just a community sample

of women having children. Other studies

have shown that women with young children are particularly vulnerable to depression,

and our new findings indicate strongly that

the depression can have important consequences for children.”

SUMMARY OF KEY FINDINGS

• Both high-quality care, regardless of type,

and center care, independent of quality,

appeared to boost intellectual growth,

memory and language skills

• Higher quality care corresponded with

fewer problem behaviors

• Three aspects of care were most predictive of enhancing a child’s language skills:

how much caregivers talked to children,

responded to a child’s question and asked

children questions to prompt discussion.

• Two factors may hurt a child’s cognitive

development: too much TV and a poorly

organized physical setting.

• Children of depressed mothers performed more poorly on measures of school

readiness, verbal comprehension and

expressive language skills at 36 months

of age than children of mothers who did

not report being depressed.

• Children of mothers who had more

prolonged depression were seen as less

cooperative, and their mothers reported

the children had more problem behaviors

than children whose mothers were never

depressed. These children also scored

lower on tests of school readiness,

expressive language and verbal

comprehension.
early developments 14 | Winter 2002

Continuity

RESEARCHERS AT FPG are working on a threepronged, six-year study that may begin to answer questions about the impact of having multiple caregivers

during the infant and toddler years.

“Having many caregivers during these years is assumed

to be harmful to children because changing primary

attachment figures may lead to less advanced developmental progress as well as child distress,” said Debby

Cryer, lead researcher on the study. Thus, many experts

recommend that child care programs keep the same

caregiver with children until the children are at least 3.

“However, very little research bears directly on this,

and no study has evaluated this in a longitudinal way,”

she said. “We do not yet know whether the theory

matches reality.”

Traditionally, young children in center-based child care

programs have a series of different caregivers during the

first three years of life. Centers often follow the lock-step

ele-mentary school practice of moving children to a

different class or teacher at the end of the year.

One prong of the FPG study is a longitudinal, randomized comparison in high-quality child care programs in

which one group of children has the same caregiver for

the first three years of life while another group has a

different caregiver each year.

FPG has operated its own child care center for more

than 30 years. Cryer said that several years ago, when

theory seemed to indicate that continuity of caregiver

was important, the FPG center began using this

approach. “We found that some children did great

with the same caregiver, but some didn’t do as well.

For example, a particular caregiver might not get along

with a particular child. And there may be caregivers who

are good teachers at one level, but do not ‘grow’ professionally as the child grows. Also, some children seem to

find changing caregivers a positive experience,” she said.

As a result of these unresolved issues, researchers

decided to design a formal study.

The study has these components:

• a national mail survey of child care programs

to examine current U.S. practices

• the longitudinal study mentioned above

• the perceptions of families and staff about

these arrangements

The longitudinal study is well underway. Two groups,

each with about 50 kids, have been randomly assigned to

either continuity of caregivers or changing caregivers

each year. A number of measures are being collected,
early developments 15 | Winter 2002

 of c a r e

National survey

The first part of the FPG study–the mail survey of child

care centers–was completed by Cryer, Mark Wolery and

Sarah Hurwitz, and shows that continuity of caregivers

with infants and toddlers is rare.

“Small numbers of infants, and even fewer toddlers,

remain with the same caregiver when they move from

one class to another,” said Cryer.

The survey found that many programs move children

more often (from class to class, teacher to teacher) as

soon as they reach certain developmental milestones,

such as crawling or walking. Some centers even move

children on a daily basis to meet ratio or other staffing

requirement. “This is often done to make efficient use

of program resources by keeping classes full and making

space for enrolling infants for whom there is more child

care demand,” said the authors of the study.

In making decisions about when to move infants and

toddlers from one class to the next, most survey respondents said they considered multiple factors. Developmental issues were considered foremost, such as

reaching milestones or a certain age. However, decisions

were also strongly influenced by more practical concerns, such as whether space is available in the next

class or if a young child had been enrolled, requiring

an older child to move up to the next group. >

including general developmental status, language

development, temperament, attachment, quality of both

home and child care settings, social and play behaviors

and behavioral indicators of stress. For a sub-group, stress

is also being measured physiologically through analyses

of cortisol levels in children’s saliva. To collect information for the qualitative aspect of the study, families and

staff are being interviewed twice a year.

Cryer said, “We don’t know what we’re going to find.

We already know that it’s a complex issue, involving

multiple interactions among the child, the caregiver and

the family.” Cryer pointed out that programs generally

offer different levels of continuity of care:

• Keeping children and teacher(s) together for

a certain number of years.

• Keeping a group of children together over

a period of years.

• Keeping a few friends together over a period of years.

