Francis Mason (April 2, 1799 – 3 March 1874), American missionary and a naturalist, was born in York, England. His grandfather, also Francis Mason, was the founder of the Baptist Society in York, and his father, a shoemaker by trade, was a Baptist lay preacher there.

Early life
After working with his father as a shoemaker for several years, he emigrated in 1818 to the United States, and in Massachusetts was licensed to preach as a Baptist in 1827. In 1830 he was sent by the American Baptist Missionary Union to labor among the Karens in Burma.

Burma
In Burma, besides conducting a training college for native preachers and teachers at Tavoy, he translated the Bible into the two principal dialects of the Karens, the Sgaw and the Pwo (his translation being published in 1853), and Matthew, Genesis, and the Psalms into the Bghai dialect. He also published A Pali Grammar on the Basis of Kachchayano, with Chrestomathy and Vocabulary (1868). In 1849, he described a new species of pine, Tenasserim Pine in the journal of the Asiatic Society. In 1850 he published a book of great value on the fauna and flora of British Burma titled  The natural products of Burmah, or notes on the fauna, flora and minerals of the Tenasserim provinces, and the Burman empire. It was published by the American Mission Press at Moulmein. An improved edition appeared in 1860 under the title Burmah, its People and Natural Productions, and a third edition (2 vols.) revised and enlarged by William Theobald in 1882–1883.

Personal life
He was a Freemason and briefly faced exclusion from his missionary work due to certain views held by his wife, Ellen Huntly Bullard Mason, one of them being that God's way of speaking to Adam was revealed in the designs of the Burmese women's dresses. He died at Rangoon.

See his autobiography, The Story of a Working Man's Life, with Sketches of Travel in Europe, Asia, Africa and America (New York, 1870).

References

1799 births
1874 deaths
American religious leaders
Baptist missionaries in Myanmar
Translators of the Bible into Tibeto-Burman languages
American lexicographers
English Baptists
Baptist missionaries from the United States
American naturalists
English emigrants to the United States
19th-century Baptists
19th-century translators
English Baptist missionaries
American expatriates in Myanmar
Clergy from York
Missionary linguists
19th-century lexicographers

Francis Mason


The Magic City Jazz Orchestra (MCJO) is an American jazz ensemble which was founded in 1999 as a spin-off of the SuperJazz Big Band (formerly UAB SuperJazz) by Birmingham, Alabama jazz pianist and vocalist Ray Reach.  The mission of the group is to "...perform and record big band jazz music written by well known but under-recorded jazz artists." (From the Mission Statement of the MCJO bylaws.)

History

The SuperJazz Big Band (formerly UAB SuperJazz) was founded in the 1970s by several Birmingham, Alabama musicians who were interested in big band jazz, including Charles Ard, Mallory Pierce, Sonny Harris, Bernie Bell, and Dr. Everett Lawler.  Initially, the band met and rehearsed at Boutwell Recording Studio in Birmingham.  Later, the founding members of SuperJazz decided to affiliate with the newly formed Music Department at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), and subsequently became the first performing musical ensemble connected with UAB.  After a 20-plus year association with the UAB Music Department, ties were severed and the band adopted John Carroll Catholic High School as its rehearsal and concert home for several years.  As of September 2007, the group now presents concerts four times a year at the new Brock Recital Hall at Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama.  SuperJazz has remained a very popular jazz orchestra in the Birmingham metro area for more than 30 years.

SuperJazz has performed and/or recorded with many notable jazz artists, including Ernie Watts, Lou Marini, Lew Soloff, Chuck Redd, Andy Martin. Johnny O'Neal and Ellis Marsalis. In 2001, a recording titled "UAB SuperJazz, Featuring Ellis Marsalis" was released by UAB Entertainment Records. The CD, produced by UAB Music Department faculty members Ray Reach and Henry Panion and recorded at UAB's Alys Stephens Center for the Performing Arts, features arrangements by Founding Director Everett Lawler, trombonist Charlie Ard, saxophonist Neil McLean, arranger Steve Sample Sr and pianist Ray Reach.  SuperJazz has spawned a number of spin-off groups, such as the Night Flight Big Band and the Magic City Jazz Orchestra.

In 1998, Ray Reach, then director of the UAB Jazz Ensemble and founding director of the Magic City Jazz Orchestra, contacted New York saxophonist Lou Marini in order to hire him to be guest artist and clinician for the annual Weekend of Jazz festival at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB).  Mr. Marini subsequently came to Birmingham, where he conducted jazz workshops and appeared in concert with the SuperJazz Big Band.

Mr. Reach suggested to Marini that a recording of his numerous big band compositions and arrangements was long overdue.  Further, Reach suggested, Marini could make an exceptionally high quality recording using the musicians from SuperJazz and the recording facilities available in the Birmingham area. Mr. Marini agreed to do just that. This recording was, in fact, Marini's debut as a leader.

So, in 1999, Marini and Reach began work on co-producing a recording titled "Lou's Blues" at Bates Brothers Recording in Hueytown, a suburb of Birmingham.   Both Marini and Reach agreed that for this new recording they would assemble a new band composed of some of the regular members of SuperJazz, supplemented by other players from the area.  This new band needed a new name,  Thus, the Magic City Jazz Orchestra was born.

Following the successful recording of "Lou's Blues," Reach decided to make the MCJO an ongoing official organization, dedicated to the continuance of the great tradition of the American jazz orchestra.  He planned a series of jazz orchestra recordings, featuring well-known but under-recorded artists, such as Lou Marini, Lew Soloff, Tom Malone and others.

Recordings

To date, the MCJO has made recordings with saxophonist Lou Marini Jr. and trumpeter Lew Soloff.  In 2001, the MCJO released a CD with "Blue Lou" Marini, titled Lou's Blues, which elicited favorable reviews.  The group's personnel for Lou's Blues included:

 Founding Director:  Ray Reach
 Woodwinds:  Gary Hallquist, Gary Wheat, Neil McLean, Grady Chandler, Daniel Western and Kim Bain
 Trumpets:  Mart Avant, Chris Gordon, John Taylor, Craig Konicek, Bo Berry and Darryl Jones
 Trombones:  Steve Pryor, Edson Worden, Dr. Bob Black, Charles Ard, and Jim Moeller

The liner notes for this CD were written by Grammy Award-winning arranger and composer Bob Belden, who was formerly head of A & R (Artists and Repertoire) for Blue Note Records.

In addition, bass player Cleveland Eaton (formerly with the Ramsey Lewis Trio and the Count Basie Orchestra) performs with the band, as does Mike Williams (lead trumpeter with the Count Basie Orchestra) and "Blue" Lou Marini (of Saturday Night Live Band, Blues Brothers and Blood, Sweat and Tears fame).

Ray Reach, founding director of the MCJO recently (January, 2010) began work on a new recording to be released in the first quarter of 2011.  The title of this recording is "Spinning Wheel - The Magic City Jazz Orchestra plays the music of Blood, Sweat and Tears."  The CD will feature several former members of Blood, Sweat and Tears as soloists, including Lou Marini, Lew Soloff, Tom Malone and others.

Discography
 UAB SuperJazz, Featuring Ellis Marsalis
 Lou's Blues, Lou Marini and the Magic City Jazz Orchestra.
 Live at WorkPlay, Lew Soloff and the Magic City Jazz Orchestra.

References

External links
 Ray Reach - Official Website
 Official SuperJazz Website
 Magic City Jazz Orchestra on Facebook
 Magic City Jazz Orchestra on Myspace
 SuperJazz Big Band on Myspace
 Magic City Jazz Orchestra at AllAboutJazz.com
 SuperJazz Big Band at AllAboutJazz.com

American jazz ensembles from Alabama
Big bands
.
Musical groups established in 1999
Musical groups from Birmingham, Alabama
1999 establishments in Alabama

Magic City Jazz Orchestra


Tokio is a Japanese rock/pop band formed by Johnny & Associates that debuted in 1994. It is made up of three men who were signed with Sony Music Entertainment from 1994 to 2001, with Universal Music Japan from 2001 to 2008, and are now signed under J Storm, a label owned by Johnny & Associates. In addition to their activities as a band, the members of Tokio also act in dozens of dramas and host variety programmes, both as a group and individually.

The group's name "Tokio" was the old English romanization for Japan's capital Tokyo, and remains the current transliteration in several European languages. Unlike most other bands under Johnny & Associates, where all of the band members are usually only vocalists, Tokio only has one main vocalist, a drummer, a guitarist, a bassist, and a keyboardist. Bassist Tatsuya Yamaguchi was kicked out of the band in May 2018 following a sexual harassment scandal involving a high-school-aged girl. Subsequently, less choreography is used in concerts and promotional videos, and their music is often more rock-centric.

Since their debut in 1994, they have sold about 9 million copies.

History

1989–1993: Formation
Like the members of SMAP, the members of Tokio performed as background dancers for the idol group Hikaru Genji mainly in the form of the back-dancing group Heikeha, which also involved members of the band V6. In 1989, guitarist Shigeru Joshima and bassist Tatsuya Yamaguchi discovered they both played instruments in their own bands and decided to form their own, practicing in private and unknown to the company, calling themselves Joshima Band, or "Joh Band" for short. At one point, they also called themselves 'JURIA', combining their names using Joshima's "J", "URI" from the melon-shape of Yamaguchi's face, and rhythm-guitarist member Takehito Asakura's "A". Eventually, Johnny accepted them as a band, giving them the name "Tokio Band". At this point, members included Joshima, Yamaguchi, and new support member, rhythm guitarist Kazuhisa Watanabe.

In 1990, the original Tokio was formed when Joshima was put together with drummer Masahiro Matsuoka and keyboardist Taichi Kokubun, both of whom had also joined Joshima and Yamaguchi in a few of their practices in the past. Rhythm guitarist and vocalist Hiromu Kojima joined the group soon after this. During this time, Joshima underwent negotiations with Johnny Kitagawa himself into allowing Yamaguchi to join the band, and soon he became an official member as well. Tomoya Nagase, another Junior vocalist who had been making more and more headlines, began appearing with the newly formed Tokio on occasion as a support member, which created a bit of odd tension as the group appeared in magazines and on the radio with five members, but on TV and live performances with six members. One of their first live tours included one with the band SAY・S and included all six members.

