Resource Books

Communities of practice are an age-old phenomenon representing teamwork. Whether its researchers developing treatments for a disease or educators sharing best practices to enhance early childhood learning, communities of practice are about connection and shared purpose. "Growing Together" will help you define, create, and promote a community of practice to foster collaborative problem solving and enhance professional learning experiences. You will learn key strategies and techniques to help you: develop a shared vision and structure, leverage tools to invite members and build a community, build member engagement and investment, and master facilitation and evaluation strategies for ongoing professional learning. Paperback. 136 pages.

You can't stop a disaster from happening, especially when Mother Nature is the force behind it. But, you can limit the amount of time your early childhood program is closed, pick up the pieces, and return to normal as quickly as possible. The key to serving children and their families again quickly is advanced planning. Preschool Preparedness for After a Disaster, the third book in the Preparing for the Unexpected Series, will help your center get up and running after the worst has happened. In very approachable, bite-sized pieces, emergency-preparedness expert Andrew Roszak, JD, MPA, EMT-P, shares advice from his more than 20 years of experience in disaster recovery to help you prepare, respond, and get back on your feet quickly. Paperback. 88 pages.

Contains over 600 activities written by teachers illustrating new ways to use everyday items to create fresh exciting projects. Also includes management techniques and helpful tips for working with 4 year olds. 624 pages

"Teaching Young Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder" is a straightforward, easy-to-understand guide to working with children who have autism. It explains the major characteristics associated with autism and helps teachers understand the ways children with autism relate to the world. Each chapter offers specific strategies for teachers to use, including setting up a proactive preschool environment, helping children learn life skills, managing behavior, helping children with autism communicate, encouraging children with autism to play, helping them to get along with others, and working with families. Paperback. 224 pages.

More than 300 theme activities written by teachers for teachers! Actively engage children's imaginations with more than 300 activities for young children organized into a variety of popular themes -- from the alphabet to the weather. The result of a nationwide contest among teachers, the classroom-tested activities in Another Encyclopedia of Theme Activities for Young Children provide many months of learning fun! Each activity is complete with learning objectives, materials list, related children's book suggestions, step-by-step instructions of what to do, teacher-to-teacher tips to expand on children's learning, assessment strategies, and related songs, poems, and fingerplays. 448 pages. Paperback.

Nature-based early childhood education is a rapidly growing trend! Although many schools and programs have incorporated nature-based learning, educators can feel at a loss when trying to evaluate quality in this learning approach. But don't worry - Evaluating Natureness: Measuring the Quality of Nature-Based Classrooms in Pre-K through 3rd Grade is here to help! Designed with early education practitioners, researchers, and policy makers in mind, the NAture-Based Education Rating Scales (NABERS) for Pre-K and K-3 let professionals easily collect standardized information to measure the quality of education settings in the areas of: Program goals and curriculum practices, Staffing, Environment, Community partnerships, and Family engagement. Whether you want to evaluate an existing nature-based program or discover how to shift your program toward a nature focus, this book is for you!

This block play guide enhances the classroom block corner with over 50 great activities. Clear description of what children learn by playing with blocks accompany the activities. Each suggestion encourages problem solving, the development of math, science, language, and social skills.

The highly anticipated toddler version of the CLASS® tool is here -- providing early childhood programs with an accurate, reliable way to assess effective classrooms. For use with children from 15 - 36 months, this standardized observation tool measures the effectiveness of interactions between teachers and children, a primary ingredient of early educational experiences that prepare children for future school success. Spiral-bound, 80 pages.

Children are spending less time being outside in nature, playing, imagining, and learning about their surroundings. Instead, they're spending more time with tablets, televisions, and overly structured routines. This book shows practical and strategic ways educators can create rich, explorative, and interdisciplinary learning through extensive outdoor experiences. Learn how to develop and implement a nature-based curriculum to support children's optimal learning, from start to finish. Age focus: 3 - 6 years. Paperback. 128 pages.

Children learn best through play. Did you know play supports children's skill building, from language and literacy to memory and math? Through play, children can experiment with words and concepts, express emotions and ideas, and make connections. "Playful Activities for Reading Readiness" offers purposeful, play-based activities to develop the foundational literacy and language skills young children need to succeed in school. Learn research-led tips to guide children to play their way through enhancing critical components of early language and literacy instruction, including: oral language, phonological awareness, the alphabetic code, word recognition, foundational fluency, comprehension, vocabulary, concept knowledge, and early writing. Paperback. 376 pages.

Combining fun, easy-to-do activities with research-based tips and developmental overviews, "Raising a Talker" helps parents and caregivers naturally transform play sessions into meaningful language-learning experiences. Little tweaks and easy changes in everyday play create nurturing environments where communication and discovery can flourish. These skills build the foundation for better communication, both now and later, and set the stage for success in school and beyond. This practical communication and language guide shows parents and caregivers how to play and talk in ways that foster children's emerging language skills while building on their natural curiosity and exploring the world together. "Raising a Talker" will have parents more tuned in to their children as better conversational and play buddies. Paperback. 216 pages.

Elevating Equity requires educators to be mindful of how to include children, families, and colleagues in all parts of early childhood programming. Elevating equity is all about creating systems that celebrate everyone! Sounds great - but how do you do it? Elevating Equity: Advice for Navigating Challenging Conversations in Early Childhood Programs takes a positive approach by embracing differences and meeting readers where they are. Get nonjudgmental, practical advice from an experienced trainer and educator. Find out how to have healthy, respectful, and productive conversations about what equity means and how it looks in practice. Discover strength-based, evidence grounded techniques that lead to professional growth and learning in your early childhood program. With practical examples, research, tips, advice, self-reflections, and real stories, you'll discover how to find common ground and truly elevate educational access for the children and families you serve.