“Centers should also be aware that as children grow

and develop, the children’s environment must be

changed to match their abilities and interest,” said Cryer.

“Also, the adults’ treatment of children must move along

to represent children’s growing abilities.”
early developments 16 | Winter 2002

Possible barriers

At first glance, staff and child turnover

might be considered two of the barriers to

practicing continuity of caregivers. However,

researchers found no evidence of this in the

national mail sample of 273 centers. Respondents reported that the vast majority of

children who were enrolled as infants remain

in the center until they are 3.

“There also seems to be sufficient staff

longevity to allow continuity of caregiver,

at least into a second year with the same

caregiver,” said Cryer. “However, practicing

continuity of caregiver requires far more

than low turnover in children and staff.”

Agreement with a practice was associated

with using that practice among survey

respondents. For the total sample, less than

20% strongly agreed with the statement that

“in an ideal situation, children should have

the same teacher for the first 36 months of

life.” More than half either disagreed or were

neutral in their response.

“To some extent, this explained why

continuity of caregiver was not practiced.

The lack of strong agreement with the

practice may be a barrier to its implementation,” said Cryer. |ed|

If you want to know more

Cryer, D., Hurwitz, S., & Wolery, M. (2001). Continuity of

caregiver for infants and toddlers in center-based child

care: Report on a survey of center practices. Early

Childhood Research Quarterly, 15, 497-514.

Burke, D.L. (1997). Looping: Adding time, strengthening

relationships. ERIC Digest, EDO-PS-97-25.

Burchinal, M., Roberts, J., Nabors, L., & Bryant, D. (1996).

Quality of center child care and infant cognitive and

language development. Child Development, 67, 606-620.

National Center for the Early Childhood Workforce. (1997).

NAEYC accreditation as a strategy for improving child

are quality: An assessment by the National Center for

the Early Childhood Work Force, Washington, DC: Author.

National Center for Education Statistics. (1996). Statistics in

brief: Child care and early education program participating of infants, toddlers and preschoolers. Washington,

DC: Author. Publication number NCES 95-824.

NICHD Early Child Care Research Network. (1996).

Characteristics of infant child care: Factors contributing

to positive caregiving. Early Childhood Research Quarterly,

11, 269-306.

High rates of teacher turnover increase the

likelihood that children will change teachers

repeatedly during the infant/toddler years.

Reality of child care

These factors that influence decisions

represent the reality of child care, in which

staff try to balance developmental needs of

very young children against efficient operations. In maintaining the balance, staff seem

to avoid some practices associated with the

poorest quality care. “For example,” said

Cryer, “when asked how often infants and

toddlers were moved temporarily from one

class to another to meet state ratio regulatory

requirements, about half the respondents

reported never doing so, and less than 5%

said they did it on a frequent basis.”

Respondents said the more frequent

transition practices include talking about the

move with the child’s parents and having the

child visit the new class. For the total sample

in the survey, talking about the move with

the child, getting the child’s space in the new

classroom ready and getting the child used to

the new classroom’s routines were also used

in 75% or more of the centers. However,

other strategies that might substantially

increase the child’s chance for security, such

as moving children together, were used by

only a minority of programs. Cryer said, “It is

likely that these practices can be helpful for

some children and their families, but the

extent to which they are used, and the actual

quality of the implementation is unknown.”

Suggestions on offering continuity of care

If a center wants to offer continuity of care for infants and toddlers,

Debbie Cryer had these suggestions:

• Avoid taking new children only in the youngest group; this

forces moving children up one at a time and separates them

from the teacher to whom they are attached.

• Recruit new children to fill in at upper age levels when it is

more appropriate to have more children per adult.

• Use mixed-age groupings.

• Reward staff for longevity with the program.

• If a staff member leaves, overlap staff so that children

are never left with strangers.
early developments early developments 17 17 | | Winter 2002 Winter 2002

A call to action: Preparing

specialists for gifted students.

Gallagher, J. (2001). Gifted

Education Communicator, California

Association for the Gifted, 10-15.

A support approach to early

intervention: A three-part

framework. McWilliam, R.A., &

Scott, S. (2001). Infants & Young

Children, 13(4), 55-66.

An outstanding education for

ALL children: Learning from

Reggio Emilia’s approach to

inclusion. Palsha, S. (2001). In Fu,

V., Stremmel, A. & Hill, L. (Eds),

Teaching and learning: Collaborative

exploration of the Reggio Emilia

approach. Upper Saddle River, NJ:

Merrill Prentice Hall.

Autistic behavior, FMR1 protein,

and developmental trajectories

in young males with fragile X

syndrome. Bailey, D.B., Hatton, D.

D., Skinner, M. & Mesibov, G.