1994–1999: Debut and onward
In 1994, just before the release of the band's debut single, "Love You Only", founding member Hiromu Kojima was succeeded by Nagase following Kojima's departure. Their debut single was released on September 21, 1994. Two months later, on November 21, 1994, their debut and self-titled album, Tokio was released. Their very first performance after their debut was held on New Year's Eve at the 1994 NHK Kouhakutagassen.

Soon after the release of Tokio, the band's first remix album was released in 1995, titled Tokio Remix. In 1996, the band recorded the song "7 O'Clock News" to be used as the theme song for the anime version of Kodocha. Due to licensing issues however, the song was not used as the theme song for the North American release of the series. Also in 1996, the band's first compilation album was released, titled Best E.P Selection of Tokio.

Throughout the rest of the decade, Tokio released 18 more singles and four more studio albums: Bad Boys Bound, Blowing, Wild & Mild, and Graffiti. From 1997 and onwards, some of the band's singles were used as theme songs in television shows, usually drama shows. In 1997, "Furarete Genki" was used as the theme song to Psychometrer Eiji a drama Matsuoka starred in, and "Julia" was used as the theme song for Seiji No Mikata, a drama that starred Taichi Kokubun. In 1999, "Love & Peace" was used as the theme song to Love and Peace, another drama that Matsuoka starred in, and "Ai no Arashi" was used as the theme song for Psychometrer Eiji 2.

2000–2004: Rise in popularity
In early 2000, Tokio released the album Yesterday & Today. Following the release of the single "Doitsu Mo Koitsu Mo" in early 2001, Tokio switch recording labels from Sony Music Entertainment to UMG. From the following single, "Oh!Heaven" was the theme song for Tengoku ni Ichiban Chikai Otoko, a drama that starred Matsuoka, and "Hitoribotchino haburashi" was the theme song for Mukodono!, a drama starring Tomoya Nagase. From then on, the majority of subsequently released singles would be used as theme songs for dramas starring members of Tokio. In December 2001, the first album under Universal Music, 5 Ahead, was released.

In May 2001, Tokio released their second compilation album, titled Best EP Selection of Tokio II. Since the release of the single "Ding Dong / Glider" in late 2002, the promotional videos for Tokio songs are directed by Masahiro Matsuoka. 2003 saw the release of the seventh studio album, Glider in February. In 2003, "Ambitious Japan!" was used as the theme song for JR Central's Nozomi train services on the Tōkaidō & San'yō Shinkansen lines.

In 2004, Taichi Kokubun took a leave from Tokio to form the temporary music unit Toraji Haiji with KinKi Kids member Tsuyoshi Domoto. Together they recorded the theme song for the movie Fantastipo, in which they starred in. To commemorate the tenth anniversary of their debut, Tokio released their first cover album, TOK10 in September 2004. It became the band's first number-one album.

2005–2017: Established band

In February 2005, the tenth full-length album (not including compilation albums), Act II was released. They released the single "Ashita o Mezashite!" on December 7, 2005. Tomoya Nagase composed and co-arranged the single with his lyrics, making it their first single composed by a member of the group. In 2005, Tokio was selected to be the host for the Johnny's Countdown 2005-2006 concert, a yearly event that counts down to the New Year. In 2006, Tokio released the single "Sorafune", which sold over 400,000 copies and charted for over four months, making it their most successful single. The Tokio single "Get Your Dream" was used as the theme song in Japan for the 2006 FIFA World Cup. Later in 2006, the group released their longest studio album to date, Harvest, containing seventeen tracks and two remix tracks.

In 2008, Tokio's shortest album was released, titled Sugar. The seven-track album contains the three singles released in 2007. Also in 2008, the band changed recording labels for the second time, switching to J Storm, a label owned by Johnny & Associates. Subsequently, all albums, singles, and other releases previously released under Universal Music were re-released on June 24, 2009.

Their first release under the new label was the four-track single "Amagasa/Akireru Kurai Bokura wa Negaō" on September 3, 2008. "Amagasa" was composed by Ringo Shiina with her lyrics and was arranged by Tokyo Jihen. Tokio released another four-track single titled "Taiyō to Sabaku no Bara/Subeki Koto" on August 19, 2009. After releasing the single "Advance/Mata Asa ga Kuru" on February 3, 2010, they released the single "Haruka" on June 16, 2010. "Haruka" went on to become their first number-one since December 2007. On 11 August 2010, they released the single "NaNaNa (Taiyo Nante Irane)", written by Kōji Tamaki and arranged by Anzen Chitai. Next they released the single "Miageta Ryūsei", which was used as the theme song for Kōkōsei Restaurant, a drama starring Matsuoka. Ahead of the Plus tour, which ran from March to May 2011, Tokio released their first digital single, "Plus", on dwango.jp for a limited time.

On 22 August 2012, Tokio released their twelfth studio album titled 17, their first full-length album in six years. To support the album, the band embarked on the 1718 tour, which ran until September. Tokio's third compilation album, Heart, was released in July 2014. It included two new songs, "Heart" and "Kokoro", written by Nagase and Joshima. Heart went on to become the band's second number-one album. Tokio's final single, "Kumo", was released on 30 August 2017.

2018–present: Music hiatus
On 25 April 2018, news broke that Yamaguchi had been referred to prosecutors for allegedly kissing a girl against her will at his home in February 2018. On 6 May 2018, Johnny & Associates announced that they had terminated their contract with Yamaguchi. As a result of the scandal, Tokio indefinitely suspended all music activities.

In July 2020, Nagase announced that he was to leave the band to pursue his own endeavors. On 31 March 2021, he withdrew from Tokio and retired from the entertainment industry.

On 1 April 2021, the 3 remaining members established a new company called Tokio Co., Ltd., an affiliate to Johnny & Associates. Joshima was made the president of the company, while Kokubun and Matsuoka became the vice presidents. On 2 October 2023, it was informed that Joshima would become plenipotentiary president and CEO of the company, taking over the role held by Julie K. Fujishima. This was informed in the company's official site. Kokubun and Matsuoka remain as vicepresidents.

Band members
Current members
  is the guitarist, vocalist and leader of Tokio. He was the original member, having founded the band in 1989.
  is the drummer and vocalist for the band, having joined in 1990.
  is the keyboardist, pianist and vocalist. He joined in 1990.

Former members
 , like most of the other band members, joined in 1990, but left the band in 1994, just prior to their debut. He was the rhythm guitarist and lead vocalist, and was replaced by Tomoya Nagase.
  was the bassist and vocalist for Tokio, who also joined in 1989. He left the band in 2018.
  is the lead vocalist and guitarist. He is occasionally known for being the youngest member of the band. He is also an actor and has starred in numerous dramas, such as My Boss My Hero. Nagase was the last member to join Tokio, joining in 1994, but having made appearances with them before that. He was fifteen years old when the band debuted. He has announced in July 2020, that he was to leave the band to pursue his own endeavors.

Timeline

Discography

Studio albums
 Tokio (1994)
 Bad Boys Bound (1995)
 Blowing (1996)
 Wild & Mild (1997)
 Graffiti (1998)
 Yesterday & Today (2000)
 5 Ahead (2001)
 Glider (2003)
 Act II (2005)
 Harvest (2006)
 Sugar (2008)
 17 (2012)

Compilation albums
 Best E.P Selection of Tokio (1996)
 Best EP Selection of Tokio II (2004)
 Heart (2014)

Appearances

Variety
Tokio currently hosts  and has previously hosted  and 5LDK, all variety shows. Tokio members have also performed in other variety shows both as a group, such as on Tetsuwan Dash (ザ!鉄腕!DASH!!), as well as individually. Below is a list of individual performances:
  – Taichi Kokubun (with regular guest Shigeru Joshima)
  – Shigeru Joshima
  – Shigeru Joshima
  – Tatsuya Yamaguchi
 R30 – Taichi Kokubun
  – Taichi Kokubun
  – Taichi Kokubun
  – Taichi Kokubun
  – Shigeru Joshima

Commercials
As of November 2013, Tokio is involved in a nationwide advertising campaign promoting rice from Fukushima Prefecture.

References

External links
 J-Storm TOKIO official website
 Johnny's Entertainment Tokio official website
 Universal Music Japan official website
 Sony Music Japan official site

Japanese pop rock music groups
Japanese idol groups
Japanese boy bands
Johnny & Associates
Musical groups established in 1994
J Storm

Tokio (band)


Edward Ferrero (January 18, 1831 – December 11, 1899) was one of the leading dance instructors, choreographers, and ballroom operators in the United States. He also served as a Union Army general in the American Civil War, being most remembered for his conduct unbecoming in the Battle of the Crater (July 1864), where he was reported to have been drinking with another general behind the lines as both their units were virtually destroyed.

Early life and career
Ferrero was born in Granada, Spain. His parents were natives of Italy, and had just arrived in Spain when their son was born. Thirteen months later, the family moved to the United States and settled in New York City. Ferrero's father, a noted dancer and a personal friend of the revolutionary General Giuseppe Garibaldi, soon opened a dance academy. When the elder Ferrero retired in his early fifties, Edward took over operation of the academy. He educated the wealthy and elite of New York society in the art of dance, and originated many dances that spread in popularity throughout the country. Ferrero became renowned as one of America's leading experts in dance. He worked part-time as a dance instructor at the United States Military Academy and was the author of The Art of Dancing in 1859.

Ferrero was interested in military affairs from his association as a youth with Garibaldi, and from his uncle, Colonel Lewis Ferrero, who had served in the Crimean War and the Italian campaign. Edward Ferrero became the lieutenant colonel of the 11th New York Militia Regiment, serving for six years in the militia organization. With his skills in choreography and instruction, his troops soon became known for their parade ground precision and military drill.

