THE WHOLE CHILD BLOG
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What does "education" mean for our youngest learners? The first years of school are as important for an educated population as any other period, perhaps more. Additionally, research shows that implementation of high-quality preschool programs can be beneficial for the lifelong development of children in low-income families and that an upfront commitment to early education provides returns to society that are many times more valuable than the original investment.
With the current focus on standards and academic achievement, is learning and testing coming too early? Curriculum and assessment should be based on the best knowledge of theory and research about how children develop and learn with attention given to individual children's needs and interests in a group in relation to program goals. In this episode, we discuss the importance of early childhood education and the specific social, cognitive, and emotional needs these learners have that are different than those of older learners. You'll hear from
- Thomas Armstrong, an award-winning author and speaker with more than 40 years of teaching experience from the primary through the doctoral level. More than 1 million copies of his books are in print on issues related to learning and human development, including the 2012 ASCD book, Neurodiversity in the Classroom: Strength-Based Strategies to Help Students with Special Needs Achieve Success in School and Life.
- Laura Bornfreund, a senior policy analyst for the New America Foundation's Early Education Initiative. Bornfreund examines early education (birth through grade 3) studies and policies and researches and writes original policy papers. She contributes to Early Ed Watch, the Early Education Initiative's blog,
Community School Collaborations: A Lifeline for Early Learning Program Success
Post written by Janet Brown, Senior Early Childhood Program Specialist, and Kwesi Rollins, Director of Leadership Programs at the Institute for Educational Leadership In Lifelines for Poor Children, economist and Nobel laureate, James Heckman, argues that quality early learning programs represent our best national education investment, due to evidence of societal benefits from longitudinal studi
Afterschool and Summer: Ideal Times for STEM Learning
Post written by Jodi Grant, executive director of the Afterschool Alliance; Sarah Pitcock, interim CEO of the National Summer Learning Association; and Gina Warner, executive director of the National AfterSchool Association There's no getting around it—to stack the odds in favor of career success and a competitive nation, kids today must embrace and develop proficiency in science, technology, en
YESTERDAY
Community School Collaborations: A Lifeline for Early Learning Program Success
Post written by Janet Brown, Senior Early Childhood Program Specialist, and Kwesi Rollins, Director of Leadership Programs at the Institute for Educational Leadership In Lifelines for Poor Children, economist and Nobel laureate James Heckman argues that quality early learning programs represent our best national education investment due to evidence of societal benefits from longitudinal studies
Community School Collaborations: A Lifeline for Early Learning Program Success
Post written by Janet Brown, Senior Early Childhood Program Specialist, and Kwesi Rollins, Director of Leadership Programs at the Institute for Educational Leadership In Lifelines for Poor Children, economist and Nobel laureate James Heckman argues that quality early learning programs represent our best national education investment due to evidence of societal benefits from longitudinal studies of
OCT 08
ED Pulse Poll Results: Where Does Early Childhood Education Fit Within Our National Priorities?
ASCD continually seeks to provide solutions to the challenges that face educators of all levels. Recently the ASCD SmartBrief ED Pulse poll addressed where quality early education falls within U.S. priorities and goals. The topic of early childhood education has always been important to certain groups in the U.S. But recently it has received more widespread discussion as the government and busine
PEACE at Oxon Hill Middle School
As kings and queens arrive at school, they are greeted with warm smiles, hand shakes, and student-initiated hugs to staff members and one another. They can't wait to get to school! It is clear that PEACE (Positive Energy Activates Constant Elevation) lives here. "Peace King, Peace Queen." Here it seems that positive energy activates constant elevation. Situated in the suburbs of Ft. Wa
Throughout October: Early Childhood Education
What does "education" mean for our youngest learners? The first years of school are as important for an educated population as any other period, perhaps more. Additionally, research shows that implementation of high-quality preschool programs can be beneficial for the lifelong development of children in low-income families and that an upfront commitment to early education provides retur
OCT 07
Throughout October: Early Childhood Education
What does "education" mean for our youngest learners? The first years of school are as important for an educated population as any other period, perhaps more. Additionally, research shows that implementation of high-quality preschool programs can be beneficial for the lifelong development of children in low-income families and that an upfront commitment to early education provides retur
Why Resilience Is Critical in a Learning Environment
Resilience is a life skill that all teachers should focus on throughout students' educational careers. In many classrooms, resiliency and perseverance may be discussed early in the year and then left out of the classroom dialogue, or not discussed at all. As members of the school environment, we cannot wait for resilience to materialize organically for each student. To place an emphasis on resili