(2001). Journal of Autism and

Developmental Disorders, 31,

165-173.

Bringing reality to the table:

Contributors to the lack of

parent participation in an early

childhood service program.

Peart, N.A., & Bryant, D.M. (2000).

Administration in Social Work,

24(4), 21-37.

Characteristics and quality

of child care for toddlers and

preschoolers. NICHD Early Child

Care Research Network. (2000).

Applied Developmental Science,

4(3), 116-135.

Child care and common communicable illnesses: Results from

the NICHD Study of Early Child

Care. NICHD Early Child Care

Research Network. (2001). Archives

of Pediatrics & Adolescent

Medicine, 155, 481-488.

Recent Publications

The Frank Porter Graham Child Development Center

Policies, administration and

systems change. Harbin, G. &

Salisbury, C. (2000). In S. Sandall,

M.E. McLean, & B.J. Smith (Eds.),

DEC Recommended practices in

early intervention/early childhood

special education. Longmont, CO:

Sopris West.

Receptive and expressive

communication development

of young males with fragile X

syndrome. Roberts, J.E., Mirrett, P.,

& Burchinal, M.(2001). American

Journal on Mental Retardation,

106(3), 216-230.

Students with disabilities:

A national survey of participation in school activities.

Simeonsson, R.J., Carlson, D.,

Huntington, G.S., McMillen, J.S.,

& Brent, J.L. (2001). Disability and

Rehabilitation, 23(2), 49-63.

The development of cognitive

and academic abilities: Growth

curves from an early childhood

educational experiment.

Campbell, F.A., Pungello, E.P.,

Miller-Johnson, S., Burchinal, M., &

Ramey, C.T. (2001). Developmental

Psychology, 37, 231-242.

The relation of child care

to cognitive and language

development. NICHD Early Child

Care Research Network. (2000).

Child Development, 71(4), 960-980.

Unthinkable thoughts:

Education of gifted students.

Gallagher, J. (2000). Gifted Child

Quarterly, 44(1), 5-12.

From women’s suffering to

women’s politics: Reimagining

women’s problems after Nepal’s

1990 Pro-Democracy Movement.

Holland, D., & Skinner, D. (2001).

In D. Holland & J. Lave (Eds.),

History in person: Enduring

struggles, contentious practice,

intimate identities, pp.93-133.

Santa Fe, NM: School of American

Research Press.

Inclusive child care:

A training series for early

childhood professionals.

Wesley, P.W., & Dennis, B.C. (2000).

Chapel Hill: University of North

Carolina, FPG, Child Development

Center.

Interparental conflict and

parent-child relationships.

Cox, M.J., Paley, B., & Harter, K.

(2001). In J. Grych & F. Fincham

(Eds.), Child development and

interparental conflict, pp.249-272.

Cambridge: Cambridge University

Press.

Models of collaboration for

early intervention: Laying the

groundwork. Buysse, V., & Wesley,

P.W. (2001). In P.M. Blasco (Ed.),

Early intervention services for infants,

toddlers, & their families, pp.259-

293. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.

Overt and covert dimensions

of antisocial behavior in early

childhood. Willoughby, M.,

Kupersmidt, J., & Bryant, D.

(2001). Journal of Abnormal

Child Psychology, 29, 177-187.

Communities of practice:

Expanding professional roles to

promote reflection and shared

inquiry. Wesley, P.W., & Buysse, V.

(2001). Topics in Early Childhood

Special Education, 21(2),

114-123.

Clinical assessment in planning

and evaluating intervention.

Simeonsson, R.J., & McMillen, J.S.

(2001). In R.J. Simeonsson & S.L.

Rosenthal (Eds.), Psychological and

developmental assessment: Children

with disabilities and chronic

conditions, pp.32-50. New York:

Guilford Publications Incorporated.

Early childhood otitis media in

relation to children’s attentionrelated behavior in the first six

years of life. Minter, K.R., Roberts,

J.E., Hooper, S.R., Burchinal, M.R.,

& Zeisel, S.A. (2001). Pediatrics,

107(5), 1037-1042.

Early intervention services for

young boys with fragile X

syndrome. Hatton, D.D., Bailey, D.

B., Roberts, J.P., Skinner, M.,

Mayhew, L., Clark, R., Waring, E.,

& Roberts, J.E. (2000). Journal of

Early Intervention, 23(4), 235-251.

Editorial: New guidelines and

standards for JEI authors and

reviewers. McWilliam, R.A. (2000).

Journal of Early Intervention, 23,

75-76.

Factors associated with fathers’

caregiving activities and

sensitiv-ity with young children.

NICHD Early Child Care Research

Network. (2000). Journal of Family

Psychology, 14(2), 200-219.