Civil War
With the outbreak of the Civil War in early 1861, Ferrero raised a regiment at his own expense, the 51st New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment (the "Shepard Rifles"). He was commissioned as its first colonel and drilled the regiment in military procedures. He led a brigade of three regiments in Maj. Gen. Ambrose Burnside's expedition to Roanoke Island, where his regiment seized the first fortified Confederate redoubt captured in the war. He also commanded a brigade at New Bern under Brig. Gen. Jesse L. Reno.

Transferred northward with his brigade to Virginia in the summer of 1862, he served in the army of Maj. Gen. John Pope during the Northern Virginia Campaign, including the Second Battle of Bull Run. In September, he served at the battles of South Mountain and Antietam, where his brigade was a part of the Union IX Corps and stormed Burnside's Bridge. For his personal bravery at Antietam, the dancer-turned-warrior was promoted to brigadier general of volunteers on September 19, 1862. (This commission expired in March 1863, but he was reappointed to rank from May 6. The latter appointment was revoked on July 21, 1864). His first action as a general was at Fredericksburg.

Sent to the Western Theater along with the IX Corps in early 1863, Ferrero led his brigade with distinction during the Siege of Vicksburg. He subsequently commanded a division during the Knoxville Campaign, and was in command of the defenses of Fort Sanders. Transferred eastward again in 1864 with the corps, he served in the Siege of Petersburg, commanding a division of black troops. His men were involved in the ill-fated July 30 charge on the Crater, where they suffered significant losses supporting the initial attack of Brig. Gen. James H. Ledlie's division. Both Ferrero and Ledlie received criticism for remaining in a shelter behind the lines through most of the battle, passing a bottle of rum between them. A court of inquiry headed by Maj. Gen. Winfield S. Hancock cited Ferrero for "being in a bomb-proof habitually, where he could not see the operation of his troops [nor know] the position of two brigades of his division or whether they had taken Cemetery Hill or not."

On December 2, 1864, Ferrero was breveted major general for "bravery and meritorious services." He served throughout the Appomattox Campaign in early 1865.

Postbellum
Ferrero mustered out of the army on August 24, 1865, and returned home to New York City. He chose not to reopen his previous dance academy, but instead leased a building in a new location, eventually turning it into a world-famed ballroom known as Apollo Hall, 31 West 28th Street at Broadway. In 1872, he terminated his lease and the building was converted into a theater.

Ferrero leased the ballroom of Tammany Hall for his academy and joined the Tammany Society, becoming socially active in Democratic political circles, although he never ran for office. He was active in veterans affairs, including the Grand Army of the Republic and the Loyal Legion. He also joined the Freemasons. He published a second best-selling book, The History of Dancing, which remains in print today.

He leased the Lenox Lyceum in January 1889 and continued as one of the country's foremost dance instructors for another decade. He retired in May 1899 when he became ill with a variety of ailments that claimed his life by the end of the year.

Ferrero died in New York City and is buried in Green-Wood Cemetery, Brooklyn.

Ferrero's books
 The Art of Dancing Historically Illustrated to Which is Added a Few Hints on Etiquette .
 The History of Dancing .

See also

 List of American Civil War generals (Union)

Notes

References
 Eicher, John H., and Eicher, David J., Civil War High Commands, Stanford University Press, 2001, .
 Warner, Ezra J., Generals in Blue: Lives of the Union Commanders, Louisiana State University Press, 1964, .
 New York Times obituary

External links

 Antietam on the Web

 New York Press article on Ferrero
 New York State Military Museum press clippings and brief biography
 Green-Wood Cemetery Burial Search

Union Army generals
People of New York (state) in the American Civil War
American people of Italian descent
1831 births
1899 deaths
Burials at Green-Wood Cemetery
American choreographers
New York (state) Democrats

Edward Ferrero


Aisha, sometimes Sister Aisha (born Pamela Ross; 1962 in Wolverhampton, England) is a roots reggae singer.

Biography
Aisha's father ran a sound system, and she began singing at the age of eight, building up a strong local following before beginning her recording career. At the age of sixteen, she met Lippy, who owned the Locks City sound system, and she sang over the system's dub plates. In 1979, she successfully auditioned for the band Capital Letters as a backing vocalist. She went solo in 1984 and was soon introduced to Mad Professor, and after a few singles, Mad Professor produced her debut album, High Priestess (1988). A second album, Daughters of Zion appeared in 1993, with further albums in the years that followed, Aisha also working with Norman Grant of The Twinkle Brothers on two albums. She also featured on the Roots Daughters series of albums, alongside artists such as Kofi, Fabian, and Sandra Cross. She first performed in Jamaica in 2000 at the Augustus Pablo Benefit concert, and her debut performance in the United States came in 2004. She performed at the 2003 Meltdown festival (curated by Lee "Scratch" Perry) at London's Royal Festival Hall, which saw The Daily Telegraph describe her as "the closest we have to a female Bob Marley". In 2006, she toured internationally with Mad Professor's Ariwa Posse.

Discography
High Priestess (1988) Ariwa
Daughters of Zion (1993) Twinkle
True Roots (1994) Ariwa
Raise Your Voice (1996) Twinkle
There is More to Life (2005) Ariwa

References

External links
Aisha at discogs.com
Aisha profile, Ariwa.com

1962 births
Living people
English women singers
British reggae singers
Musicians from Wolverhampton

Aisha (reggae singer)


NADP (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate) (formula C21H29N7O17P3) is a coenzyme that carries electrical energy used in cellular processes. When a hydrogen atom is added, NADP becomes charged and is renamed NADPH. NADP is used extensively during the Krebs (citric acid) cycle and during glycolysis and in the light-dependent reactions of photosynthesis.

Cellular respiration
Organonitrogen compounds
Phosphates

Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate


A shop or store is a place where people can go to buy items that they need or want. People might go to a shop to buy food, clothes, furniture, jewelry, or many other things. There are loads of shops in the world people can buy their things from.

People might also go to a repair shop if something is broken, and they want the shop to fix it. For example, someone might bring a broken bicycle to a bicycle repair shop.

Shops can be anything from large supermarket chains to small businesses.

Shop


César Cui (18 January 1835, Vilnius – 26 March 1918, Petrograd) was a Russian composer. He is the least known of the five Russian composers who were nicknamed the "Moguchaya Kuchka" ("Mighty Handful"), a group which included Mily Balakirev, Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, Modest Mussorgsky and Alexander Borodin. Cui's father came from France and his mother from Lithuania.

Like most Russian composers in the 19th century he was an amateur composer. His main job was as an expert on military fortifications. He became a professor in this subject and wrote important textbooks about military defences. He became a general.

Cui liked his friends from the Moguchaya Kuchka, but was often very critical of music by other Russian composers such as Tchaikovsky and Rachmaninoff. This may have been because he was jealous of their success. He did not find orchestration easy. Balakirev helped him a lot with the orchestration of some of his compositions. He was best when writing songs and short piano pieces. He liked to write music that sounded Far Eastern in character. Cellists like to play a short piece he wrote called "Orientale".

Russian composers
Romantic composers
1835 births
1918 deaths
People from Vilnius

César Cui


As You Like It is a play by William Shakespeare. It is a comedy.

The play was written in 1599 or early 1600. Shakespeare rarely invented his own plays. He based his plays on stories by other writers. The story he used for As You Like It was Rosalynde, Euphues Golden Legacy (1590) by Thomas Lodge.

As You Like It may have been first performed in 1603. This is not certain though.  The play was first published in 1623 in the First Folio, a collection of all of Shakespeare's plays.

As You Like It tells the story of a young woman named Rosalind. She has been banished from her uncle's court. Her uncle does not like her because she is gentle, beautiful, witty, and smart. Rosalind decides to live in the Forest of Arden with her cousin Celia and the court jester Touchstone. She dresses like a boy for self-protection. Several scenes involve Rosalind and the people who live in the forest. She is finally united with her sweetheart Orlando.

Some people think the play is not as good as Shakespeare's other plays. Other people think it is a very good play. One of the great speeches in the play begins "All the world's a stage".

The play is a favourite with theatre-goers. Rosalind, Touchstone, and a sour old man named Jacques are three of Shakespeare's greatest characters. The play has been adapted to a radio play, to a television show, and to musical theatre. A movie version of the play made in 1936 stars Laurence Olivier.

References
 As You Like It

Other websites

 Text of As You Like It, fully edited by David Bevington, as well as original-spelling texts, facsimiles of the 1623 Folio text, and other resources, at the Internet Shakespeare Editions

Plays by William Shakespeare
1600s plays

As You Like It


The Juno Awards of 2009 honoured music industry achievements in Canada in the latter part of 2007 and in most of 2008. These ceremonies were held in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada during the weekend ending 29 March 2009.

Loverboy was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame, and Sarah McLachlan received the Allan Waters Humanitarian Award. Long-time broadcast executive Fred Sherratt, a former CHUM Limited executive, received the Walt Grealis Special Achievement Award.

Events
Preliminary award-related events began on 26 March 2009. The following day featured a Welcome Reception at the Commodore Ballroom and a Juno Cup ice hockey game at the UBC Thunderbird Arena.

Most awards were announced at a Gala Dinner and Awards which was a restricted-access, non-televised event at Vancouver's Westin Bayshore Hotel on 28 March 2009. The only multiple-category winner at that event was The Stills who won New Group of the Year and Alternative Album of the Year (Oceans Will Rise). Kardinal Offishall's single "Dangerous" was awarded Single of the Year, over competition from songs by established major artists such as Michael Bublé, Céline Dion and Nickelback.

Primary ceremonies

The primary awards ceremony on 29 March 2009 was telecast by CTV from General Motors Place and hosted for the second consecutive year by Russell Peters.

