Developmentally Appropriate Practice Online

The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) has released the third edition of Developmentally Appropriate Practice. This publication outlines NAEYC’s developmentally appropriate practice principles and guidelines for teachers and others in the field of early childhood education – that is, teaching practices that ensure that young children learn and develop to their fullest potential. The first of three distance learning programs to help early childhood educators understand and implement the new principles and guidelines is now available online.

The Condition of Latinos in Education 2008

The Condition of Latinos in Education synthesizes national and public data to provide a snapshot of the educational progress, strengths and needs of the Hispanic population. The report focuses on the education pipeline, additional educational issues, and workforce information. Excelencia in Education promotes the use of this data to inform public policy and institutional practice to achieve the mission of accelerating student success for Latinos in higher education.

High Schools as Launch Pads

According to High Schools as Launch Pads, published by College Summit, in order to reduce the dropout rate schools must stop seeing high school graduation as their ultimate goal and start seeing themselves as launch pads for college and career success. A growing body of research suggests that students who work hard in high school do so because they connect their efforts with college and career rewards after high school. This paper argues that building a college-going culture in high school not only increases the likelihood of college degree attainment, but also improves the likelihood that students will graduate from high school college-ready.

Developing Students’ Creative Skills

Creativity, ingenuity and innovation are the keys to success in the evolving global economy. According to the Partnership for 21st Century Skills’ guide, many of the fastest-growing jobs and emerging industries rely on workers' ability to think unconventionally, question the herd, imagine new scenarios, and produce astonishing work. To prepare young people for work and life in the 21st century, educators must cultivate students' creativity. Students must learn how to imagine the unimaginable and hone their creative skills. According to creativity expert Robert Epstein, "creativity is at the heart of problem-solving. . . . If [teachers] help them develop creative competencies, they will be better equipped for the world."

Science Learning

According to a new report by the committee of the National Research Council, field trips, TV shows and other extracurricular activities may vastly improve students' understanding of science. "Learning is broader than schooling, and informal science environments and experiences play a crucial role," said Philip Bell, co-chair of the committee that wrote the report. Visiting museums and aquariums, attending after-school programs, watching TV documentaries, and taking a walk in the park all contribute to people’s knowledge of and interest in science. These experiences can kick-start and sustain long-term interests that involved sophisticated learning. The report offers recommendations for people who design programs in informal settings, and encourages educators to partner with local communities to develop exhibits and experiences.

Strong Leaders, Strong Achievement

A good deal of research in the area of leadership has helped to generate broad agreement on what constitutes a comprehensive leadership program or policy. Measures such as the Educational Leadership Policy Standards have helped inform the development and improvement of many leadership programs and policies. The risk, however, is that in implementing a “comprehensive” set of standards or requirements, those elements noted by research as most critical to improving achievement can simply become another box on a check list. Recent ECS brief, Strong Leaders, Strong Achievement, seeks to help reduce that risk by focusing on those factors most closely linked to student success.