Burchinal Gallegher Palsha Bailey Harbin Simeonson Pungello Buysse McWilliam
early developments 18 | Winter 2002

THERE IS GENERAL AGREEMENT among

researchers that children’s social and emotional competence during the early childhood

years predicts later outcomes. For example,

children who enter kindergarten without the

requisite social and emotional skills (confident, friendly, able to get along with peers)

are often plagued by behavioral, academic

and social problems that can persist into

adulthood, if untreated.

The ability to develop and keep friendships

is an important indicator of a child’s ability to

carry out interpersonal goals.

“Furthermore, having a friend appears to

offer both partners the potential for enhanced

cognitive and language development as well

as specific social and emotional benefits –

an increased capacity for understanding

another’s perspective, the ability to regulate

one’s emotions, and a general feeling of wellbeing and happiness,” said Virginia Buysse,

a researcher at FPG.

The empirical evidence to date suggests

that even very young children are capable

of forming mutual friendships with peers.

However, preschool children with disabilities

often have more difficulties in developing

friendship. The nature of friendships in young

children with disabilities is the focus of a

recent completed study by Buysse. In thinking

about how children relate to their peers, it is

important to distinguish between friendship,

which refers to a special relationship between

two children, and peer acceptance, an index

of a child’s social status within a group of

playmates or peers, Buysse said.

Her study examined friendship

formation in

inclusive pre-K classrooms enrolling children

with and without disabilities, an area that has

received only limited attention in previous

research. Of the 333 children in the study,

120 had special needs and 213 were typically

developing preschoolers. They were from 18

early childhood programs in North Carolina.

The study assessed the effects of two

types of inclusive pre-K classrooms: inclusive

specialized classrooms (in which, for most

of the programs, the majority enrolled were

children with disabilities) and inclusive child

care classrooms (in which the majority

enrolled were typically developing children).

The study addressed

these principal questions

(1) How many playmates and friends were

reported by teachers for children with

and without disabilities in the two types

of inclusive classrooms?

(2) What child and program characteristics

predicted the reported number of

playmates and friends?

Preliminary findings indicated

• Children with disabilities in child care

settings were 1.73 times more likely

to have at least one friend than were

children with disabilities in specialized settings.

• Children with disabilities were more

likely to have typically developing

friends if they were enrolled in child

care rather than specialized settings.

• The type of setting had no effect on the

probability of having friends with or

without a disability for typically developing children.
early developments 19 | Winter 2002

Buysse said, “These findings can be used to inform

decisions about how early childhood programs can

achieve the goals of inclusion, particularly in the area of

establishing and maintaining friendships among young

children with and without disabilities. Specifically, the

study results suggest that teachers and administrators

should assess each component of the learning environment to determine whether there is a critical mass of

typically developing children available to assist children

with disabilities in carrying out their interpersonal goals.”

|ed|

Other researchers working with Virginia Buysse are Barbara Goldman and Martie Skinner.
National Center for Early Development & Learning 20 | Winter 2002

One goal of the National Center for Early Development & Learning (NCEDL) is exploring ways to

increase constituent collaboration with researchers.

By constituents, we mean the beneficiaries of

our research.

“We want to go beyond focus groups and advisory boards,” said Pam Winton, who directs the

dissemination strand at NCEDL. “We want constituents to collaborate actively with researchers to

identify the kinds of research information needed

by parent, teacher, and other consumers and help

determine the best ways to disseminate information.

We feel this will ensure that our products are

practical, relevant and reflect an appreciation

for linguistic and cultural differences.”

Among the three NCEDL projects that actively

involve constituents, the Best Practices Study at the

University of California at Los Angeles is an example

of a meaningful researcher-constituent partnership

in all phases of the research process.

Carollee Howes of UCLA, the principal investigator, said, “The Best Practices Study is seeking to

expand the notion of quality child care and explore

factors that contribute to the growth and development of under-represented children. To do this, we

created a research design that involved constituents

at different levels and times in the process.”

She said that throughout the project her team

has worked to understand the varieties of teaching

and learning practices that encompassed high

quality child care. “This was an ecological approach

to understanding the growth and development of

minority children and their families within the context of child care. Our goal was to remain conscious

of value and belief systems across class, race, ethnicity and culture,” Howes said. During the first

phases of this project, the research team identified

Opportunities and Challenges

Researcher–Constituent Collaboration

an advisory board of community members active in the child care

community. The advisory board, the research staff and additional

community members identified sites that served primarily low

income children of color, and represented exemplary practices.