Artists performing at the ceremonies broadcast included City and Colour, Nickelback, Sarah McLachlan and Simple Plan. The complete list of performing artists was:

 Bryan Adams
 City and Colour
 Crystal Shawanda
 Divine Brown
 Eccodek
 Great Big Sea
 Hawksley Workman
 Kathleen Edwards
 Nickelback
 Sam Roberts
 Sarah McLachlan
 Serena Ryder
 Simple Plan
 The Stills

Nominees and winners
The band Nickelback received five Juno Award nominations, the most of any band or individual artist. Celine Dion and Hedley earned nominations in three categories apiece. Performances have also been scheduled from Simple Plan and Alexisonfire vocalist Dallas Green (performing as City and Colour).

Nominees were announced at a press conference on 5 February 2009. Reporters in attendance expressed an uncertain reaction to the announcement, particularly to the number of nominations given to the critically reviled Nickelback.

The following were the 2009 Juno nominees and winners:

Artist of the Year

Winner: Sam Roberts

Other Nominees:
 Bryan Adams
 City and Colour (Dallas Green)
 k.d. lang
 Serena Ryder

Group of the Year

Winner: Nickelback

Other Nominees:
 Great Big Sea
 Simple Plan
 Tokyo Police Club
 The Trews

New Artist of the Year

Winner: Lights

Other Nominees:
Jessie Farrell
Crystal Shawanda
Kreesha Turner
Nikki Yanofsky

New Group of the Year

Winner: The Stills

Other nominees:
Beast
Cancer Bats
Crystal Castles
Plants and Animals

Jack Richardson Producer of the Year

Winner: Daniel Lanois, "Here Is What Is" and "Not Fighting Anymore" (Daniel Lanois)

Other nominees:
Stuart Brawley, "Don't Stop Now" and "Falling" (Emmy Rossum)
David Foster, "A Change Is Gonna Come" (Seal), "Silent Night" (Josh Groban)
k.d. lang, "I Dream of Spring" and "Coming Home" (k.d. lang)
Nickelback and Joey Moi (co-producer Mutt Lange), "Gotta Be Somebody" and "Something in Your Mouth" (Nickelback)

Recording Engineer of the Year

Winner: Kevin Churko, "Disappearing" and "The Big Bang" (Simon Collins)

Other nominees:
John "Beetle" Bailey, "Lucky" and "If I Were A Bell" (Molly Johnson)
Mike Fraser, "Rock N' Roll Train" (AC/DC), "Them Kids" (Sam Roberts)
Joey Moi, "Gotta Be Somebody" and "Never Gonna Be Alone" (Nickelback)
Randy Staub, "Something in Your Mouth" (Nickelback)

Songwriter of the Year

Winner:  City and Colour, "Waiting...", "Sleeping Sickness", "The Girl"

Other nominees:
Nathan Ferraro, "Never Again", "Change For You", "Unaware" (The Midway State)
Hedley, "Old School", "For The Nights I Can't Remember" (with Dave Genn), "Never Too Late" (with Greig Nori) (Hedley)
Alanis Morissette, "Underneath", "Not As We", "In Praise of the Vulnerable Man" (Alanis Morissette)
Gordie Sampson, "When I Said I Would" (Whitney Duncan), "Just A Dream" (Carrie Underwood), "Davey Jones" (Gordie Sampson)

Fan Choice Award

Winner: Nickelback

Other nominees:
Céline Dion
Feist
Hedley
The Lost Fingers

Nominated albums

Album of the Year
Winner: Dark Horse, Nickelback

Other nominees:
Famous Last Words, Hedley
Lost in the 80's, The Lost Fingers
70's Volume 2, Sylvain Cossette
Simple Plan, Simple Plan

Aboriginal Recording of the Year
Winner: Running for the Drum, Buffy Sainte-Marie

Other nominees:
Auk/Blood, Tanya Tagaq
First Law of the Land, Billy Joe Green
No Lies (album)|No Lies, Tracy Bone
The World (And Everything In It), Team Rezofficial

Adult Alternative Album of the Year
Winner: Is It O.K., Serena Ryder

Other nominees:
Asking for Flowers, Kathleen Edwards
The Baroness, Sarah Slean
Between the Beautifuls, Hawksley Workman
Exit Strategy of the Soul, Ron Sexsmith

Alternative Album of the Year
Winner: Oceans Will Rise, The Stills

Other nominees:
The Chemistry of Common Life, Fucked Up
In the Future, Black Mountain
Parc Avenue, Plants and Animals
Soft Airplane, Chad VanGaalen

Blues Album of the Year
Winner: Ramblin' Son, Julian Fauth

Other nominees:
Acoustic Blues: Got 'Em from the Bottom, Big Dave McLean
Get Way Back: A Tribute to Percy Mayfield, Amos Garrett
Love & Sound, Garrett Mason
Mess of Blues, Jeff Healey

CD/DVD Artwork Design of the Year
Winner: Anouk Pennel and Stéphane Poirer, En concert dans la forêt des mal-aimés avec l'Orchestre Métropolitain du Grand Montréal, Pierre Lapointe

Other nominees:
 John Cook, Kelly Ferguson, John James Audubon, Koko Bonaparte, Sugarbird, Paul Reddick
 Phoebe Greenberg, George Fok, Daniel Fortin, Leda & St. Jacques, Productions l'Éloi, Pulse of the Planet, Slim Williams
 Mark Sasso, Casey Laforet, Mountain Meadows, Elliott Brood
 Dallas Wehrle, Robyn Kotyk, Alex vs. Alex, Kensington Heights, Constantines

Children's Album of the Year
Winner: Snacktime!, Barenaked Ladies

Other nominees:
Catchy Tune, Jack Grunsky
FiddleFire!, Chris McKhool
The Kerplunks, The Kerplunks
Oui!, Gregg LeRock

Contemporary Christian/Gospel Album of the Year
Winner: Ending Is Beginning, Downhere

Other nominees:
Colors and Sounds, Article One
I Will Go, Starfield
Roar of Heaven, Life Support
Salvation Station, newworldson

Classical Album of the Year (large ensemble)
Winner: Beethoven: Ideals Of The French Revolution, Orchestre symphonique de Montréal and Kent Nagano

Other nominees:
Bach: Métamorphoses, Orchestre symphonique de Québec and Yoav Talmi
Beethoven: Symphonies Nos. 7 & 8, Tafelmusik and Bruno Weil
Bruckner: Symphonie No 9, Orchestre Métropolitain du Grand Montréal and Yannick Nézet-Séguin
Haydn: Symphonies 62, 107 & 108, Toronto Chamber Orchestra and Kevin Mallon

Classical Album of the Year (solo or chamber ensemble)
Winner: Homage, James Ehnes

Other nominees:
Haydn: Six Sonatas for Piano, Anton Kuerti
Schubert: Complete Piano Trios, The Gryphon Trio
Schumann: Sonata in F#Minor & Humoreske, Angela Hewitt
Shostakovich: 24 Preludes & Fugues opus 87, David Jalbert

Classical Album of the Year (vocal or choral performance)
Winner: Gloria! Vivaldi's Angels, Ensemble Caprice

Other nominees:
Bach and the Liturgical Year, Shannon Mercer and Luc Beauséjour
Handel: Arias, Karina Gauvin
Schumann: Dichterliebe & other Heine Settings, Gerald Finley
The Voice of Bach, Daniel Taylor

Francophone Album of the Year
Winner: Tous les sens, Ariane Moffatt

Other nominees:
L'arbre aux parfums, Caracol
Cœur de pirate, Cœur de pirate
Tradarnac, Swing
Le volume du vent, Karkwa

Instrumental Album of the Year
Winner: Nostomania, DJ Brace presents The Electric Nosehair Orchestra

Other nominees:
Auk/Blood, Tanya Tagaq
The Furniture Moves Underneath, Inhabitants
The Soundtrack, Creaking Tree String Quartet
Telescope, Steve Dawson

International Album of the Year
Winner: Viva La Vida, Coldplay

Other nominees:

Black Ice, AC/DC
Chinese Democracy, Guns N' Roses
Death Magnetic, Metallica
Sleep Through the Static, Jack Johnson

Contemporary Jazz Album of the Year
Winner: Embracing Voices, Jane Bunnett

Other nominees:
A Bend in the River, Roberto Occhipinti
Existential Detective, Barry Romberg's Random Access Large Ensemble
Rasstones, François Bourassa Quartet
The Sicilian Jazz Project, Michael Occhipinti

Traditional Jazz Album of the Year
Winner: Second Time Around, Oliver Jones

Other nominees:
For Kenny Wheeler, Don Thompson Quartet
Small Wonder, Brad Turner Quartet
Solo, Chris Donnelly
TV Trio, John Stetch

Vocal Jazz Album of the Year
Winner: Lucky, Molly Johnson

Other nominees:
Ella...Of Thee I Swing, Nikki Yanofsky
If the Moon Turns Green..., Diana Panton
Ima, Yvette Tollar
Parkdale, Elizabeth Shepherd

Pop Album of the Year
Winner: Flavors of Entanglement, Alanis Morissette

Other nominees:
Holes, The Midway State
No Sleep at All, Creature
Passion, Kreesha Turner
Wake Up and Say Goodbye, David Usher

Rock Album of the Year
Winner: Love at the End of the World, Sam Roberts

Other nominees:
Fortress, Protest The Hero
No Time for Later, The Trews
Parallel Play, Sloan
Terminal Romance, Matt Mays & El Torpedo

Roots and Traditional Album of the Year (Solo)
Winner: Proof of Love, Old Man Luedecke

Other nominees:
The Contradictor, Ndidi Onukwulu
Ghost Notes, Matthew Barber
Happy Here, Suzie Vinnick
Tinderbox, Fred Eaglesmith

Roots and Traditional Album of the Year (Group)
Winner: Chic Gamine, Chic Gamine

Other nominees:
 Fast Paced World, The Duhks
 Highway Prayer, Twilight Hotel
 Mountain Meadows, Elliott Brood
 XOK, NQ Arbuckle

World Music Album of the Year
Winner: Africa to Appalachia, Jayme Stone and Mansa Sissoko

Other nominees:
 The Art of the Early Egyptian Qanun, George Dimitri Sawa
 Cairo to Toronto, Maryem & Ernie Tollar
 Contrabanda, Lubo and Kaba Horo
 Shivaboom, Eccodek

