Presents an Australian perspective on the issues in expressive arts in early childhood education by authors who are researching, teaching and actively involved in the arts as theatre directors, painter designers, adjudicators, advisers, actors or arts administrators in community organizations at the national and international level. It constitutes a collective look at the arts and young children. This volume covers a wide spectrum of arts areas, including the roles of the teacher as co-worker, collaborator, guide, facilitator and stage-manager; the tertiary educator in indigenous art, improvizational drama, and movement and dance; and the early childhood adviser in national, non-commercial television production. In addition, there is discussion on the national broadcasting standards required for children's commercial television production in Australia, the value of language and literature in the lives of young children and experimental programmes for theatre companies and symphony orchestras.

Young Children and the Arts: Nurturing Imagination and Creativity examines the place of the arts in the experiences of young and very young children at home and in out-of-home settings at school and in the community. There is great need for development of resources in the arts specifically designed to introduce babies and toddlers to participatory experiences in the visual arts, dance, music, and storytelling/theater. This book presents valuable guidelines for early childhood teachers, families, caregivers and community organizations. Young Children and the Arts presents a comprehensive approach to the arts that is aligned with early childhood developmentally appropriate practice and that combines an exploratory, materials-based approach with an aesthetic-education approach for children from birth to eight years of age. It addresses both how the arts are foundational to learning, and how teachers and parents can nurture young children’s developing imagination and creativity. The models presented emphasize a participatory approach, introducing young children to the arts through activities that call for engagement, initiative and creative activity. Additionally, Young Children and the Arts addresses the intersection of early childhood education and the arts—at points of convergence, and at moments of tension. The role of families and communities in developing and promoting arts suffused experiences for and with young children are addressed. Young Children and the Arts examines the role of innovative arts policy in supporting a broad-based early arts program across the diverse settings in which young children and their families live, work, and learn.

Playing and Learning in Early Childhood Education supports early childhood education students, practitioners, and primary educators to engage in the exploration of the theoretical framework of play, characteristics of play, the environmental and cultural factors that influence play, and the application of developmentally appropriate play practices. Playing and Learning in Early Childhood Education is grounded in sharing new research, practices, and ways of knowing about play and its contributions it makes to the lives of children and how play sets the foundation for later academic and life dispositions. This new edition reinforces how play prepares children to develop the critical thinking, problem solving, their desire to be curious, and creative expression that facilitates their communication skills, ability to embrace place, community, their culture, and diversity amongst peers. These skills form the foundation for the 21st century skills needed that focus on STEAM - Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math.

"Lisa Kay ... helps readers consider and explore art therapy and therapeutic practices that can be user in the classroom. She also explores the unique challenges of working with youth in urban settings and provides a PLAYbook of ideas that are ready to use or modify for use in in your own setting."--

"Much of the content in this book is adapted from Teaching young children (TYC), NAEYC's award-winning magazine ..."--Page [120].

Cognitive-Behavioral Play Therapy (CBPT) incorporates cognitive and behavioral interventions within a play therapy paradigm. It provides a theoretical framework based on cognitive-behavioral principles and integrates these in a developmentally sensitive way. Thus, play as well as verbal and nonverbal approaches are used in resolving problems. CBPT differs from nondirective play therapy, which avoids any direct discussion of the child's difficulties. A specific problem-solving approach is utilized, which helps the child develop more adaptive thoughts and behaviors. Cognitive-behavioral therapies are based on the premise that cognitions determine how people feel and act, and that faulty cognitions can contribute to psychological disturbance. Cognitive-behavioral therapies focus on identifying maladaptive thoughts, understanding the assumptions behind the thoughts, and learning to correct or counter the irrational ideas that interfere with healthy functioning. Since their development approximately twenty-five years ago, such therapies have traditionally been used with adults and only more recently with adolescents and children. It has commonly been thought that preschool-age and school-age children are too young to understand or correct distortions in their thinking. However, the recent development of CBPT reveals that cognitive strategies can be used effectively with young children if treatments are adapted in order to be developmentally sensitive and attuned to the child's needs. For example, while the methods of cognitive therapy can be communicated to adults directly, these may need to be conveyed to children indirectly, through play activities. In particular, puppets and stuffed animals can be very helpful in modeling the use of cognitive strategies such as countering irrational beliefs and making positive self-statements. CBPT is structured and goal oriented and intervention is directive in nature.

Thinking Through the Arts draws together a number of different approaches to teaching young children that combine the experience of thinking with the act of expression through art. Developed as an inclusive, broad-ranging and user-friendly text, Thinking Through the Arts presents the unique insight of teachers as researchers, and counters the view that art is emotionally-based and therefore irrelevant to thinking and learning. The areas covered include drama, dance, music, arts environments, technologies, museums and galleries, literacy, cognition, international influences, curriculum development, research and practice. Early childhood and primary teachers and students alike will find this book is an invaluable source of new insights for their own teaching.

Tap into children's natural curiosity and scaffold their creative abilities across all domains of learning--and nurture your own creativity!

The Creative Curriculum comes alive! This videotape-winner of the 1989 Silver Apple Award at the National Educational Film and Video Festival-demonstrates how teachers set the stage for learning by creating a dynamic well-organized environment. It shows children involved in seven of the interest areas in the The Creative Curriculum and explains how they learn in each area. Everyone conducts in-service training workshops for staff and parents or who teaches early childhood education courses will find the video an indispensable tool for explainin appropriate practice.