This group also helped develop the research questions and

provided ongoing advice. Once the sites had been nominated,

researchers interviewed and observed the quality of the environment, adult child interactions and instructional practices. Both the

experiences of individual children and a more global view of the

classroom environment were documented. Sharon Ritchie, project

director said, “Staff were interviewed to enhance our understanding of the philosophies of the individual programs. In addition,

focus groups were held so we could compile multiple perspectives,

and for program teachers and directors to communicate about

each other’s practices.”

As the project progressed, researchers worked to gauge longterm outcomes at the original 10 sites by following 72 individual

children after they completed preschool.

Ten new sites were added in a segment entitled the “Partnership Project.” The criteria for selection were demographics,

location and willingness to engage in a year of inquiry about their
National Center for Early Development & Learning 21 | Winter 2002

Researchers report that their research has been enhanced by constituent involvement.

– Pam Winton

two staff from each child care center. Reflecting significant buy-in

and partnership, centers sent additional staff at the center’s

expense. An additional support was a Spanish-English translator

for simultaneous translation of the proceedings.

Howes said, “We developed specific activities and structures

to sustain and define the exchange of information between

researchers and constituents. The child care program staff helped

interpret the data, plan for next steps, and commented upon and,

in some cases, learned to use measurement instruments. A regular

feedback loop was created between the ‘research partners’

[NCEDL staff] and the entire staff of the child care programs

about study findings and data.”

One outcome was the discovery of the need to focus on

directors more; and as a result, the project created a focus group

for that set of constituents. >

practices and philosophy. Ritchie said, “Our first objective was

to determine, in the context of developing positive relationships

between researchers and practitioners, whether unique practices

of the original best practices sites could be learned and used by

new sites. The second objective was to reduce barriers that

traditionally prevent researchers and teachers from benefiting

from one another’s expertise.”

Thus, the heart of the research project was the intentional

construction of trusting relationships between the researchers

and the participants-subjects who were the teachers and

directors of the participating child care centers.

Benefits evident

While much of the data concerning best practices

are still being collected and analyzed, the impact

of the collaborative relationships is already evident.

“Regular, respectful and sustained contact helped

us to both collect data and, in partnership with

participants, engage in dialogue about program

practices and possible changes that could enhance

the experience of young children in their care,”

Howes said. “Relationships were intentionally

redefined to broaden the researcher role to one

of partner and supporter and the participant role

to include contributor.” Researchers supported

this relationship with activities such as financially

supporting teachers’ and directors’ expertise and

time, holding a reception honoring the work of the

child care programs, creating opportunities for the

program staffs to meet each other and network

and creating a brochure highlighting the sites.

Another example: The participants-partners

constituent group participated in a Best Practices

Synthesis Conference at UCLA. Staff from the sites

were either facilitators or discussants for small

groups throughout the two days. Each person was

paid for her/his work and scholarships were given to
National Center for Early Development & Learning 22 | Winter 2002

C o l l a b o r a t i o n

She said, “Constituents had opportunities to

contribute in meaningful ways, shaping research

questions, research implementation and

dissemination of research findings. In the Best

Practices Study, for example, a center director

suggested the sharing of the study results with

the child care sites at the conclusion of the study.

The center director said that researchers “could

not simply expect to take from the sites but ...

needed to provide them with feedback about

what [we were seeing] in a way that was useful

to them in a day-to-day fashion.”

Winton said, “Our experiences have set a positive

precedent for the involvement of constituents in a

variety of roles. Policy will be more relevant and

effective when the information shaping it emerges

from the real experiences of families and practitioners. Practitioners need information that is accessible,

meaningful and conveyed in ways that respect

their experiences.

“Families and non-professionals need to help

shape research so that it is asking the `right’

questions, and sharing the answers to those

questions in ways that consumers can have easy

access to, understand and effectively translate into

practice,” she said. |NCEDL|

If you want to know more

Collaboration in building partnerships between families

and schools: The national center for early development &

learning’s kindergarten transition intervention. Pianta, R.C.,

Kraft-Sayre, M., Rimm-Kaufmann, S., Gercke, N., & Higgins, T.

(2001). Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 16(1), 117-132.

More about NCEDL’s overall Constituent Advisory Board is online

at www.fpg.unc.edu/~ncedl/PAGE/constit.htm

Time was a challenge

Researchers said that one challenge to

implementing constituent involvement was

the time constraints that affected all participants.

Considerable time and energy was devoted to

creating and sustaining the relationships between

constituents and researchers.

Winton said that other NCEDL projects also

acknowledged time constraints. “Sustaining

involvement and interest over time has been a

challenge, but it appears that as long as the work

is relevant and meaningful, constituents remain

involved and committed.”

Winton said, “Overall, we’re quite pleased.

