Early Education Curriculum: A Child's Connection to the World

The sixth edition of EARLY EDUCATION CURRICULUM: A CHILD'S CONNECTION TO THE WORLD focuses on the process of planning and implementing a curriculum, and setting up an inclusive child-centered environment. This book helps users learn to make informed decisions about curriculum content as well as to develop creative thinking and the ability to effectively apply theory to an early childhood classroom setting. Updated to include the most current research and standards, the sixth edition presents new material on brain research that underlies teaching ideas as well as new information on reflective practice, intentional teaching, and using the environment as a teaching tool. The book retains its strong applied focus on the how-to's of teaching, with many new hands-on teaching tips and six new chapters on topics such as observation and assessment, fine motor and manipulatives, and large motor and outdoor play.

Hilda L. Jackman is Professor Emerita at Brookhaven College, Dallas County Community College District. Ms. Jackman has worked with children and families for over 40 years in both children’s theatre and children’s television, and as an educator and consultant. She is the author of several early childhood books, including SING ME A STORY! TELL ME A SONG! CREATIVE THEMATIC ACTIVITIES FOR TEACHERS OF YOUNG CHILDREN (2005), also published by Cengage Learning.

Nancy H. Beaver, M.Ed., was awarded the Trainer of the Year award by the Texas Association for the Education of Young Children (TAEYC) in 2005 and the Pat Kennedy Teacher Educator award by Dallas Association for the Education of Young Children in 2006. Program Administrator for the Child Development and Teacher Education programs at Eastfield College, she also serves as adjunct faculty for both Eastfield and the University of North Texas. Beaver was one of the first professors in the nation to teach Child Development Associate (CDA) Credential preparation courses under the CDA Council's P3 project and has taught CDA college credit courses for 24 years. She has served in many roles on the Dallas Association for the Education of Young Children (DAEYC) board, including serving as president twice. She also has served as vice president of the Texas AEYC. She has been an NAEYC Academy Center Accreditation assessor and validator and has twice been an academy commissioner. She served as president and vice president for Collaboration for ACCESS: American Associate Degree Early Childhood Educators and currently serves as board secretary. She is past co-president and secretary of the Child Development Educators of Texas.

Susan Skinner Wyatt, Ph.D., is chair of the Child Development/Teacher Preparation program at Eastfield College. She has served as executive director of the Dallas Association for Parent Education, interim dean of the Eastfield College Social Science Division, director and teacher in various child care programs, public school teacher at the junior and senior high levels, and coordinator and developer of a high school magnet child development program. She also has experience in counseling, curriculum development, and grant writing and speaks and conducts workshops across the country. In 2003, Dr. Wyatt was awarded both the Eastfield College and DCCCD's Innovator of the Year Award, as well as the Excellence Award by the National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development (NISOD). Dr. Wyatt serves on several boards, including, among others, the Texas Association for the Education of Young Children, Dallas Association for Parent Education (president), and Child Development Educators' Association of the Texas Community College Teacher's Association. She has served as chair of the curriculum committee for Child Development and Education, is a peer reviewer for the National Association for the Education of Young Children's child development associate and bachelor's degree accreditations, and is a regional faculty member for the American Heart Association. She was named the state of Texas' Minnie Stevens Piper Professor in 2009.