Nominated releases

Single of the Year
Winner: "Dangerous", Kardinal Offishall

Other nominees:
 "Gotta Be Somebody", Nickelback
 "Lay It on the Line", Divine Brown
 "Lost", Michael Bublé
 "Taking Chances", Céline Dion

Classical Composition of the Year
Winner: "Flanders Fields Reflections", John Burge

Other nominees:
 "From the Dark Reaches", T. Patrick Carrabré
 "Manhattan Music", Bramwell Tovey
 "Notes Towards A Poem That Can Never Be Written", Timothy Corlis
 "Song of Songs", Sid Robinovitch

Country Recording of the Year
Winner: Beautiful Life, Doc Walker

Other nominees:
 Chasing the Sun, Tara Oram
 Dawn of a New Day, Crystal Shawanda
 Thankful, Aaron Pritchett
 What I Do, George Canyon

Dance Recording of the Year
Winner: "Random Album Title", Deadmau5

Other nominees:
 "Everything's Gonna Be Alright", James Doman
 "Get Blahsted", Hatiras and MC Flipside
 "Move For Me", Deadmau5 vs. Kaskade
 "Yes We Can", House Music United

Music DVD of the Year
Winner: Blue Road (Blue Rodeo)

Other nominees:
Here Is What Is (Daniel Lanois)
It All Started With A Red Stripe (Moneen)
Live in Las Vegas - A New Day... (Céline Dion)
A MultiMedia Life (Buffy Sainte-Marie)

R&B/Soul Recording of the Year
Winner: The Love Chronicles, Divine Brown

Other nominees:
Elise Estrada, Elise Estrada
Money, Zaki Ibrahim
The Promise, Deborah Cox
TONY, Ivana Santilli

Rap Recording of the Year
Winner: Not 4 Sale, Kardinal Offishall

Other Nominees:
A Captured Moment in Time, DL Incognito
The Book, D-Sisive
I Rap Now, Famous
Point Blank, Point Blank

Reggae Recording of the Year
Winner: "Everything", Humble

Other nominees:
"Jah Lift Me Up", Blessed
"Renegade Rocker", Dubmatix
"The Peacemaker's Chauffeur", Jason Wilson
"Truth Will Reveal", Souljah Fyah

Video of the Year
Winner: Anthony Seck, "Honey Honey" (Feist)

Other nominees:
 Davin Black, "Blond Kryptonite" (Saint Alvia)
 Wendy Morgan, "Going On" (Gnarls Barkley)
 Dave Pawsey, "Detroit '67" (Sam Roberts)
 Dave Pawsey, "Them Kids" (Sam Roberts)

Compilation CD
A compilation album for the awards was released in March 2009

References

External links
 Juno Awards official site
 Vancouver Host Committee for the 2009 Juno Awards (Music From Sea To Sky)

2009 music awards
2009
2009 in Canadian music
March 2009 events in Canada
2009 in British Columbia
Events in Vancouver

Juno Awards of 2009


Bromine dioxide, also known as bromine(IV) oxide, is a chemical compound. Its chemical formula is BrO2. It contains bromine in its +4 oxidation state. It also contains oxide ions.

Properties
It is a yellow or yellow-orange solid. It is very unstable. It turns into bromine and oxygen easily. It is similar to chlorine dioxide. It reacts with a base to make bromide and bromate.

Preparation
It is made when an electric current is passed through a mixture of cold bromine and oxygen gases. It also can be made by reacting bromine in an organic solvent with ozone.

Related pages
Bromine monochloride

Bromine compounds
Oxides

Bromine dioxide


Palak Muchhal is teenager singer from Indore, Madhya Pradesh, India. She and her younger brother Palaash Muchhal perform stage shows across India and abroad to raise funds for the poor children who need money for treatment of heart disease.

 Until January 2013 money collected through her charity shows has helped to save lives of 556 children suffering from heart ailments. Muchhal has made her entry in both Guinness Book of World Records and Limca Book of World Records for great achievements in social work. Her work is also recognized by the Government of India and other public institutions through various awards and honors. Muchhal also gives her voice as a Bollywood playback singer.

References

1992 births
Living people
Indian singers
Bollywood playback singers

Palak Muchhal


Haemophilia is a blood condition that means bleeding does not stop. The bleeding occurs because the blood does not clot. People with hemophilia lack proteins in the blood that make scabs and blood clots. A person with a small cut or internal bleeding (bruise) could bleed to death. They do not bleed more than a normal person, but they bleed for much longer. The word comes from the Greek words haima ("blood") and philia ("to love"). To treat this, an affected person can get a blood donation from someone without hemophilia. The donor's blood has clotting proteins and can temporarily make a normal scab. 30% of hemophilia A and B cases are the first person in their family to have hemophilia which is the result of an unexpected mutation (this means that there is an unexpected change in the body).

It usually affects males. It is passed from mother to child through genes.

There are 3 types of haemophilia:
 Haemophilia A - about 90% of cases. There is no blood clotting ability.
 Haemophilia B - not as severe, but much less common. There is not enough blood clotting ability.
 Haemophilia C - caused by not one, but two recessive (weak) genes.

Haemophilia A happens in about 1 in 5,000–10,000 male births. Haemophilia B happens in about 1 in every 20,000–34,000 male births.

Genetic defects on the X chromosome affect males because they have only one X chromosome. In females, a recessive gene is usually masked by a normal gene on the other X chromosome. The Y chromosome does carry some genes, but far fewer than the X chromosome. Defects of this type are called "sex-linked" in genetics. There is no cure for this disease but there are different treatments available around the world.

A person with haemophilia is called a haemophiliac.

References

Blood disorders
Genetic disorders

Haemophilia


Kindergarten is a preschool educational approach based on playing, singing, practical activities such as drawing, and social interaction as part of the transition from home to school. Such institutions were originally made in the late 18th century in Germany, Bavaria and Alsace to serve children whose parents both worked outside home. The term was coined by German pedagogue Friedrich Fröbel, whose approach globally influenced early-years education. Today, the term is used in many countries to describe a variety of educational institutions and learning spaces for children ranging from two to six years of age, based on a variety of teaching methods.

History

Early years and development
In 1779, Johann Friedrich Oberlin and Louise Scheppler founded in Strasbourg an early establishment for caring for and educating preschool children whose parents were absent during the day. At about the same time, in 1780, similar infant establishments were created in Bavaria. In 1802, Princess Pauline zur Lippe established a preschool center in Detmold, the capital of the then principality of Lippe, Germany (now in the State of North Rhine-Westphalia).

In 1816, Robert Owen, a philosopher and pedagogue, opened the first British and probably globally the first infants school in New Lanark, Scotland. In conjunction with his venture for cooperative mills, Owen wanted the children to be given a good moral education so that they would be fit for work. His system was successful in producing obedient children with basic literacy and numeracy.

Samuel Wilderspin opened his first infant school in London in 1819, and went on to establish hundreds more. He published many works on the subject, and his work became the model for infant schools throughout England and further afield. Play was an important part of Wilderspin's system of education. He is credited with inventing the playground. In 1823, Wilderspin published On the Importance of Educating the Infant Poor, based on the school. He began working for the Infant School Society the next year, informing others about his views. He also wrote The Infant System, for developing the physical, intellectual, and moral powers of all children from 1 to seven years of age.

Countess Theresa Brunszvik (1775–1861), who had known and been influenced by Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi, was influenced by this example to open an  ('angel garden' in Hungarian) on May 27, 1828, in her residence in Buda, the first of eleven care centers that she founded for young children. In 1836 she established an institute for the foundation of preschool centers. The idea became popular among the nobility and the middle class and was copied throughout the Kingdom of Hungary.

Creation of the kindergarten

Friedrich Fröbel (1782–1852) opened a "play and activity" institute in 1837, in the village of Bad Blankenburg, in the principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, Thuringia, as an experimental social experience for children entering school. He renamed his institute  (meaning 'garden of children') on June 28, 1840, reflecting his belief that children should be nurtured and nourished "like plants in a garden". Fröbel introduced an educational environment into his school, in contrast to other earlier infant establishments, and is therefore credited with the creation of kindergartens. Around 1873, Caroline Wiseneder's method for teaching instrumental music to young children was adopted by the national kindergarten movement in Germany.

In 1840 the well-connected educator Emily Ronalds was the first British person to study Fröbel's approach and he urged her to transplant his kindergarten concepts in England. Later, women trained by Fröbel opened kindergartens throughout Europe and around the world. The first kindergarten in the US was founded in Watertown, Wisconsin, in 1856, and was conducted in German by Margaretha Meyer-Schurz.

Elizabeth Peabody founded the first English-language kindergarten in the US in 1860. The first free kindergarten in the US was founded in 1870 by Conrad Poppenhusen, a German industrialist and philanthropist, who also established the Poppenhusen Institute. The first publicly financed kindergarten in the US was established in St. Louis in 1873 by Susan Blow.

Canada's first private kindergarten was opened by the Wesleyan Methodist Church in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, in 1870. By the end of the decade, they were common in large Canadian towns and cities. In 1882, The country's first public-school kindergartens were established in Berlin, Ontario (modern Kitchener) at the Central School. In 1885, the Toronto Normal School (teacher training) opened a department for kindergarten teaching.

The Australian kindergarten movement emerged in the last decade of the nineteenth century as both a philanthropic and educational endeavour. The first free kindergarten in Australia was established in 1896 in Sydney, New South Wales, by the Kindergarten Union of NSW (now KU Children's Services) led by reformer Maybanke Anderson.

American educator Elizabeth Harrison wrote extensively on the theory of early childhood education and worked to enhance educational standards for kindergarten teachers by establishing what became the National College of Education in 1886.

By country

Afghanistan

In Afghanistan, children between the ages of three and six attend kindergartens (; ). Although kindergartens in Afghanistan are not part of the school system, they are often run by the government.