No education professional wants to think about an active shooter on campus. Recent tragic events illustrate a clear and imminent need to prepare educators for these threats. Public institutions are required by law to follow rules and regulations to train for emergency responses, and several states have enacted or are considering enacting regulations specific to early childhood programs. "Preschool Preparedness for an Active Shooter," the first book in the new Preparing for the Unexpected series, acknowledges and balances the harsh realities and challenges of emergency preparedness. Learn how to: develop situational awareness, create rings of security in your facility, promote a culture of safety, respond in an emergency, conduct drills, and instill emergency practices in children that will last a lifetime. Paperback. 88 pages.

Storms, flooding, earthquakes, epidemics, tornadoes, fire. You hope it never happens, but you know you need to be ready. "Preschool Preparedness for an Emergency," the second book in the Preparing for the Unexpected Series, will train you for a worst-case scenario. While this may seem like a daunting task, it's easier when you break it down. Emergency-preparedness expert Andrew Roszak will teach you how to: reduce potential harm or damage; develop and test emergency action plans; empower staff to respond effectively; satisfy licensing and other regulatory requirements; act quickly to protect lives and property; make families more prepared; develop relationships with local emergency-response organizations; limit the amount of time your business is closed; and pick up the pieces and return to normal. Paperback. 108 pages.

Many Languages, One Classroom applies the latest information about best practices to all aspects of a preschool program. Designed to fit any preschool curriculum, this book addresses state standards and benchmarks of standard quality programming. Organized by interest areas and times of the day, you'll find everything you need to help English language learners during dramatic play, outdoor play, reading, science, blocks, and circle time. Each chapter is broken down into several sections: the environment, activities, links to standards, family connections, technology tips, and reflections. Paperback. 96 pages.

While most activity books encourage indoor explorations, countless adventures and learning opportunities await outside! Going for a walk or exploring the local community can bring about much more than just exercise. Little Walks, Big Adventures helps you teach your toddler about his/her surroundings through fun and adventurous local explorations, outdoor games and activities that promote and enhance learning. Parents and caregivers will help their toddlers enhance their vocabulary, language skills, cognitive skills, motor skills, and more! 160 pages.

Finding the right people to staff your center is challenging! Have you ever hired someone you thought was perfect, only to have her leave after a few months? Have you filled a position with a "warm body" to maintain the adult-child ratio because you couldn't find a more qualified candidate? Recruiting is an ongoing process that requires reflection, dedication, and importantly, a solid plan. But the plan isn't always easy to craft, especially when you're understaffed! "Build Your Dream Team" will help you take the first step to creating your plan and will remain your right-hand guide as you hire, onboard, and nurture your new all-stars. Paperback. 128 pages.

An essential resource all teachers can use. Tips and techniques on dealing with daily routines and schedules, managing behavior issues, and building a caring community in the classroom. 224 pages.

Caregiver-child interactions are critically important in promoting cognitive, language, and social-emotional learning in young children. With examples and detailed explanations, "The Best for Babies" illuminates the behaviors and interactions that teachers or care providers should provide for the children in their care. The book offers an easy-to-use checklist to assess each teacher-child interpersonal relationship and the ways caregivers offer learning and living experiences for young children. Teachers and caregivers can use the checklist to grow in their professional expertise and careers as they continue to guide children's learning and well-being. Directors and mentors can use the information gained by using the checklist to help teachers and caregivers optimize the outcomes for each child. Paperback. 168 pages.

Maltreatment during the first three years of life is of utmost concern. Not only are the numbers of harmed infants and toddlers staggering, maltreatment during this vulnerable period alters children's development in such a way that it robs them of reaching their full human potential. As an infant-toddler child-care provider, you are a "first responder" to this national crisis, playing a key role in the early identification of maltreatment and unhealthy patterns of development. You can be a gateway to healing. Paperback, 256 pages.

Children are the inspiration for positive family-provider relationships that are essential for promoting healthy child development and learning. School-to-Home Connections is bursting with ideas for early childhood educators. Inside, you'll find simple ways to explain developmentally appropriate practice to parents, ideas on partnering with them on their child's journey to school readiness, and tips for nurturing families' active involvement in the school community. Along the way, you discover information on: understanding the power of play, encouraging children's individuality and uniqueness, celebrating diversity, supporting children's development across key domains, nurturing in nature, addressing challenging behaviors, and transitioning to a new class or school. Paperback. 176 pages.

This book includes over 600 math activities organized by curriculum area or time of the day. Each activity is complete with math concepts, materials needed, and step-by-step instructions. It is easy for the teacher and children to have fun learning new concepts. 528 pages.

When teachers implement the project approach to learning, young children can follow their own real-world interests to gain deeper understanding. Children wonder about a topic, formulate their questions, and then figure out the answers for themselves in their own way. The project approach helps children dig deeply into intellectual and social experiences that can help them see meaningful benefits of the skills they are acquiring. "Picturing the Project Approach" will lead teachers every step of the way toward incorporating this teaching method in any toddler, preschool or elementary classroom. Paperback. 120 pages.

3 years & up. Each of the 200 open-ended projects encourages art processes. Activities use a variety of materials for experiences. 260 pages