Abstract This paper explains that, while much is known about appropriate nutritional needs for infants and for children and adolescents, preschoolers are a demographic that is generally understudied in the nutritional literature. The author points out that nutrition for preschoolers is determined by the physiology of the child, the degree of activity expressed by the child and the context in which consumption of food occurs. The paper stresses that many of the rules of thumb that govern dietary habits for adults do not work in respect to preschoolers especially in the area of fat consumption. The author relates that preschoolers are predisposed towards diets that are high in fiber, such as grains and vegetables. The paper suggests that parents, who want to improve their children's nutritional health, should look to organic products.
Table of Contents
Introduction
Nutritional Needs for Preschoolers Nutritional Determination and Preschoolers Nutritional Environment and Preschoolers Possible Threats to Appropriate Nutrition for Preschoolers Summary: Recommendations for Parents of Preschoolers
From the Paper "The National Agriculture Library indicates that most preschool children require a balanced diet from the "five food groups". These five food groups consist of grains, fruits and vegetables, meats, dairy, and foods with high fat and sugar content. In diet recommendations for preschoolers, the grains and vegetables are fundamental components. These diet recommendations are made with the exclusion of fruit: fruits contain high levels of natural sugar and should be minimized. This is likewise true for juice consumption, which also has a high level of sugar in it."
Abstract The paper looks at preschools that use the High/Scope curriculum that is based on John Dewey and Jean Piaget's theories of a cognitively-oriented curriculum. The paper discusses research that shows that children in High/Scope programs outperform other children who do attend preschool programs where the High/Scope curriculum is not used. The paper also highlights the importance of preschool for children's overall success.
Outline:
Influences Dewey and Piaget's Curriculum Theory Have on PreschoolChildren's Future Learning and Adult Outcomes
Discussion
Conclusion
From the Paper "The High/Scope Perry research studied children living in poverty through to adulthood. The research found lasting effects on school achievement and literacy, high school graduation, adult earning, home and ownership, and life development. The Perry program played a significant role in successful life outcomes (1997).
"The High/Scope Preschool Curriculum Comparison Study also examined the long-term effects of preschool on children living in poverty. This study compared three programs: High/Scope, Directed Instruction, and a traditional nursery school curriculum. This research found that the High/Scope curriculum did not yield any significant differences in language, literacy, or school achievement than the other two curriculums. The three preschool curriculums all yielded academic success for preschool children. The High/Scope curriculum yielded greater success than direct instruction in the area of social and effects as well as criminal activity."
Abstract The paper reveals that high quality preschool programs for poor children can reduce the delay in the development of their communication skills. The paper reviews the article "Language and Literacy Environments in Preschools" by Snow, Burns and Griffin that explores how best to help preschoolchildren develop communication skills so that they will be ready to learn how to read when they go to school. The writer discusses how he/she applies these principles in his/her preschool program.
From the Paper "The article (Snow, Burns, & Griffin, 1999) states, "it is precisely on measures of the language environment that many preschool programs serving poor children have scored in the inadequate range" (p. 1). The article doesn't say how many programs are inadequate or what the percentage overall might be of programs which do not help children develop their communication skills. The author goes on to say, or at least to imply, that Headstart programs are no better than any other programs for preschool children coming from impoverished homes: "A study of 32 headstart classrooms similarly found the lowest scores for language and reasoning on the same test" (p. 2)."
Abstract This paper discusses culture within preschools. It discusses how culture is related to the developmental process of preschoolchildren and examines these concepts in conjunction with one another, and how this correlation affects the preschool child, the educational system, and the community over all. The paper addresses the significant issues that restrict cultural diversity within preschools, and how this lack of acceptance affects the developmental process of children.
From the Paper "The Influence of Culture in Preschool: Affects on Childhood Development Preschool children are tasked with attempting to discover their place in the world, and delving into the ideas of society that are first evident in the preschool classroom. As these children enter preschool they bring with them the background of their cultures that include the cultural norms that have been taught to them, and their assurances that these norms exist everywhere about them. Yet, preschool teaches children in the modern world to comprehend that there are many cultures existing within society, and it is at this pivotal stage in life that children will begin to develop their theories on cultures that may affect them throughout their years. Education, therefore, can either provide a culturally accepting environment that embraces the diversity within the nation, or it can falter in understanding that every child must be considered from his or her own cultural viewpoint."
Abstract The paper focuses on the differences between preschool (preoperative) children and adolescents. The hypothesis developed and proven by a literature review was that preoperative children and adolescents are developing faster and facing more challenges as a result of rapid growth, based on social, technological and educational changes that are taking place. The paper focuses on the risk of a dramatic increase in clinical depression among preschoolchildren and the equally dramatic increase in the rate of teen suicide.
From the Paper "While often lost in what they believe is pretend, preschool children often attempt to mirror the developmental qualities based on emotional level of functioning, interest in social skills, money, possessions, etc. of their older adolescent brothers and sisters. However, they are not psychologically equipped to handle such activity on a daily basis; there are additional stages of learning and development that are required. The adolescent on the other hand, more than anything else, attempts to mirror the qualities they see and strive for in the adult world."