Early childhood development programs were first introduced during the Soviet occupation with the establishment in 1980 of 27 urban preschools, or kodakistan. The number of preschools grew steadily during the 1980s, peaking in 1990 with more than 270 in Afghanistan. At its peak, there were 2,300 teachers caring for more than 21,000 children in the country. These facilities were an urban phenomenon, mostly in Kabul, and were attached to schools, government offices, or factories. Based on the Soviet model, these early childhood development programs provided nursery care, preschool, and kindergarten for children from three months to six years of age under the direction of the Department of Labor and Social Welfare.

The vast majority of Afghan families were never exposed to this system, and many of these families were in opposition to these programs due to the belief that it diminishes the central role of the family and inculcates children with Soviet values. With the onset of civil war after the Soviet withdrawal, the number of kindergartens dropped rapidly. By 1995, only 88 functioning facilities serving 2,110 children survived, and the Taliban restrictions on female employment eliminated all of the remaining centers in areas under their control. In 2007, there were about 260 kindergarten/preschool centers serving over 25,000 children. Though every government center is required to have an early childhood center, at present, no governmental policies deal with early childhood and no institutions have either the responsibility or the capacity to provide such services.

Australia

In each state of Australia, kindergarten (frequently referred to as kinder or kindy) means something slightly different. In Tasmania, New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory, it is the first year of primary school. In Victoria, kindergarten is a form of preschool and may be referred to interchangeably as preschool or kindergarten. In Victoria, Queensland and Tasmania, the term for the first year of primary school is prep (short for "preparatory"), which is followed by year 1.

In Queensland, kindergarten is usually an institution for children around the age of four and thus it is the precursor to preschool and primary education. As with Victoria and Tasmania, the first year of primary school is also called prep, which is then followed by year 1.

The year preceding the first year of primary school education in Western Australia, South Australia or the Northern Territory is referred to respectively as pre-primary, reception or transition. In Western Australia, the year preceding pre-primary is called kindergarten.

Bangladesh

In Bangladesh, the term kindergarten, or KG school (kindergarten school), is used to refer to the schooling children attend from three to six years of age. The names of the levels are nursery,  ('children'), etc. The view of kindergarten education has changed significantly over time. Almost every rural area now has at least one kindergarten school, with most being run in the Bengali language. They also follow the textbooks published by the National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NCTB) with slight modification, adding some extra books to the syllabus. The grades generally start from nursery (sometimes "play group"), "KG" afterwards, and end with the 5th grade. Separate from the National Education System, kindergarten contributes greatly toward achieving the Millennium Development Goal of universal primary education in Bangladesh.

Brazil

In Brazil, kindergarten () is the only non-compulsory education modality, for children up to four years old completed after March 31 for the vast majority of states. From the age of four completed until March 31, the child is eligible for preschool (), which is mandatory and precedes the 1st grade. When a child turns six years old between April 1 and December 31, he/she must be in kindergarten (last grade of preschool nursery school), also known as kindergarten III, also known as .

Bulgaria

In Bulgaria, the term  () refers to the caring and schooling children attend from ages three to seven (in some cases six). Usually the children attend the  from morning until late afternoon when their parents return from work. Most Bulgarian kindergartens are public. Since 2012, two years of preschool education are compulsory. These two years of mandatory preschool education may be attended either in kindergarten or in preparatory groups at primary schools.

Canada

Schools outside of Ontario and the Northwest Territories generally provide one year of kindergarten, except some private schools which offer junior kindergarten (JK) for four-year-olds (school before kindergarten is most commonly referred to as preschool). Kindergarten is mandatory in British Columbia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island, and is optional elsewhere. The province of Nova Scotia refers to kindergarten as grade primary. After kindergarten, the child begins grade one.

The province of Ontario and the Northwest Territories provide two years of kindergarten, usually part of an elementary school. Within the French school system in Ontario, junior kindergarten is called  and senior kindergarten is called , which is a calque of the German word .

Within the province of Quebec, junior kindergarten is called  (which is not mandatory), is attended by four-year-olds, and senior kindergarten (SK) is called , which is also not mandatory by the age of five; this class is integrated into primary schools.

Chile

In Chile, the term equivalent to kindergarten is , sometimes also called . It is the first level of the Chilean educational system. It meets the needs of boys and girls integrally from birth until their entry to the  (primary education), without being considered compulsory. Generally, schools imparting this level, the JUNJI (National Council of Kindergarten Schools) and other private institutions have the following organization of groups or subcategories of levels:
 Low nursery: Babies from eighty-five days to one year old.
 High nursery: Children from one to two years old.
 Low Middle Level: Children from two to three years old.
 High Middle Level: Children from three to four years old.
 First level of transition: Often called pre-kinder, for children from four to five years old.
 Second level of transition: Usually called kinder, for children from five to six years old. It is the last phase of this type of education; upon completion, children go to  (first grade of primary education).

China

In China, preschool education, before the child enters formal schooling at 6 years of age, is generally divided into a "nursery" or "preschool" stage and a "kindergarten" () stage. These can be two separate institutions, or a single combined one in different areas. Where there are two separate institutions, it is common for the kindergarten to consist of the two upper years, and the preschool to consist of one lower year. Common names for these three years are:
 Nursery (or preschool or playgroup) (): three- to four-year-old children
 Lower kindergarten (): four- to five-year-old children
 Upper kindergarten (): five- to six-year-old children.

In some places, children at five to six years may in addition or instead attend reception or preparatory classes () focusing on preparing children for formal schooling.

State (public) kindergartens only accept children older than three years, while private ones do not have such limitations.

Denmark

Kindergarten () is a day care service offered to children from age three until the child starts attending school. Kindergarten classes (grade 0) were made mandatory in 2009 and are offered by primary schools before a child enters first grade.

Two-thirds of established day care institutions in Denmark are municipal day care centres while the other third are privately owned and are run by associations of parents or businesses in agreement with local authorities. In terms of both finances and subject matter, municipal and private institutions function according to the same principles.

Denmark is credited with pioneering (although not inventing) forest kindergartens, in which children spend most of every day outside in a natural environment.

Egypt

In Egypt, children may go to kindergarten for two years (KG1 and KG2) between the ages of four and six.

Finland

At the end of the 1850s, Uno Cygnaeus, known as the "father of the Finnish primary school", presented the idea of bringing kindergartens to Finland after attending a kindergarten in Hamburg and a seminar training kindergarten teachers during his study trip to Central Europe. As early as 1920, there were about 80 kindergartens in operation across Finland, with a total of about 6,000 children.

Kindergarten activity emphasis and background communities vary. In Finland, most kindergartens are society's service to families while some are private. The underlying philosophy may be Montessori or Waldorf education. Preschools often also operate in connection with Finnish kindergartens. Kindergartens can also arrange language immersion programs in different languages. Finnish kindergartens now have an early childhood education plan, and parenting discussions are held with the parents of each child every year. Among OECD countries, Finland has higher-than-average public funding for early childhood education and the highest number of staff for children under the age of three: only four children per adult.

France

In France, preschool is known as  (French for "nursery school", literally "maternal school"). Free  schools are available throughout the country, welcoming children aged from three to five (although in many places, children under three may not be granted a place). The ages are divided into  (GS: five-year-olds),  (MS: four-year-olds),  (PS: three-year-olds) and  (TPS: two-year-olds). It became compulsory in 2018 for all children aged three. Even before the 2018 law, almost all children aged three to five attended . It is regulated by the Ministry of National Education.

Germany

In Germany, a  (masculine: , plural ) is a facility for the care of preschool children who are typically at least three years old. By contrast,  or  refers to a crèche for the care of children before they enter  (nine weeks to about three years), while —literally 'children's day site', usually shortened to —is an umbrella term for any day care facility for preschoolers.

Attendance is voluntary, and usually not free of charge. Preschool children over the age of one are entitled to receive local and affordable day care. Within the federal system,  fall under the responsibility of the states, which usually delegate a large share of the responsibility to the municipalities. Due to the subsidiarity principle stipulated by §4 , there are a multitude of operators, from municipalities, churches and welfare societies to parents' initiatives and profit-based corporations. Many  follow a certain educational approach, such as Montessori, Reggio Emilia, "" or Waldorf; forest kindergartens are well established. Most  are subsidised by the community councils, with the fees depending on the income of the parents.

Even in smaller townships, there are often both Roman Catholic and Lutheran kindergartens available. Places in crèches and kindergarten are often difficult to secure and must be reserved in advance, although the situation has improved with a new law in effect August 2013. The availability of childcare, however, varies greatly by region. It is usually better in eastern regions, and in big cities in the north, such as Berlin or Hamburg, and poorest in parts of Southern Germany.

All caretakers in  or  must have a three-year qualified education, or are under special supervision during training.

 can be open from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. or longer and may also house a crèche () for children between the ages of eight weeks and three years, and possibly an afternoon  (often associated with a primary school) for school-age children aged six to ten who spend time after their lessons there. Alongside nurseries, there are day care nurses ( or ) working independently of any preschool institution in individual homes and looking after only three to five children, typically up to the age of three. These nurses are supported and supervised by local authorities.

The term  ('preschool') is used both for educational efforts in  and for a mandatory class that is usually connected to a primary school. Both systems are handled differently in each German state. The  is a type of .

Greece

In Greece, kindergarten is called  (). Kindergarten is a form of preschool and may be referred to interchangeably as preschool.

Hong Kong

Pre-primary Services in Hong Kong refers to provision of education and care to young children by kindergartens and child care centres. Kindergartens, registered with the Education Bureau, provide services for children from three to six years old. Child care centres, on the other hand, are registered with the Social Welfare Department and include nurseries, catering for children aged two to three, and creches, looking after infants from birth to two.

At present, most of the kindergartens operate on a half-day basis offering upper and lower kindergarten and nursery classes. Some kindergartens also operate full-day kindergarten classes. Child care centres also provide full-day and half-day services with most centres providing full-day services.

The aim of pre-primary education in Hong Kong is to provide children with a relaxing and pleasurable learning environment to promote a balanced development of different aspects necessary to a child's development such as the physical, intellectual, language, social, emotional and aesthetic aspects.

