Introduction to Early Childhood Education: Preschool Through Primary Grades

This book is a thorough examination of day―to-day aspects of standards-based, developmentally appropriate teaching of young children.

Using student-friendly, readable language, Jo Ann Brewer demonstrates how to integrate developmentally appropriate practice into the early childhood curriculum. The extensive coverage of curriculum, particularly early literacy and language, is a hallmark of this popular book. There is also a heavy focus on diversity, special needs students, and real-world experience from teachers currently in the classroom.

“This book’s chapters are the perfect match for the content we think is essential to introduce in our entry-level class. They each are wonderfully written for a beginning early childhood education student to familiarize themselves with appropriate choices for curriculum, center design, and instructional strategies.”

­–Kathryn Lilie Jenkins, University of Houston

“This text is an amazingly comprehensive book! The writing is clear and easy to read. The topics covered are all the important ones and they are well organized. I am very impressed and congratulate the author on doing such a fine job!”

–Ann M. Bingham-Newman, California State University―Los Angeles

“I like this textbook a great deal. The continuing focus on DAP builds the students’ ‘dependence’ on it as a source for guidance in teaching. The focus on NAEYC guidance also helps students recognize the significance of professional organizations.”

This popular resource is a thorough examination of day-to-day aspects of standards-based, developmentally appropriate teaching of young children. Using student-friendly, readable language, Jo Ann Brewer demonstrates how to integrate developmentally appropriate practice into the early childhood curriculum. The extensive coverage of curricula, particularly early literacy and language, is a hallmark of this book. Unlike other books in the market, there is a strong focus on diversity, students with special needs, and real-world experience from teachers currently in the classroom.

New to This Edition

• Key term lists added to the beginning of each chapter identify important concepts discussed in text and appear with definitions in the end-of-book glossary.
• All new Learning Plans provide step-by-step procedures for lessons and projects that can be done in the classroom. Topics include teaching measurement, creating class cookbooks, and more. 
• Throughout the chapter, marginal icons pointing to relevant text are correlated by number to the standards of the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).
• Chapters in Part II, Content-Area Curriculum, incorporate student achievement standards advocated by the most prominent professional organizations for each discipline.
• Integrating the Curriculum, with a new theme of “Spaces,” demonstrates how teachers can use a common theme when teaching multiple content areas.
• New annotated website addresses in the margins provide students opportunity to use the Internet to further explore content discussed in the chapters.
• Praxis icons appear in the margin to help readers think about how the text they’re reading relates to questions they will encounter on Praxis exams.
• Every chapter ends with two new sections to challenge the student’s learning, Activities and Reflections and Explorations (critical thinking questions).
• The book concludes with Resources for Further Reading, organized by the chapter to which they relate.

Jo Ann Brewer graduated from Texas Tech University with an Ed.D. in early childhood education in 1980. She has worked for many years as a teacher of young children and as a teacher educator. Her experience includes working in both private and public schools in Texas, Oregon, California, Arizona, and Massachusetts. She has contributed chapters to several books, has published journal articles, and is currently working as a coauthor on a reading methods text. She works in schools with student teachers and practicum students on a regular basis. She is also working with a group of preschool directors who are interested in increasing the literacy opportunities for the children in their programs.