SAGE Encyclopedia of Contemporary Early Childhood Education

Donna Couchenour, Ph.D. is Professor Emerita of Teacher Education at Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania.  She received her bachelor’s degree in elementary and early childhood education from Clarion University of Pennsylvania, master’s degree in child development from West Virginia University and Ph.D. in Human Development and Family Studies from The Ohio State University.  She has been a faculty member in early childhood teacher education for over 30 years and has been employed as a laboratory school director, Head Start teacher/director and military child care Training and Curriculum Specialist.  She has taught courses on child development, curriculum and assessment, partnerships for family engagement, and supervised internship experiences at various student levels.  With her co-editor of this proposed work, she has published 3 books:  Families, Schools and Communities:  Together for Young Children (recently published in a fifth edition), Healthy Sexuality Development in Young Children, and In the Field:  Guided Field Assignments and Readings in Early Childhood Education.  She currently serves as an early childhood education teacher preparation program reviewer, audit team member, and Board of Examiners member for the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) and as Trainer and Curriculum Specialist for a U.S. Army Child Development Center. J. Kent Chrisman, Ed.D. is Professor of Teacher Education at Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania.  He received his bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Hendrix College, master’s degree in Early Childhood Education from Peabody College of Education (now Vanderbilt), and Ed.D. in Educational Supervision from the University of Louisville.  He has been a faculty member in early childhood teacher education for over thirty years as well as serving as a laboratory school director in a full day, year round setting and in a public school partnership setting.  He has taught courses on curriculum and assessment, child development, partnerships for family engagement, and supervised internship experiences at various student levels. With his co-editor of this proposed work, he has published 3 books:  Families, Schools and Communities:  Together for Young Children (recently published in a fifth edition), Healthy Sexuality Development in Young Children, and In the Field:  Guided Field Assignments and Readings in Early Childhood Education. In addition, he is co-author of Teaching Young Children Mathematics (in press, Routledge) and is contracted as co-author of Teaching Young Children Social Studies (Pearson).  He currently serves as the President of the Pennsylvania Association of Early Childhood Teacher Educators and has served as President of three state affiliates of the National Association for the Education of Young Children.

"The editors make it clear that the focus is on essential topics for study and research by students at all levels and practicing teachers. The conversational tone and scope of the entries is paired with illustrations, graphs, and charts, making the text suitable for the stated audience as well as general readers or parents who are looking for basic information. Though comparable works may address more current developments, this encyclopedia′s readable style and extensions into the wider literature make this a solid choice for academic libraries serving teacher-education programs... Summing Up: Recommended. Community college through graduate students; general readers; professionals/practitioners.

• Volume 1 List of Entries Reader's Guide About the Editors Contributors Introduction Entries A B C D Volume 2 List of Entries Entries E F G H I J K L M N O Volume 3 List of Entries Entries P Q R S T U V W Z Appendix: Resource Guide Index