Abstract This paper takes the position that it is important to retain preschoolchildren in the home rather than placing them in daycare centers. The paper discusses links between child care and child outcomes. The paper also looks at the background of the shift to preschool day care and the issues and risks involved.
Abstract This paper presents a study on how gender stereotypes encompass even the toy preference of preschool age children. The paper tests the hypothesis that, as children become older, they prefer to play with sex-congruent toys rather than toys of the opposite sex. Specifically, the paper seeks to determine if children identify more with toys labeled as their individual gender when they are 3- to 4-year-olds in comparison to 2- to 3-year-olds. The paper describes the methods, procedure, and results of the study and then analyzes those results. The paper concludes with recommendations for conducting future research.
Outline:
Abstract
Method
Results
Discussion
Appendix A
From the Paper "We encountered many limitations while conducting our experiment on the toy selection of different genders. Our hypothesis was that as children got older they would choose to play with toys that were identifiable with their individual gender. Conducting our experiment in classrooms that were set up to be gender-neutral made it hard to evaluate this. The activities and toys chosen the most were gender-neutral and therefore did not support or counter our hypothesis. Gender-neutral activities included: drawing, play dough, constructing shape pattern on sheets, going down the slide, generic books (particularly on frogs), puzzles and playing in the sand table."
Tags: behavior, child center, gender-appropriate hypothesis interrrater reliability observation variable
Abstract This paper relates that the author's twin girls often stare at each other for hours, making faces and laughing at each other, taking part in "social exchanges" by a "reciprocal matching process", which is a process in which an infant will try to "match or copy each other by approximation of each other's gaze, use of tongue, sounds, and smiles" .The author points out that a recent study found that young children left in day care were not as close to their mothers as those children whose mothers stayed home during the early years. The paper stresses that games that involve both girls and use friendly competition always catch their attention.
From the Paper "Watching my girls at day care is enlightening. They ? all the preschoolers -- are still at that stage where everyone is their best friend. Sometimes it takes a half hour to pick them up in the afternoon because they all have to hug each other goodbye! Oden writes in agreement that children at this age do not differentiate between a best friend and an acquaintance or even a stranger. However, I have noticed that at church, they do have their favorite people they tend to seek out."
Tags: stay-at-home, mother, reciprical, play, social
Abstract This paper explains that the obesity epidemic in America can be traced as far back as infancy nutrition. The author urges that a healthy eating teaching plan, including a scheduled daily interactive "meal" time when children are encouraged to explore many nutritious options, should be part of each school day including preschool. The paper suggest that, in this manner, children will be able to use their natural play and creativity instincts to make healthy eating choices.
From the Paper "The ability of daycare providers to offer to children healthy options on a frequent and rotating schedule, especially finger foods that are colorful and tasty and are shown by example to be easy to eat and good tasting, as they watch their other daycare friends eat such options. The teacher should offer the food, family style, in much the same way that art supplies are placed in the center of the table, appealingly and for everyone to take turns with."
Abstract Stuttering is a communication disorder that interferes with a child's ability to speak fluently. It is characterized by the prolongation or blockage of sound, repetition, syllables or words, and its course can be cyclical, with the frequency and severity of the stuttering changing dramatically over time. This paper provides an overview of stuttering in preschool-age children, including how a stutter develops and how children are assessed.
Paper Outline:
General Description of the Disorder
Stuttering in Preschool-age Children Patterns of Stuttering
Development of a Stutter
Assessment of Preschool Disfluent Children Predictive Factors of PreschoolChildren Who Will Have Persistent Stuttering
References
From the Paper "Trautman says that there is also some research suggesting that children who have a behaviorally inhibited temperament might be at increased risk for stuttering (e.g. children who appear to be more sensitive to changes and tend to cry more often). In addition, Trauman notes that some parents have reported changes in the fluency of their child's speech after (non-related) treatment with stimulant medications, such as Ritalin (methylphenidate) and some asthma medications. However, she says that she knows of no clinical evidence supporting these observations."
Abstract This paper examines the issue of universal preschool, especially as it pertains to the state of Illinois. The paper takes a look at the history of the universal preschool movement across the country, at large, and the current movement toward universal preschool in Illinois, in particular.
