Can Early Education Integrate Psychological Theory and Research, Academic Standards, and Developmentally Appropriate Practice?

The reviewer notes that this book (see record 2001-01059-000) focuses on ways to integrate the standards for appropriate practice laid down by the National Association for the Education of Young Children with both emerging psychological theory and research and increasing calls for improved educational standards. The volume is based on original papers presented at the 12th Rutgers Invitational Symposium on Education, Creating Environments for Learning in the Early Years: From Research to Practice, which took place in November of 1998. The authors conclude that generally the book is successful in providing a stimulating overview of many of the major controversies and dilemmas in the field of early education. Those articles that challenge the field to integrate the strengths of many theories into teaching strategies, and those that attempt to link specific academic disciplines with curriculum practice are particularly provocative and interesting. They suggest exciting ways not only to meet the challenges posed by the national educational reform movement, but to lead the way to reform with appropriate and effective goals and practices. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)