Researchers report that their research has been

enhanced by constituent involvement. Whether

that involvement is direct and immediate, as when

participant and partners help interpret data or

more indirect, as when constituent perspectives

are simply shared at advisory board meetings,

the contributions by constituents are valued

and effective.”
National Center for Early Development & Learning 23 | Winter 2002

Background

• A growing body of research indicates that the education

of early childhood professionals is positively related to the

quality of programs.

• Policymakers are increasingly aware of the wide discrepancy

between what research says about the important role of early

educators and existing policies and practices that don’t support

an adequately paid, professional workforce.

• The 1998 Head Start Act requires that 50% of Head Start

teachers have at least an Associate’s degree by 2003.

• The recent report of the Committee on Early Childhood

Pedagogy recommends that all children in an early

childhood program (ages 2-5) have a teacher with at

least a Bachelor’s degree.

• A critical factor to the success of these state and federal

pre-K efforts is an infrastructure for preparing high-quality

teachers to enter the early childhood workforce.

A NATIONAL SURVEY OF INSTITUTIONS of higher education

(IHEs) with early childhood programs indicates that these programs are in need of support, according to Diane Early and

Pam Winton, lead researchers on the NCEDL study.

“Overall, programs will not have adequate faculty to meet

the projected workforce needs during this era of stronger teacher

preparation requirements,” said Early. “In fact, using these data

we estimate that a 76% increase in early childhood faculty would

be needed if all current early childhood teachers were required to

obtain a Bachelor’s degree.”

Data also indicate that the faculty members in early childhood

programs are working harder than their colleagues elsewhere in

the same IHEs. They are serving more students with fewer fulltime faculty members, compared to IHEs as a whole.

The survey found that there are many early childhood teacher

preparation programs in the United States (over 1,200 nationwide or almost one-third of all IHEs). Less than half offer a

Bachelor’s degree, with most offering Associate’s or less than

Associate’s degrees.

“This mirrors current early childhood personnel standards that

typically do not require staff to have either a Bachelor’s or an

Associate’s degree,” Winton said. >

Survey | NEW STUDY

Teacher education programs

 WillOwens|University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
National Center for Early Development & Learning 24 | Winter 2002

Data show that the highest-rated challenge of early childhood [teacher education] programs is

“difficulty attracting and retaining ethnically and linguistically diverse faculty.”

Scope of study

NCEDL conducted a nationally representative survey of chairs

and directors of early childhood teacher preparation programs

at two and four year colleges and universities. The respondents

represent programs that prepare students to work with children

any ages prior to kindergarten entry. The survey excluded

programs that prepare students to work only with children

in kindergarten or older.

The 438 IHEs in the survey were in 47 states, plus Washington

DC, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands.

A similar gap exists with regard to preparing individuals to

work with infants and toddlers. For instance, although 95%

of the Associate’s programs report that the age range covered

by their program includes infants and toddlers, only 60%

require a course or more on the topic, and only 63% require

a practicum experience.

“Survey data indicate that access to Bachelor’s degree programs after completing an Associate’s degree continues to be

a problem because of articulation challenges,” said Early.

Articulation refers to the policies, guidelines, and practices

that allow students to transfer credits earned in one university

or college to another. Half of Associate’s programs offer an

Associate’s in Applied Science (AAS), which is usually a terminal

degree and not typically included in articulation agreements

that guarantee a smooth transition of students from two-year

to four-year programs.

This situation creates roadblocks for early childhood personnel

graduating from AAS programs who want to pursue four-year

degrees. Because four-year programs typically have some leeway

in the policies and guidelines set by their universities about

accepting credits, the motivation of faculty to address problems

is important. Early said, “Our data indicate that faculty in twoyear programs are more aware of this challenge than are their

colleagues in four-year programs, suggesting that faculty

awareness in four year programs may be a roadblock to

making needed changes.”

Other major challenges cited by IHEs include “students’ competing work or family-related responsibilities” and “attracting

and keeping students due to poor working conditions and wages

in the field of early childhood.”

Faculty-related findings

Data show that the highest-rated challenge of early childhood

programs is “difficulty attracting and retaining ethnically and

linguistically diverse faculty.” The challenges that face all of higher

education of creating diverse faculties are present in early childhood teacher preparation programs. The fact that early childhood

department chairs and directors report attracting and retaining

ethnically and linguistically diverse faculty as their biggest

challenge affirms their awareness of the problem.

Data comparing early childhood programs with the larger

institutions in which they reside indicate that early childhood

teacher preparation programs tend to have a small number

of faculty who serve a larger number of students. The average

student to full-time faculty ratio of 61:1 is 60% higher than

the 39:1 ratio of the higher education institutions in which

these programs reside.

