Intentional Teacher, The

This book looks at the instructional divides in early childhood and attempts to find common ground. It recognises that there is a middle ground where children and adults share responsibility for learning, and that the most effective teachers make thoughtful, intentional use of both child-guided and adult-guided experiences. It encourages the practitioner to reflect on both principles and practices and broaden their thinking about appropriate early curriculum content and related strategies. It provides specific ideas and strategies for interacting with children in key subject areas and attempts to address the question as to what content learning is likely to occur from children's own activities and what content usually requires direct adult instruction. The content is based on current research, recommended preschool practice and input from over forty project consultants including researchers, curriculum specialists, teacher-educators, and practitioners with expertise in one or more content areas. In addition the author has used her own 35 years of professional experience in curriculum development, staff training and educational research.

Content

Acknowledgments
Preface: Why the Intentional Teacher?

Chapter 1: Introducing Intentional Teaching
Intentional Teaching Terms

Chapter 2: Best Practices for Intentional Teaching
An Overview of Best Practice, Using Best Practices to Support Intentional Teaching

Chapter 3: Language and Literacy
Young Children's Development in Language and Literacy
Teaching and Learning in Language and Literacy
Fitting the Learning Experience to the Learning Objective

Chapter 4: Mathematics and Scientific Inquiry
Scientific Inquiry and Its Relationship to Mathematics
Young Children's Development in Mathematics and Scientific Inquiry
Teaching and Learning in Mathematics and Scientific Inquiry
Computer Technology
Fitting the Learning Experience to the Learning Objective
Number and Operations - Child-guided experience, Adult-guided experience
Geometry and Spatial Sense - Child-guided experience, Adult-guided experience
Measurement - Child-guided experience, Adult-guided experience
Patterns, Functions, and Algebra - Child-guided experience, Adult-guided experience
Data Analysis - Child-guided experience, Adult-guided experience

Chapter 5: Social Skills and Understandings
How Social Studies Fits In
Young Children's Development in Social Skills and Understandings
Teaching and Learning in Social Skills and Understandings
Fitting the Learning Experience to the Learning Objective
Emotional Learning - Child-guided experience, Adult-guided experience
Social Learning - Child-guided experience, Adult-guided experience

Chapter 6: Physical Movement
Young Children's Development in Physical Movement
Teaching and Learning in Physical Movement
Fitting the Learning Experience to the Learning Objective
Movement Skills - Child-guided experience, Adult-guided experience
Movement Concepts - Child-guided experience, Adult-guided experience

Chapter 7: The Visual Arts
Young Children's Development in the Visual Arts
Teaching and Learning in the Visual Arts
Fitting the Learning Experience to the Learning Objective
Creating Visual Art - Child-guided experience, Adult-guided experience
Appreciating Visual Art - Child-guided experience, Adult-guided experience

Chapter 8: Reflections on Intentional Teaching
Guiding Principles of Intentional Teaching

Final Thoughts