We present a developmental model that describes normal peer relations and highlights processes that underlie the emergence of problems with peers in childhood. We propose that children's relationships with peers begin in the first years of life, with stable individual differences and preferences for particular peers emerging by three years of age. Social skills that facilitate peer relationships consolidate in the preschool years, during which time peer groups become structured with respect to friendship groups, gender, and dominance relations; some children begin to be rejected by their peers. In later childhood some children develop entrenched problems with peer relationships, in terms of loneliness, bullying and victimisation. Underlying cognitive and emotional processes that facilitate successful peer relationships at all ages are identified, and the extent to which peer relations play a causal role in the genesis of disorder is evaluated. A review of the evidence suggests that, rather than a simple pathway from problematic peer relations to disorder, there is a reciprocal relationship between children's problems with peers and their psychological problems from infancy to adolescence.

Peer relations in childhood

Policy and program decisions involve choices among different ways of preparing teachers. These choices are shrouded in increasingly contentious debates as teacher shortages reach crisis proportions. Yet, research on special education teacher education is almost nonexistent. Findings from comparative research documenting the characteristics of effective teacher education programs can inform these choices, but these findings should be grounded in what we know from previous research in general teacher education. To assist educators, we have analyzed literature in general and special teacher education toward two ends. First, we present a framework, derived from work in general education, for analyzing teacher education programs. Second, we use this framework to analyze practice in teacher education in special education. Specifically, we conducted an exhaustive review of special education program descriptions and evaluations. We conclude by describing steps necessary to improve the special education teacher ed...

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Critical Features of Special Education Teacher Preparation: A Comparison With General Teacher Education

The inclusive attitudes of 181 undergraduate preservice general educators were measured using modified versions of the Opinions Relative to Integration of Students with Disabilities scale. A series...

Inclusive Attitudes, Strengths, and Weaknesses of Pre-service General Educators Enrolled in a Curriculum Infusion Teacher Preparation Program

With the increased implementation of inclusive education, teacher educators have been challenged to make changes in programmes to prepare preservice teachers to educate diverse learners. These changes are reflected in various types of teacher preparation programmes that are transformations of traditional general education and special education programmes. However, little is known about the ways in which these transformed teacher preparation programmes influence preservice teachers’ attitudes toward inclusive education as future inclusive educators. To investigate the influence of teacher preparation programmes on preservice teachers’ attitudes toward inclusion, a survey method was used to collect data from preservice teachers in ten teacher preparation programmes. The responses from 110 preservice teachers were analysed according to the type of teacher preparation programme (i.e. combined, separate, or general teacher preparation programmes). The results indicated that preservice teachers from combined te...

Influence of teacher preparation programmes on preservice teachers’ attitudes toward inclusion

This article provides an analysis of how collaborative teacher education has developed in terms of practice, discourse, and the relationship between general and special education across three historical stages. It explores how collaborative teacher education between general and special education has been positioned over time in relationship to larger national reform efforts in teacher education. Approaching the history of collaborative teacher education developmentally from these three perspectives sheds light on how today’s emphasis on collaboration and multiple certifications intersects with what it means to teach in a diverse society and what it means to prepare teachers to meet the needs of every student.

A Historical Perspective on the Role of Collaboration in Teacher Education Reform: Making Good on the Promise of Teaching All Students

Advocates of developmentally appropriate early childhood education are increasingly interested in promoting inclusive programs of early education and care for both typically-developing children and children with disabilities. The success of such programs is contingent upon the availability of personnel trained to meet the individual needs of children with a wide range of abilities. There is currently a scarcity of teachers who are adequately prepared to meet such a challenge. In this article, we describe the collaborative conceptualization and implementation of a preservice teacher education program in early childhood and early childhood special education in the Departments of Special Education and Instruction and Curriculum at the University of Florida. Processes of program initiation and development are delineated, and factors that have supported and challenged the program's success are described The successes and pitfalls outlined here can inform others seeking to meet the challenge of preparing teache...

Preparing Teachers for Inclusive Education: The Development of a Unified Teacher Education Program in Early Childhood and Early Childhood Special Education.

Peer relationships provide an important context for the young child's social development. Teachers can influence children's developing social competence in a variety of ways. This article describes how teachers can support children's peer relationships by intentionally shaping the classroom's physical and emotional context. With these basic supports in place, teachers can effectively use planned activities and on-the-spot guidance to help children learn to interact competently and form satisfying relationships.

Getting along: How teachers can support children's peer relationships

Prosocial behaviors that occurred when five-year-olds interacted within different learning/activity centers in a multi-age preschool setting were investigated. Using field observations and interviews, researchers examined the prosocial behaviors of nine target five-year-old children. The children and their 20 younger classmates were observed for a total of 45 hours. The 415 observed prosocial behaviors occurred in 16 learning/activity centers. There were significantly more proximity seeking, helping, and sharing behaviors than other kinds of prosocial behaviors in the centers. The children were most prosocial in the creating type centers. The authors share reasons for the findings and implications for classrooms.

Prosocial behaviors of five-year-old children in sixteen learning/activity centers

This article describes the start of the school year in three multi-age classrooms where 8 new kindergarten children join 16 returning first and second graders. The authors (professor/observers and teachers) describe what happens during the first week of school in this setting where the students remain with their teachers for 3 years. They explain what the start of the year is like for the returning students (first and second graders), the new students (kindergartners), the parents, and the teachers.

A Comfortable Start for Everyone: The First Week of School in Three Multi-Age (K-2) Classrooms.

Project Friends is a learning community based on our confidence in the multi-age classroom as a valuable and viable vehicle for teaching young children. Our three multi-age classrooms of kinder-garten, first- and second-grade children were the served as the setting for Project Friends. In this article, we share our beginnings, significant features and outcomes of the learning community, and our reflections on a year ended in Project Friends. Our experiences and the experiences of the children in the multi-age classrooms continue to provide rich contexts for teaching and learning in the elementary school.

Lynn Hartle

Papers

Preparing Teachers for Inclusive Education: The Development of a Unified Teacher Education Program in Early Childhood and Early Childhood Special Education.

Getting along: How teachers can support children's peer relationships

Prosocial behaviors of five-year-old children in sixteen learning/activity centers

A Comfortable Start for Everyone: The First Week of School in Three Multi-Age (K-2) Classrooms.

Project Friends: A multi-age learning community