To help establish the culture of self-evaluation in kindergartens and to provide reference for the public in assessing the quality and standard of pre-primary education, the Education Bureau has developed performance indicators for pre-primary institutions in Hong Kong. Commencing in the 2000–2001 school year, quality assurance inspection was launched to further promote the development of quality early childhood education.

Hungary

In Hungary a kindergarten is called an  ("place for caring"). Children attend kindergarten between ages three and six or seven (they go to school in the year in which they have their seventh birthday). Attendance in kindergarten is compulsory from the age of three years, though exceptions are made for developmental reasons. Though kindergartens may include programs in subjects such as foreign language and music, children spend most of their time playing. In their last year, children begin preparation for elementary school.

Most kindergartens are state-funded. Kindergarten teachers are required to have a diploma.

India

In India, there are only informal directives pertaining to pre-primary education, for which pre-primary schools and sections need no affiliation. Directives state that children who are three years old on 30 September in the given academic year are eligible to attend nursery and kindergarten classes. Typically, children spend three to four years of their time in pre-primary school after which they are eligible to attend 1st standard in primary school which falls under HRD ministry norms. Pre-primary is not mandatory; however, it is preferred. All government schools and affiliated private schools allow children who are five years of age to enroll in standard 1 of a primary school. Mid-day meals are provided in most parts of the country and institutes run by the government.

Italy

In Italy, preschool education refers to two different grades:
 Nursery schools, called  for children between three and thirty-six months;
  formerly  and now , for children three to five years old.

Italian  were officially instituted in a 1971 state law (L. 1044/1971), and may be run by either private or public institutions. They were originally established to allow mothers a chance to work outside of the home, and were therefore seen as a social service. Today, they mostly serve the purpose of general education and social interaction. In Italy, much effort has been spent on developing a pedagogical approach to children's care: well known is the so-called Reggio Emilia approach, named after the city of Reggio Emilia, in Emilia-Romagna.

 normally occupy small one-story buildings, surrounded by gardens; usually suitable for no more than 60 or 70 children. The heart of the  are the classrooms, split into playroom and restroom; the playroom always has windows and doors leading to the outside playground and garden.

Maternal schools () were established in 1968 after State Law n. 444 and are a full part of the official Italian education system, though attendance is not compulsory. Like  (nursery schools), maternal schools may be held either by public or private institutions.

Japan

Early childhood education begins at home, and there are numerous books and television shows aimed at helping mothers and fathers of preschool children to educate their children and to parent more effectively. Much of the home training is devoted to teaching manners, social skills, and structured play, although verbal and number skills are also popular themes. Parents are strongly committed to early education and frequently enroll their children in preschools. Kindergartens (), predominantly staffed by young female junior college graduates, are supervised by the Ministry of Education but are not part of the official education system. In addition to kindergartens, there exists a well-developed system of government-supervised nursery schools (), supervised by the Ministry of Labor. Whereas kindergartens follow educational aims, nursery schools are predominantly concerned with providing care for infants and toddlers. Together, these two kinds of institutions enroll 86% at age three and 99% at age five prior to their entrance into the formal system at first grade. The Ministry of Education's 1990 Course of Study for Preschools, which applies to both kinds of institutions, covers such areas as human relationships, health, environment, language, and expression. Starting from March 2008 the new revision of curriculum guidelines for kindergartens as well as for preschools came into effect.

North Korea

North Korean children attend kindergarten from four to six. Kindergartens have two sections; low class ( ) and high class ( ). High class is compulsory.

South Korea

In South Korea, children normally attend kindergarten ( ) between the ages of three or four and six or seven in the Western age system. (Korean ages are calculated differently from Western ages: one is considered one year old from birth. Additionally, one's age increases by one year on January 1 regardless of when their birthday is. Hence in Korea, kindergarten children are called five-, six- and seven-year-olds). The school year begins in March. It is followed by primary school. Normally the kindergartens are graded on a three-tier basis.

Korean kindergartens are private schools, and monthly costs vary. Korean parents often send their children to English kindergartens to give them a head start in English. Such specialized kindergartens can be mostly taught in Korean with some English lessons, mostly taught in English with some Korean lessons, or completely taught in English. Almost all middle-class parents send their children to kindergarten.

Kindergarten programs in South Korea attempt to incorporate much academic instruction alongside more playful activities. Korean kindergartners learn to read, write (often in English as well as Korean) and do simple arithmetic. Classes are conducted in a traditional classroom setting, with the children focused on the teacher and one lesson or activity at a time. The goal of the teacher is to overcome weak points in each child's knowledge or skills.

Because the education system in Korea is very competitive, kindergartens are becoming more intensely academic. Children are pushed to read and write at a very young age. They also become accustomed to regular and considerable amounts of homework. Very young children may also attend other specialized afternoon schools, taking lessons in art, piano or violin, taekwondo, ballet, soccer or mathematics.

Kuwait

In Kuwait, Kuwaiti children may go to free government kindergartens for two years (KG1 and KG2) between the ages of four and five.

Luxembourg

In Luxembourg, kindergarten is called  (literally 'playschool', plural ). It is a public education facility which is attended by children between the age of four (or five) and six, when they advance to  (elementary school).

Malaysia

In Malaysia, kindergarten is known as . Most kindergartens are available to children of ages five and six (and some are available to children as young as four). For children up to the age of three (or four), there are preschool playgroups. There are no fixed rules for when a child needs to go to a kindergarten, but the majority do at five years of age. The child will usually attend kindergarten for two years, before proceeding to primary school at age seven.

Mexico

In Mexico, kindergarten is called , with the last year sometimes referred to as  ( is the name given to grades 1 through 6, so the name literally means 'prior to elementary school'). The kindergarten system in Mexico was developed by professor Rosaura Zapata, who received the country's highest honor for her contribution. It consists of three years of preschool education, which are mandatory before elementary school. Previous nursery is optional and may be offered in either private schools or public schools.

At private schools,  usually consist of three grades, and a fourth may be added for nursery. The fourth one is called ; it comes prior to the other three years and is not obligatory. While the first grade is a playgroup, the other two are classroom education.

In 2002, the Congress of the Union approved the Law of Obligatory Pre-schooling, which made preschool education for three to six-year-olds obligatory, and placed it under the auspices of the federal and state ministries of education.

Mongolia

In Mongolia, kindergarten is known as  or . As of September 2013, there are approximately 152 kindergartens registered in the country. From those 152 kindergartens, 142 are state-owned. Children begin kindergarten at the age of two and finish it by five. The education system before kindergarten in Mongolia is called , which accepts children between zero and two years of age.

Morocco

In Morocco, preschool is known as , , or . State-run, free  schools are available throughout the kingdom, welcoming children aged two to five (although in many places, children under three may not be granted a place). It is not compulsory, yet almost 80% of children aged three to five attend. It is regulated by the Moroccan Department of Education.

Nepal

In Nepal, kindergartens are run as private institutions, with their lessons conducted in English. The kindergarten education in Nepal is most similar to that of Hong Kong and India. Children start attending kindergarten from the age of two until they are at least five years old.

The kindergartens in Nepal have the following grades:
 Nursery/playgroup: two- to three-year-olds
 Lower kindergarten: three- to four-year-olds
 Upper kindergarten: four- to five-year-olds

Netherlands

In the Netherlands, the equivalent term to kindergarten was . From the mid-19th century to the mid-20th century the term  was also common, after Friedrich Fröbel. However, this term gradually faded in use as the verb  gained a slightly derogatory meaning in everyday language. Until 1985, it used to be a separate non-compulsory form of education (for children aged four to six years), after which children (aged six to twelve years) attended primary school (). After 1985, both forms were integrated into one, called  'primary education'. For children under four, the country offers private, subsidized day care (), which is non-compulsory but nevertheless very popular.

New Zealand

In New Zealand, kindergarten, commonly known as kindy, serves as the initial stage of primary education for children at the age of five. Kindergartens in the country cater to children between two and five years old, offering various session options such as morning, afternoon, and full-day programs. The availability of these sessions depends on the capabilities of the specific center and the child's age. Typically, a full day at a kindergarten in New Zealand runs from 8:45 am to 3 pm.

North Macedonia

The Macedonian equivalent of kindergarten is  (), sometimes called  () when the children are younger than four.  is not part of the state's mandatory education because the educational process in the country begins at the age of five or six, i.e. first grade.

Norway

In Norway,  'children's garden' is the term equivalent to kindergarten, used for children in the ages between ten months and six years. The first  were founded in Norway in the late 19th century. Although they have existed for 120 years, they are not considered part of the education system. They are both publicly and privately owned and operated. The staff, at minimum the manager, should be educated as  'kindergarten teacher', previously known as  'preschool teachers'. Children younger than three are often kept separate from the older children, since the youngest are only expected to play, rest and eat. All the children spend time outdoors every day. Many  let the children sleep outdoors too. There is also an institution called  'children's park', which does not need to have certified staff.

Peru

In Peru, the term  refers to the schooling children attend from three to six years of age. It is followed by primary school classes, which last for six years. Some families choose to send their children to primary school at the age of six. In 1902 the teacher Elvira García y García organized the first kindergarten for children two to eight years old, Fanning annex to the Lyceum for ladies. Her studies and concern for children led her to spread, through conferences and numerous documents, the importance of protecting children early and to respond to the formation of a personality based on justice and understanding, as well as the use of Fröbel's and Montessori's methods and parental participation.

Philippines
Early childhood education in the Philippines is mandatory, and is classified into:
 Center-based programs, such as the Barangay day care service, public and private preschools, kindergarten or school-based programs, community or church-based early childhood education programs initiated by non-government organizations or people's organizations, workplace-related child care and education programs, child-minding centers, health centers and stations; and
 Home-based programs, such as neighborhood-based playgroups, family day care programs, parent education and home visiting programs.

