Resource Books

This resource supplies 25 two-week themes, with a total of over 2,000 activities and ideas. Paperback, 463 pages.

With the infant version of the trusted, widely used CLASS® tool, early childhood programs have an accurate and reliable way to assess teacher-infant interactions, a primary component of positive early experiences. Developed for use with children from birth to 18 months, the CLASS® Infant tool specifically focuses on how teachers engage with infants and support their learning and development during everyday routines and activities. With clear guidance and background information, this manual gives you a comprehensive introduction to the CLASS® Infant tool and how to use it effectively. You'll see how this standardized tool assess 4 dimensions of teacher-child interactions, establishes an accurate picture of interactions through repeated observation and scoring cycles, and highlights areas of strength and areas for growth. Spiral-bound. 64 pages.

You've probably seen it: frustration builds, teacher turnover rises, staff meetings become insufferable, and indifference breeds throughout the school. Spark change! When your staff feels supported and empowered to grow and develop their skills, your program and the children will thrive. "Inspiring Professional Growth," the follow-up to Inspiring Early Childhood Leadership, addresses the need for offering nurturing and empowering professional development. This book provides leaders with a framework to create a system that supports teachers throughout their careers. Paperback. 128 pages.

Enhance the growth and development of infants and young children with more than 400 fun, fast, and easy-to-use learning activities -- now in a new edition specially developed to complement ASQ-3®. Perfect for sharing with parents of children who are developing typically or need non intensive support in one or more developmental areas, these playful, developmentally appropriate activities encourage progress in the same five developmental areas as ASQ-3®: communication, gross motor, fine motor, problem solving, and personal-social. Use safe, age-appropriate materials that most families have at home, help even the youngest children develop crucial early language and literacy skills, promote closer parent-child interactions, and serve as a natural follow-up for children who score in the ASQ-3® monitoring zone. Available in English or Spanish. Paperback with CD-ROM. 160 pages.

Introduce teachers to the 8 dimensions of the CLASS® Toddler tool with this concise quick-guide, which includes practical teaching tips for strengthening each of the areas assessed with the popular observational tool. This guide is used with the bestselling CLASS® observational tool that measures interactions between children and teachers -- a primary ingredient of high-quality early educational experiences. With versions for toddler programs and PreK and K-3 classrooms, the reliable and valid CLASS® tool establishes an accurate picture of the classroom through brief, repeated observation and scoring cycles and effectively pinpoints areas for improvement. 28 pages. Available in English and Spanish.

This tri-fold laminated sheet is a handy reference for users of the CLASS® Infant observation tool. Available in convenient packages of 5, this sturdy quick-sheet shows evaluators what to look for while observing each of the CLASS® Infant dimensions and scoring the tool. Set of 5.

From 'Ten Little Monkeys' to 'The Bear Went Over the Mountain', children will sing and learn about the animals they love. The enclosed CD features 27 songs, old favorites and originals, the book offers more than 300 activities that teach children about zoo animals, farm animals, and pets. All children love to sing and learn, so the book includes both English language learner strategies and special needs adaptations.

Join the growing nature-based learning movement! Written for educators by educators, Partnering with Nature turns theoretical ideas about the benefits of nature in childhood into achievable results. Discover how to meet state-mandated early learning standards while enjoying daily nature-based activities. With a sample classroom schedule, a list of essential items to carry in a backpack, an outline of seasonal topics, seasonal activities at a glance, and an assessment tool, this practical, inclusive guide demonstrates how nature can support preschool children's learning. Partnering with Nature is filled with practical advice that will allow early childhood teachers who are new to nature-based education to venture forward with confidence. Paperback. 312 pages.

Equity means individuals get what they need to succeed. As early childhood classrooms and programs become increasingly more culturally and linguistically diverse, educators need ideas for connecting with families to learn what children need. The more families are engaged, the better the outcomes for children. Early childhood administrators and teachers can collaborate to create equitable and inclusive learning environments where children and families feel welcome. Building Equitable Early Learning Programs: A Social-Justice Approach gives educators the facts, examples, strategies, and approaches needed to create and sustain programs and practices that can best serve our communities.

Emphasizing essential interpersonal skills that should be developed in early childhood, this guide offers a holistic approach to developing classroom communities in which each child feels recognized, appreciated, and able to contribute. Taking into account a teacher's goals, values, strengths, and weaknesses, guidance is offered for adjusting and planning for developmentally appropriate expectations, classroom organization, and communication with families. Filled with concrete examples and effective approaches to common classroom problems, this detailed handbook provides positive strategies for handling unwanted behavioral challenges. By individualizing the needs of each student using the methods espoused in this handbook, educators will cultivate a supportive classroom setting based on emotional expression and conflict resolution. Paperback. 144 pages.

Introduce teachers to the 10 dimensions of the CLASS® K-3 tool with this concise quick-guide, which includes practical teaching tips for strengthening each of the areas assessed with the popular observational tool. This guide is used with the bestselling CLASS® observational tool that measures interactions between children and teachers -- a primary ingredient of high-quality early educational experiences. With versions for toddler programs and PreK and K-3 classrooms, the reliable and valid CLASS® tool establishes an accurate picture of the classroom through brief, repeated observation and scoring cycles and effectively pinpoints areas for improvement. 28 pages.

