Care and Education of the Young Child.

Early childhood education is the topic of this chapter from "Six Crucial Issues in Education." The Foreword and introduction to the book are provided. The following areas are discussed in this chapter: (1) Research--Bloom, Hunt's "Intelligence and Experience," Piaget; (2) Head Start and Other Compensatory Programs; (3) Public Attention to Education; (4) Day-Care Services--current controversy, rationale; (5) Infants and Parents--research on parents as teachers, projects to improve parents' teaching skills, Parent Child Centers; (6) Developmental Nursery Schools--what happens in nursery school, the Montessori schools; (7) Follow-Through Models; (8) Teaching School-Related Skills--academically oriented approach, behavioral analysis model; (9) Changing the School--Educational Development Center approach, Responsive Environment and Tucson Early Education Follow Through models; (10) Fostering Normal Development--Bank Street approach, cognitively oriented program; and (11) Planning Considerations--Increased Options, Parent Involvement, Quality Control, Staff Preparation (education), Administrative Responsibility, Value Judgements. A bibliography and list of additional sources are provided. (KM)