Furthermore, early childhood programs tend to have a greater

percentage of part-time faculty members than do the institutions

in which they reside. This is particularly true of early childhood

programs at two-year IHEs; they have less than half the number

of full-time faculty and almost twice the number of part-time

as compared with early childhood teacher preparation programs

at four-year IHEs.

The data indicate a gap between the stated mission of the programs and students’ experiences in terms of preparing students

to work with children with disabilities. For instance, almost 80%

of Bachelor’s programs indicate that preparing early interventionists is part of their mission; however, only 60% require one course

or more addressing working with children with disabilities.
National Center for Early Development & Learning 25 | Winter 2002

If you want to know more

Spotlight #22: Directory of teacher-prep institutions. NCEDL.

http:// www.fpg.unc.edu/~ncedl/PDFs/spot22.pdf

Spotlight #33: Preparing early childhood workforce.

NCEDL. http:// www.fpg.unc.edu/~ncedl/PDFs/spot33.pdf

Early, D., & Winton, P. (2001). Preparing the work-force:

Early childhood teacher preparation at 2- and 4-year

institutions of higher education. Early Childhood Research

Quarterly, 16, 285-306.

Cassidy, D., Hestenes, L., Teague, P., & Springs, J. (2000). North

Carolina early childhood education articulation manual: The

facilitation of the transfer of credit between early childhood

education/child development departments in two-and fouryear institutions of higher education. Raleigh: N.C. Division of

Child Development.

Child Care Services Association. (2000). T.E.A.C.H. Early

Childhood: Celebrating ten years. Chapel Hill, NC: author.

Clifford, R.M., Early, D.M., & Hills, T.W. (1999).

Almost a million children in school before kindergarten:

Who is responsible for early childhood services? Young

Children, 54(5), 48-51.

Isenberg, J.P. (2000). The state of the art in early childhood

professional preparation. In New teachers for a new century:

The future of early childhood professional preparation (pp. 15-48).

Jessup, MD: U. S. Department of Education.

Cost, Quality & Outcomes Team. (1999). The children

of the cost, quality, and outcomes study go to school:

Technical report # 1. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina

at Chapel Hill, FPG Child Development Center.

http://www.fpg.unc.edu/~ncedl/PDFs/CQO-tr.pdf

IMPLICATIONS FOR POLICY MAKERS

• Resources must be earmarked to support the overall

quality and accessibility of early childhood teacher

education programs.

• Resources must be earmarked to address the lack

of diversity in our early childhood faculty ranks.

• Attention must be paid to articulation or

transfer-of-credit issues.

• Resources must address the poor working conditions

and wages of the early childhood workforce, especially

for teachers of infants, toddlers, and preschoolers.

Winton said, “Low salaries, lack of benefits, lack of a coordinated system of career paths, and few rewards for pursuing higher

education are characteristics of careers in early childhood education so it is not surprising that attracting students is a challenge.

“No matter how innovative our early childhood programs are,

they will fail if we do not provide the infrastructure to support

a well-educated and adequately compensated staff,” she said.

|NCEDL|

EDITOR’S NOTE Data from this survey was was used to update the National Directory of

Early Childhood Teacher Preparation Institutions. The directory was published in collaboration with the Council for Professional Recognition and is online at http://www.cdacouncil.

org/. Contact the council if your institution is not listed or if you wish to add, delete or

change information. Telephone 202-265-9090 or 800-424-4310 or send email to

directory@cdacouncil.org.
Bailey

Bruer

Burchinal

Casey

Cattlett

Clifford

Cox

Early

Gallagher

Gercke

Hamre

Higgins

Kraft-Sayre

LaParo

Lichtman

Pianta

Rimm-Kaufman

Roberts

Saluja

Scott-Little

Symons

Winton

Gallegher Burchinal Bailey Cox Catlett Roberts Clifford Winton Pianta

An ecological perspective on the transition

to kindergarten: A theoretical framework to

guide empirical research. Rimm-Kaufman, S.,

& Pianta, R. (2001). Journal of Applied

Developmental Psychology, 21(5), 491-511.

Collaboration in building partnerships

between families and schools: The National

Center for Early Development & Learning’s

Kindergarten Transition Intervention. Pianta,

R.C., Kraft-Sayre, M., Rimm-Kaufman, S.,

Gercke, N., & Higgins, T. (2001). Early

Childhood Research Quarterly, 16(1), 117-132.

Commentary: Sheridan and Gutkin’s vision

of the future: Information will help get us

there. Pianta, R.C. (2000). School Psychology

Review, 29(4), 503-504.

Continuity of care for infants and toddlers

in center-based child care: Report on a

survey of center practices. Cryer, D., Hurwitz,

S. & Wolery, M. (2001). Early Childhood

Research Quarterly, 15, 497-514.

