After years of advancing research on early childhood education, CYFS Director Susan Sheridan recently helped chronicle the state of the science in the latest edition of a handbook recognized as a standard-bearer for the field.
Sheridan served as co-associate editor for the newly published fifth edition of the “Handbook of Early Childhood Education,” a 634-page publication that reviews current research on early education and identifies its implications for practice and policy.
The publication specifically examines strategies for effectively promoting school readiness and social-emotional development among all children in preschool and the primary grades. It also highlights exemplary programs, instructional practices and professional development initiatives that encourage collaboration among early childhood professionals and the families of young children.
“The handbook is the definitive work of its kind and will be a great resource for practitioners, policymakers and education scientists,” said Samuel Odom, director of the Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill.
In addition to compiling and editing others’ work, Sheridan co-authored the chapter “Promoting Young Children’s Mental Health through Early Childhood Consultation: Ecological Advances and Research Needs” with CYFS Research Assistant Professors Brandy Clarke and Tanya Ihlo.
Several other CYFS researchers also contributed to the handbook. CYFS Research Associate Professor Lisa Knoche teamed with Faculty Affiliate Christine Marvin and former Student Affiliate Keely Cline to compose a chapter on fostering partnerships between parents and early childhood professionals. Faculty Affiliate Tiffany Hogan also co-authored a chapter on promoting language skills in early education classrooms.
Robert Pianta, dean of the Curry School of Education at the University of Virginia, served as editor for the handbook. W. Steven Barnett, director of the National Institute for Early Education Research at Rutgers University, and Laura Justice, professor of education and human ecology at The Ohio State University, joined Sheridan as co-associate editors.