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. Join us throughout October as we look at 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. If early childhood is where we begin to build skills and behaviors such as persistence, empathy, collaboration, and problem solving, are we teaching in developmentally appropriate ways?
The Whole Child Podcast
Download the Whole Child Podcast Thursday, October 10, for a discussion on the importance of early childhood education. You'll hear from
- 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,
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