A helpful, informative companion to the Ages & Stages Questionnaires®: Social-Emotional, Second Edition (ASQ:SE-2) screening system, this DVD gives an overview of emotional and social development and provides a thorough introduction to ASQ:SE-2®:. Viewers get an inside look at the screening system in practice as they watch a home visitor using ASQ:SE-2®: with the family of a 4-year-old boy. They'll see how parents complete the questionnaires, with close-ups of sample questions. With this instructive DVD, early interventionists, home visitors, pediatricians, teachers, and other professionals will be fully prepared to administer and score ASQ:SE-2®:.

PreK & up. Self-directed, open-ended activities incorporating daily events and ordinary materials help children easily learn science and math. 246 pages.

The child-care industry--essential to American families and to the American economy--is on the verge of collapse. Before COVID-19 struck, the child-care industry faced funding issues and staffing dilemmas, while families struggled to find--or simply afford--quality child care. The reality is that COVID-19 has only exacerbated the challenges of the already-fragile child-care ecosystem. America's Child-Care Crisis takes a hard look at the current state of the industry and explores how to save this critical service by: identifying the systemic changes needed, altering public opinion of the field, securing state and federal dollars for the private sector, prioritizing the growth of family child-care homes, educating parents on quality care and helping them access it, and obtaining business support. Paperback. 160 pages.

Ideal for sharing with pre-K educators new to the CLASS®! Provides an overview of the teacher-child interactions that form the popular classroom observation tool. Describes each of the 10 teacher-child interactions (or "dimensions") that make up the CLASS® assessment, explaining it's importance for children's social-emotional and academic growth. Provides practical strategies and tips to help teachers improve the effectiveness of their teaching across each of the CLASS® dimensions. Available in English or Spanish.

Features 700 experiences and activities that are perfect for infants from birth to 18 months and organized by developmental areas which are essential building blocks for development. The appendix is full of songs, rhymes, recipes, sign language, recommended books and family connection resources. 272 pages.

Turn stressful transition times into fun learning experiences with practical, simple activities. From Good Morning to Circle Time to Clean-Up, every part of the day is addressed with appropriate, imaginative activities. Periods of time between planned activities will become teachable moments using this invaluable resource. These easy-to-use transition activities will take the teacher smoothly throughout the day, week, month and year. Contains over 400 activities and ideas. 288 pages.

Learn how to rethink discipline policies, strengthen team spirit, and implement policy changes with Developing and Implementing Effective Discipline Policies, the workbook companion to the award-winning book Effective Discipline Policies. Written for early childhood administrators and principals, trainers, coaches, and consultants, this book can help guide your policies to success! Using the five-step model, discover how to use the data gained from the unique Teaching and Guidance Policy Essentials Checklist (TAGPEC) tool to: build teams, rethink discipline approaches, develop young children's social-emotional competence to reduce challenging behaviors, train staff, implement school-wide policies, and support continuous quality improvement efforts. Successful behavior-guidance approaches in early childhood programs aren't only possible, they are also highly successful!

In a complex and changing landscape of scare funding, high turnover rates, and differing view about priorities, the early childhood profession needs an anchor. The Whole Leadership Framework, developed by the McCormick Center for Early Childhood Leadership, helps early childhood professionals inspire their staffs' collaboration, creativity, and ethical commitment. Learn how to: develop foundational leadership attributes and competencies, use both day-to-day management and long-range leadership skills, encourage family engagement, and advocate for children and families in your community. Paperback. 200 pages.

Through the activities in this book, teachers and caregivers are shown how easy it is to foster children's sense of curiosity through group explorations that promote social connection and positive development. With step-by-step instructions, "Getting to the Heart of Learning' weaves social-emotional learning into activities that support math, science, literacy, and motor skills. Rather than adding in activities throughout the day, these explorations integrate social-emotional learning across the curriculum through group involvement and building community. Learn how to strengthen home-to-school connections, too, with easy strategies that help families develop a shared vision for student's social-emotional and academic success. Paperback. 180 pages.

Enrich classroom learning centers with lively, fun activities designed to stimulate exciting learning for young children. This critical resource includes over 200 activities for the following centers: Manipulatives, Construction, Woodworking, Blocks, Music, Gross Motor, Library, Science, Dramatic Play, Art, and Sand and Water. Over 200 easy-to-plan learning center activities for language and literacy, science, manipulatives, art and more. 272 pages by Sharon MacDonald.

PreK - Grade 1. Recycle, reuse, and create with this innovative activity book! Use bags to make masks, kites, buildings, art projects, and more. Meet state standards while helping children learn about the environment. 100 pages.

Over 40 activities that focus on controlling teasing and bullying with friendship, community, and expressing feelings. Use these activities, the classroom environment, and family involvement to create a climate of mutual respect in the classroom. 128 pages.

Most early childhood teachers are using learning centers in the classroom, but do not approach them in ways that fully support a variety of learning opportunities. This book approaches learning centers through the STEM lens, and shares how themes can be integrated into centers to promote creativity and higher-level thinking. "STEM Play" provides varied activities for the most common centers: art, blocks, dramatic play, literacy, math, science, music and movement. Full of beautiful, full-color photos that show the activities in real early childhood classrooms, teachers can easily use the book's ideas immediately in their curriculum. Also includes a "How To" section for teachers who wish to expand on the STEM focus and use themed activities in their learning centers. Paperback. 174 pages.