Early childhood education was strengthened through the creation of the Early Childhood Care and Development Act of 2000 (Republic Act No. 8980). In 2011, the Department of Education disseminated copies of the Kindergarten Education Act through Republic Act No. 10157 making it compulsory and mandatory in the entire nation. As a provision in this law, children under five years old are required to enroll in a kindergarten in any public elementary school in the country. Education officially started at the elementary level, and placing children into early childhood education through kindergarten was optional until June 6, 2011, when Kindergarten became compulsory which served as a requirement for the start of usage of the K–12 curriculum and process of phasing out the 1945–2017 or K–10 educational system on June 4, 2012 as part of the K–12's 9-year implementation process.

Poland

In Poland,  (literally 'preschool'), is a preschool educational institution for children aged from three to six, mandatory for children aged six (this class is also commonly referred to as  or 'Class 0') , and optional for those aged seven whose parents submitted an application for the postponement of primary school.

Romania

In Romania,  (literally 'small garden') is the favored form of education for preschool children usually aged three to six. The children are divided into three age groups: 'little group' (, age three–four), 'medium group' (, age four–five) and 'big group' (, age five–six). In the last few years private kindergartens have become popular, supplementing the state preschool education system. Attending the last year of kindergarten is compulsory since 2020.

The 'preparatory school year' () is for children aged six–seven, and since it became compulsory in 2012, it usually takes place inside regular school classrooms and is considered "year 0" of elementary education, bridging the gap between kindergarten and years 1–4 of elementary school.

Russia

In the Russian Federation,  (, literal translation of 'children's garden') is a preschool educational institution for children, usually three to six years of age.

Singapore

Kindergartens in Singapore provide up to three years of preschool for children ages three to six. The three years are commonly called nursery, kindergarten 1 (K1) and kindergarten 2 (K2), respectively.

The People's Action Party, which has governed Singapore since 1957, runs over 370 kindergartens through its charitable arm, the PAP Community Foundation. The kindergartens are run by the private sector, including community foundations, religious bodies, and civic or business groups.

South Africa

Kindergartens (commonly known as creche) in South Africa provide preschool programs for children of all ages up to six. The one to three-year program, known as nursery, kindergarten 1 (K1), and kindergarten 2 (K2), prepares children for their first year in primary school education. Some kindergartens further divide nursery into N1 and N2.

Spain

In Spain, kindergarten is called  or  and covers ages three to six, the three courses being called, respectively, P-3, P-4 and P-5. Though non-mandatory, most children in Spain attend these courses.

Before that, children aged zero to three may attend the  and take courses P-0, P-1 and P-2. In most parts of Spain  are specialized schools completely separate from regular schools.

Sudan

Kindergarten in Sudan is divided into private and public kindergarten. Preschool is compulsory in Sudan. Kindergarten age spans from three–six years. The curriculum covers Arabic, English, religion, mathematics and more.

Sweden

In Sweden, kindergarten activities were established in the 19th century, and have been widely expanded since the 1970s. The first Swedish kindergarten teachers were trained by Henriette Schrader-Breymann at the Pestalozzi-Fröbel Haus, which she founded in 1882.

Taiwan

While many public kindergartens and preschools exist in Taiwan, private kindergartens and preschools are also quite popular. Many private preschools offer accelerated courses in various subjects to compete with public preschools and capitalize on public demand for academic achievement. The curriculum at such preschools often encompasses subject material such as science, art, physical education and even mathematics classes. The majority of these schools are part of large school chains, which operate under franchise arrangements. In return for annual fees, the chain enterprises may supply advertising, curriculum, books, materials, training, and even staff for each individual school.

There has been a huge growth in the number of privately owned and operated English immersion preschools in Taiwan since 1999. These English immersion preschools generally employ native English-speaking teachers to teach the whole preschool curriculum in an English only environment. The legality of these types of schools has been called into question on many occasions, yet they continue to prosper. Some members of Taiwanese society have raised concerns as to whether local children should be placed in English immersion environments at such a young age, and have raised fears that the students' abilities in their mother language may suffer as a result. The debate continues, but at the present time, the market for English immersion preschools continues to grow.

Uganda

In Uganda, kindergarten is nursery or pre-primary and usually covers ages three to five, the three classes called baby class, middle class and top class, respectively. Pupils graduating from top class then go on to enrol in P1 – the first year of primary school. Though non-mandatory, most children in Uganda today attend these classes. In most parts of Uganda, nursery schools are specialised schools completely separate from regular primary schools.

Ukraine

In 2010, a total of 56% of children aged one to six years old had the opportunity to attend preschool education, the Education and Science Ministry of Ukraine reported in August 2010. Many preschools and kindergartens were closed previously in light of economic and demographic considerations.

United Kingdom

The term kindergarten is rarely used in the UK to describe modern preschool education or the first years of compulsory primary school education. Preschools are usually known as creche, nursery schools, or playgroups, while the first year of schooling is known as Reception in England and Wales and Primary One in Scotland and Northern Ireland (though different terms may be used in the small minority of UK schools which teach primarily through the medium of a language other than English). Nursery forms part of the Foundation Stage of education. In the 1980s, England and Wales officially adopted the Northern Irish system whereby children start school either in the term or year in which they will become five depending on the policy of the local education authority.  In England, schooling is not compulsory until a child's fifth birthday but in practise most children join school in the Reception year the September before their fifth birthday.  In Scotland, schooling becomes compulsory between the ages of four-and-a-half and five-and-a-half years depending on their birthday (school starts in August for children who were four by the end of the preceding February).

However, the word kindergarten is used for more specialist organisations such as forest kindergartens and is sometimes used in the naming of private nurseries that provide full-day child care for working parents. Historically the word was used during the nineteenth century when activists like Emily Ronalds and later Adelaide Manning were introducing educators to the work of Friedrich Fröbel.

In the UK, parents have the option of nursery for their children at the ages of three or four years, before compulsory education begins. Before that, less structured childcare is available privately. The details vary between England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

Some nurseries are attached to state infant or primary schools, but many are provided by the private sector. The Scottish government provides funding so that all children from the age of three until they start compulsory school can attend five sessions per week of two and a half hours each, either in state-run or private nurseries. Working parents can also receive from their employers childcare worth £55 per week free of income tax, which is typically enough to pay for one or two days per week.

England

Every child in England at the first school term after their third birthday is entitled to 15 hours per week free childcare funding. Pre-schools in England follow the Early Learning Goals, set by the Early Years Foundation Stage, for education produced by the Department for Education, which carries on into their first year of school at the age of four. This year of school is usually called Reception. The Early Learning Goals cover the main areas of education without being subject driven. These areas include:

The three prime areas:

 communication and language
 physical development
 personal, social and emotional development

The four specific areas:

 literacy
 mathematics
 understanding the world
 expressive arts and design

Pupils attend nursery school for four or five terms. It is also common practice for many children to attend nursery much earlier than this. Many nurseries have the facilities to take on babies, using the 'Early Years Foundation Stage' framework as a guide to give each child the best possible start to becoming a competent learner and skilful communicator. Nurseries and playgroups are inspected and regulated by Her Majesty's Inspectors (Office for Standards in Education).

Scotland

The Scottish government defines its requirements for nursery schools in the Early Years Framework and the Curriculum for Excellence. Each school interprets these with more or less independence (depending on their management structure) but must satisfy the Care Inspectorate in order to retain their licence to operate. The curriculum aims to develop:
 confident individuals
 effective contributors
 responsible citizens
 successful learners

United States

In the United States, kindergarten is usually part of the K–12 educational system, but attendance is not compulsory across the country; each state determines whether or not kindergarten is compulsory. Forty-three of the fifty states (the exceptions being Alaska, Idaho, Minnesota, Michigan, New Hampshire, New York, and Pennsylvania) require school districts to offer a kindergarten year, either for a full-day or a half-day.

In most schools, children begin kindergarten at age five for one year.  Students develop skills such as numeracy, literacy, and a greater awareness of the world around them geographically, scientifically, socially, and culturally.

See also
 Forest kindergarten
 Head Start Program
 Montessori education
 Pre-math skills
 Reggio Emilia approach
 Universal preschool
 Waldorf education

Notes

References

Further reading
The following reading list relates specifically to kindergarten in North America, where it is the first year of formal schooling and not part of the preschool system as it is in the rest of the world:

 Gullo, D. F. (1990). "The changing family context: Implications for the development of all-day kindergarten." Young Children, 45(4), 35–39. EJ 409 110.
 Housden, T., & Kam, R. (1992). "Full-day kindergarten: A summary of the research." Carmichael, CA: San Juan Unified School District. ED 345 868.
 Karweit, N. (1992). "The kindergarten experience." Educational Leadership, 49(6), 82–86. EJ 441 182.
 Koopmans, M. (1991). "A study of longitudinal effects of all-day kindergarten attendance on achievement." Newark, NJ: Newark Board of Education. ED 336 494..
 Morrow, L. M., Strickland, D. S., & Woo, D. G.(1998). "Literacy instruction in half- and whole-day kindergarten." Newark, DE: International Reading Association. ED 436 756.
 Olsen, D., & Zigler, E.(1989). "An assessment of the all-day kindergarten movement." Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 4(2), 167–186. EJ 394 085.
 Puleo, V. T.(1988). "A review and critique of research on full-day kindergarten." Elementary School Journal, 88(4), 427–439. EJ 367 934.
 Towers, J. M. (1991). "Attitudes toward the all-day, everyday kindergarten." Children Today, 20(1), 25–28. EJ 431 720.
 West, J., Denton, K., & Germino-Hausken, E.(2000). "America's Kindergartners" Washington, DC: National Center for Educational Statistics
 McGill-Franzen, A. (2006). "Kindergarten literacy: Matching assessment and instruction in kindergarten." New York: Scholastic.
 WestEd (2005). "Full-Day Kindergarten: Expanding Learning Opportunities." San Francisco: WestEd.

External links

 Sources for kindergarten teachers in the US
 Friedrich Fröbel timeline
 Recent Research on All-Day Kindergarten in the US
 Kindersite Project – Researching into the use of technology within Kindergartens with Kindergarten-appropriate Internet content
 Watch the 1962 documentary Kindergarten

Early childhood education
Educational years
Educational stages
School types

Kindergarten