In the short span of three years, infants learn to move with confidence and grace, to converse with ease, to investigate and solve problems, and to help others in need—building an exquisite foundation for all learning that follows. Maguire-Fong has updated her groundbreaking book designed to assist pre- and inservice professionals working with infants and their families. Each chapter draws from research and real-life infant care settings to provide valuable insights into how to design an infant care program, plan curriculum, assess learning, and work with families. This popular resource is inspired by the philosophy of early childhood education developed in the schools in Reggio Emilia, Italy; from the work of Magda Gerber and Emmi Pikler; and from the many dedicated researchers intent on figuring out how infants make meaning.Book Features: Explicit examples that illustrate how to teach in ways that respect how infants learn. A new in-depth section describing how to plan curriculum by observing, documenting, and interpreting infants' play and interactions. A newly illustrated section that describes how play spaces, daily care routines, and everyday conversations and interactions can be transformed into contexts for learning that fully support infants' amazing capacity to learn. Examples of curriculum planning and assessment that align well with state and national performance standards and curriculum frameworks.

Table of Contents:
Foreword to the First Edition  J. Ronald Lally Prologue to the First Edition  T. Berry Brazelton Preface Part I. How Infants Learn 1. Infants as Active Meaning-Makers Infants Are Born Researchers Infants as Subjects, Not Objects A Triangle of Relationships from Research to Practice: Education Begins in Infancy 2. Relationships Shape the Developing Brain Sequence of Brain Development Experience Wires the Brain Neurons and How They Work Brain Plasticity: Benefit and Risk The Social Brain From Research to Practice: Building Strong Brains 3. Knowledge from the Infant's Point of View Three Types of Knowledge Learning Within Three Contexts From Research to Practice: Naming Knowledge in Infancy—Foundations for Learning 4. Policies That Support Relationships Primary Care Continuity of Care Small Group Size Culturally Respectful Care From Research to Practice: Reflective Supervision PART II. OBSERVING, DOCUMENTING, AND INTERPRETING TO SUPPORT INFANT LEARNING 5. Observing: Where Teaching and Learning Begin Observing, Documenting, and Interpreting Documentation that Supports Curriculum Planning Documentation to Assess Learning Documentation to Engage Families From Research to Practice: Re-visioning Curriculum 6. First Feelings Attachment How Babies Respond to Stress Proposing Possibilities for Learning From Research to Practice: Infant Mental Health 7. Sense of Self and Other Born Looking for Us Holding Others in Mind The Withdrawn Infant Caring and Cooperating Proposing Possibilities for Learning From Research to Practice: Shared Silent Stories 8. Taking Action: Motor Development Rising Up: Rotating, Sitting, Standing Moving Out: Locomotion Grasping Perceptual and Motor Challenges Proposing Possibilities for Learning From Research to Practice: Where Babies Find Themselves 9. Thinking: Cognitive Development Infants Investigate Infants Build Concepts Proposing Possibilities for Learning From Research to Practice: How Do We Know They Are Learning? 10. Communicating: Language Development Babies Seek Patterns in Language How the Brain Organizes Language Language Learning: A Shared Social Experience The Emergence of Speech Proposing Possibilities for Learning From Research to Practice: Literacy Begins in Infancy Part III. Contexts for learning 11. Play Spaces: Contexts for Wonder and Learning Play Spaces with Distinct Identity Familiarity and Surprise Seclusion Pathways To, Not Through, The Play Outdoors as a Learning Environment Safety, Sanitation, and Comfort 12. Care Routines: Contexts for Joy and Learning Welcoming, Peaceful Spaces for Care Care That Invites Participation Meals as Invitation to Participate Diapering as Invitation to Participate Napping as Invitation to Participate 13. Conversation and Interaction: Contexts for Learning Respectful Guidance Acknowledge Feelings or Intent Clear Limits: Convey the House Rules Frame a Limited Choice Temperament: A Goodness of Fit Touchpoints Difficult Behavior: A Child Seeking Safety 14. Who Cares for Babies? Access to Quality Infant Care Documentation as Tool for Advocacy Afterword to the First Edition  Ed Tronick References Index About the Author