Early+Childhood

=**__Writing__**= -submitted by Noel Brown, Kristen Schaefer, and Becky Lambert Article Review

-submitted by Noel Brown, Kristen Schaefer, and Becky Lambert

-submitted by Linda Templeton Article Review

-submitted by Linda Templeton This article discusses the importance of effective communication and how it relates to success in today’s competitive workplace. In addition to traditional writing and speaking proficiency, courses should stress the less emphasized but necessary skills of listening, phone usage, meeting management, collaboration, and interpersonal communication. The article details in depth the use of the “fishbowl” discussion, a term derived from the format of the discussion. The jest of the format is that a portion of the class meets in the center of the room as active participants, with the remaining members of the class seated around the discussion group as observers—listening to and evaluating the dynamics of the smaller group.

-submitted by Linda Templeton The purpose of this article was to present ideas that educators can use to understand the students in their class, think about their roles as the teacher of the class, and reflect on the process used to teach the students. A sub-goal was to present new information teachers can use to better understand a student's thinking, their own thinking, and their teaching processes based on Vygotsky's theories.

-submitted by Linda Templeton This article explores how interdisciplinary programs and courses measure student success and performance. Conceptual foundations when using rubrics focus on assessing literature outcomes and defining and assessing interdisciplinary understanding. Levels of the rubric discussed included naive, novice, and mastery interdisciplinary understanding. The article promotes the use of rubrics as we identify the benchmarks and misconceptions associated with interdisciplinary learning.

-submitted by Linda Templeton Article Review

-submitted by Linda Templeton Abstract: This research project examines students' reactions to in-class discussion as an instructional technique by investigating the effect of participation practices on communication-based skill development. The findings provide evidence that active preparation and participation in class discussion can be linked to students' reports of improved oral and written communication skills. Conclusions suggest that discussion can be a useful addition to cross-curricular programs (such as writing and speaking across the curriculum) and stand alone courses (such as public speaking). This technique can be used in combination with other strategies.

=**__Problem Solving__**=

-submitted by Ashley Cochran and Jennifer Hunter This study explores how a project-based approach was implemented in a public school program where the majority of students were from low-income families. The first-grade teachers in this study were able to change their teaching practices to include more strategies commonly found in gifted programs such as brainstorming, creating surveys, and collecting data. The teachers indicated a greater comfort level with a child-centered and project-based approach to curricular units over the course of the study. This paper also highlights several challenges to implementing project-based approaches in the early childhood classroom.

=__Multiculturalism and The Student Centered Approach__=

In the United States we are currently experiencing an exorbitant amount of change in the race and culture of our citizens. Recent statistics indicate one in four Americans currently define himself/herself as non-white. By this year, because of the increase in birth rates and immigration trends, non-whites are expected to constitute more than one third of the American people, and approximately 50 percent of its school aged population.

As we continue to become more diverse, teachers, administrators and other education personnel will be faced with a challenge. The challenge will be to become more knowledgeable about the assumptions, attributes, and norms for a range of cultures. The challenges will be revealed in every dimension of school life from curriculum to the communication that occurs in classrooms. As a result, the issue of cultural diversity will be a necessity. Diversity will have to be taken into account if effective education is to be a reality in our school. - submitted by ChaToya Hayden and Juan Garcia