Background
What is Universal Preschool The History of the Universal Preschool Movement
Current Research in the Universal Preschool Issue
Arguments in Favor of Universal Preschool Arguments Against Universal Preschool Why Has There Been Such an Increase in the Interest in Universal
Current Research in the Universal Preschool Issue
Arguments in Favor of Universal Preschool Arguments Against Universal Preschool Why Has There Been Such an Increase in the Interest in Universal
Preschool The State of Universal Preschool in the United States Today
Current Universal Preschool Initiatives
The Perry Preschool The Carolina Abecedarian project
The Quest for Universal Preschool Illinois
The Work that has Already Been Done
The Work that is Currently Being Done
The Cost of Universal Preschool in Illinois
The Quest for Universal Preschool Illinois
The Work that has Already Been Done
The Work that is Currently Being Done
The Cost of Universal Preschool in Illinois
Illinois State Legislators
Senators
State Representatives
Likert Scale for Identifying State Legislators to Target for Universal Preschool Support
From the Paper "Universal pre-school is what happens when a state implements a state-wide pre-school system in the public schools. This means that all parents in the state then have access to pre-school for their four-year-olds, and sometimes their three-year-olds, if they choose to send their child to pre-school. In a universal pre-school system, all school districts in the state are required by state law to include free pre-school programs as a part of their educational offerings. Those who advocate universal pre-schools do so in part because universal pre-school seamlessly melds child care and early childhood education."
An article review of "Preschoolers' Understanding of Simple and Complex Emotions: Links with gender and language" by S.L. Bosacki and C. Moore, which looks at how children learn to understand different emotions.
Abstract This paper describes a study to assess individual differences among preschoolers' emotional understanding, verbal ability, and gender role behavior. The paper relates that the study looks at simple and complex emotional understanding and children's vocabulary ability, as well as gender differences in preschoolchildren and how their parents perceive their gender role behavior. In addition, the paper describes the different methods used in the study to find out the preschoolers' knowledge of emotions.
From the Paper "Young children's understanding of emotions has been the topic of many studies; some results being similar and some contradicting. The article "Preschoolers' Understanding of Simple and Complex Emotions: Links with gender and language" (Bosacki & Moore, 2004) discusses the research issue of how there are differences among individual preschoolers when it comes to understanding emotions and how gender and language play a role. The complexity of emotions is also looked at and how the usage by children can differ based on simple and complex. Different cultures also have different ideas of how to express one's self and how to feel in different scenarios. Children across cultures are exposed to different languages, beliefs and values; social experiences also come along with those differences. Children's understanding of the emotions they experience and the emotions people around them experience are drawn from their particular culture or gender. People around them may be parents, siblings, peers, daycare teachers or any other part of the Childs mesosystem (Shaffer, Wood & Willoughby, 2005). When decoding a child's understanding of emotion there are different aspects to take into consideration; the child's gender, culture, vocabulary ability and their capability of translating simple emotions into something more complex."
Abstract This literature review addresses several issues related to preschoolchildren. The research investigates preschool child development in general, as well as preschool literacy development and preschool math development. The paper then discusses the importance of parental involvement in the various aspects of preschool child development.
Table of Contents:
Introduction
Preschool Child Development
Preschool Literacy Development
Preschool Math Development
Importance of Parent Involvement
Summary
From the Paper "In addition to the aforementioned research Kameenui & Simmons (1998) assert that there are developmental patterns that arise as it relates to preschool literacy. The authors contend that there are several conclusions that can be drawn concerning the development of awareness of print (Kameenui & Simmons 1998). That is, the identification of print materials reveals that preschoolers have some understanding of the purposes and the processes involved in reading (Kameenui & Simmons 1998). In addition they are also developing the ability to identify print within its proper context; although their ability to do this is limited (Kameenui & Simmons 1998). All in all the research conclude that preschool children have demonstrated awareness of graphics and print (Kameenui & Simmons 1998). In addition it has been concluded that older children that mastered these skills in preschool developed word reading. As a result of these conclusions, "It appears that levels of preschool literacy competency do exist, and furthermore, these competencies may play a role in facilitating subsequent reading-related skills ( Weir, 1989; Kameenui & Simmons 1998)." "
Abstract This paper discusses the techniques and strategies of teaching basic mathematical concepts to preschoolers. It has been found that children can learn pre-mathematical and mathematical ideas easily if teachers use developmentally appropriate strategies. Most educators are pf the view that in preschool, mathematics classroom should employ the constructivist learning principles which allow children to think, interpret and reach their own answers.
Abstract The paper examines an issue facing education today; preschool. The paper explains that the concept behind kindergarten has changed over the last two decades. There has been a shift from preschools that operated primarily as controlled play groups to educational settings in which children learn specific, if basic, skills. This paper discusses the societal role of kindergarten. The paper then examines several different perspectives on teaching in kindergarten, including those of the developmentally appropriate practice, the academic approach, the child-centered approach and the Montessori approach to the curriculum.
From the Paper "This paper discusses the societal role of kindergarten. It examines differing perspectives on teaching in kindergarten, including those of the developmentally appropriate practice, the academic approach, the child-centered approach and the Montessori approach to the curriculum. Do Educational Benefits Still Exist in Preschool? One issue facing education today is that of preschool. The concept behind kindergarten has changed over the last two decades. There has been a shift from preschools that operated primarily as controlled play groups to educational settings in which children learn specific, if basic, skills. For generations, young children have been sent to preschools, to prepare them for the rest of their academic careers. However, the question remains: is preschool necessary? Are there any benefits to children attending preschool? Do "disadvantaged" students who attend a preschool show any improvement over those who do not?"
