Effective Early Childhood Professional Development

Improving Teacher Practice and Child Outcomes

With this authoritative research volume, administrators and policy makers will discover the latest findings on best professional development practices in early childhood education-and learn how to scale up successful efforts across an entire district or state.

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Professional development practices that really improve child outcomes—that's what every early childhood education program needs. With this authoritative research volume, administrators and policy makers will discover the latest findings on best professional development practices—and learn how to scale up successful efforts across an entire district or state.

Based on the annual leadership symposium of the National Center for Research on Early Childhood Education (NCRECE), this book is a must for anyone engaged in high-level efforts to ensure teacher quality. Through clear explanations of cutting-edge research from two dozen respected contributors, readers will

• investigate specific, field-tested professional development (PD) models that improved both teacher practice and child outcomes (with a spotlight on Robert Pianta's effective MyTeachingPartner framework)
• learn how these models helped educators teach academic content areas (early literacy, math, and science) and improve children's social-emotional skills
• examine positive teacher attributes that PD efforts should target, such as increased self-regulation skills and reduced cognitive overload
• discover success strategies for scaling up professional development efforts through existing infrastructure and more investment in teacher quality (includes an extended case study on a comprehensive PD program in Texas)
• explore the policy implications of the professional development interventions described in this volume

Essential reading for early childhood administrators, policy makers, and researchers, this important book will help bring about widespread improvements in professional development programs—key to advancing teacher quality and better outcomes for young children.

Reviews

Mark Nagasawa, Education Review - July 10, 2013

"The collection points to promising approaches and also offers readers much to think about, in particular how research and evaluation findings (and which ones) influence the kinds of federal and state policies needed to shift systemic resources towards evidence-informed professional development practices."

: Midwest Book Review, Library Bookwatch Education Shelf - August 29, 2012

"A strong addition to community library education and education administration collections."

Pam Winton, FPG Child Development Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill - February 1, 2012

"With clarity and focus, this volume outlines what is known and NOT known about effective models of professional development . . . a must read for those with the money, power and authority to make professional development decisions."

Susan Neuman, Professor of Educational Studies, University of Michigan - January 9, 2012

"Well-organized and research-based . . . A much-needed resource for preparing and sustaining high quality teaching in early childhood."

Series Editors: Carollee Howes Ph.D., Robert C. Pianta Ph.D. Volume Editor: Bridget K. Hamre Ph.D. Foreword Author: Martha Zaslow Ph.D. Chapter Authors: Karen L. Bierman Ph.D., Clancy Blair Ph.D., Margaret Burchinal Ph.D., April D. Crawford Ph.D., Karen E. Diamond Ph.D., Celene E. Domitrovich Ph.D., Jason T. Downer Ph.D., Scott D. Gest Ph.D., Sukhdeep Gill Ph.D., Faiza M. Jamil M.Ed., Laura M. Justice Ph.D., Carolyn R. Kilday Ph.D., Mable B. Kinzie Ph.D., Susan H. Landry Ph.D., Christine P. Li-Grining Ph.D., Michelle F. Maier Ph.D., Anita S. McGinty Ph.D., Robert L. Nix Ph.D., Douglas Powell Ph.D., C. Cybele Raver Ph.D., Emily J. Solari Ph.D., Jessica E. Vick Whittaker Ph.D., Jeffrey M. Williams Ph.D., Amanda P. Williford Ph.D., Tricia A. Zucker Ph.D.