Critical thinking about critical periods. Bailey,

D.B., Bruer, J.T., Symons, F.J., & Lichtman, J.W.

(Eds.). (2001). Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes.

Early teacher-child relationships and the

trajectory of children’s school outcomes

through eighth-grade. Hamre, B.K., &

Pianta, R.C. (2001). Child Development, 72(2),

625-638.

Enhancing the transition to kindergarten:

Connecting families and school. Kraft-Sayre,

M.E., & Pianta, R.C. (2001). Dimensions of Early

Childhood, 29(1), 25-29.

Kindergarten teachers’ reported use

of kindergarten to first-grade transition.

LaParo, K.M., Pianta, R.C., & Cox, M.J. (2000).

Elementary School Journal, 101(1), 63-78.

Preparing the work-force: Early childhood

teacher preparation at 2- and 4-year

institutions of higher education. Early, D.,

& Winton, P. (2001). Early Childhood Research

Quarterly, 16, 285-306.

National Center for Early Development & Learning 26 | Winter 2002

Recent Publications

Winter 2002 from the National Center for Early Development & Learning

Public school involvement in pre-kindergarten education: What makes a difference?

Saluja, G., Early, D.M., & Clifford, R.M. (2001).

Principal, 80(5), 18-21.

Readiness for school: A survey of state

policies and definitions. Saluja, G.,Scott-Little,

& C., Clifford, R.M. (2000). Early Childhood

Research and Practice, 2(2).

<http://ecrp.uiuc.edu/v2n2/index.html>.

Resources within reason: Resources

supporting emerging literacy skills.

Catlett, C., & Winton, P.J. (Eds.). (2000, Fall).

Young Exceptional Children, 4(1), 29.

Resources within reason: Resources that

increase awareness about inclusion in

diverse environments. Catlett, C., & Winton,

P.J. (Eds.). (2001, Winter). Young Exceptional

Children, 4(3), 29.

Resources within reason: Resources

that support effective service coordination.

Catlett, C., & Winton, P.J. (Eds.). (2001, Spring).

Young Exceptional Children, 4(2), 29.

Spotlight #30: (Jan. 2001): New book

examines out-of-home care. Chapel Hill:

UNC-Chapel Hill, FPG Child Development

Center, NCEDL.

Spotlight #31: (Feb. 2001): New book looks

at windows of opportunity in children.

Chapel Hill: UNC-Chapel Hill, FPG Child

Development Center, NCEDL.

Spotlight #32: (Mar. 2001): New family

literacy bibliography. Chapel Hill: UNC-Chapel

Hill, FPG Child Development Center, NCEDL.

Spotlight #33: (April-May. 2000): Preparing

the early childhood workforce. Chapel Hill:

UNC-Chapel Hill, FPG Child Development

Center, NCEDL.

Turnover in kindergarten classroom

membership in a national sample.

Pianta, R.C., & Early, D. (2001).

Early Education & Development, 12(2), 239-252.

Teachers’ reported transition practices

for children transitioning into kindergarten

and first grade. La Paro, K., Pianta, R., & Cox,

M. (2000). Exceptional Children, 67(1), 7-20.
Colophon |ed|

Typefaces

Frutiger, Garamond, Impact,

Akzidenz Grotesk Condensed

Paper stock

Potlatch, Scout Matte, 80lb.Text

Winter 2002 | Volume 6 Number 1

Postal Address

Send change of address to:

Jay Hargrove

Campus Box 8185, UNC-CH

Chapel Hill, NC 27599-8185

Periodicals postage paid

at Chapel Hill, NC

Subscription information

contact Jay Hargrove

at (919) 966-0888

or email:

hargrove@mail.fpg.unc.edu

Visit us online

www.fpg.unc.edu

www.NCEDL.org

Early Developments is

published three times a year

by the Frank Porter Graham

Child Development Center at

The University of North Carolina

at Chapel Hill. It is funded in part

by The University of North Carolina

at Chapel Hill and in part by

PR/Award Number R307A60004,

administered by the Office of

Educational Research and Improvement, National Institute on Early

Childhood Development and

Education, US Department of

Education. Contents of articles

do not necessarily represent the

positions of the U.S. Department

of Education. Endorsement by the

federal government should not

be assumed.

ISSN 1536-4739

8500 copies printed - $1.00 copy
early developments 28 | Winter 2002

Frank Porter Graham Child Development Center

Campus Box 8185, UNC-CH

Chapel Hill, NC 27599-8185

Address Service Requested

Non-Profit Org

U.S. Postage

Paid

Permit 177

Chapel Hill, NC