How does movement (or lack of it) help pre-schoolers learn?
It’s hard to imagine a group of pre-schoolers or kindergartners sitting still for hours at a time, listening intently — to just about anything. Yet in many cases that is what their teachers are expecting in the age of accountability. And yet, research shows that children who engage in regular physical activity perform better in [...]
Preschool depression and poverty
The New York Times Magazine has a story about depression among preschoolers this week, which asks whether depression can be diagnosable among young children, and, if so, where it might come from. The article suggests that maternal depression can play a role, but is not definitive. The author writes: “Despite the assumption that these kids [...]
Hard times for U.S. children: How do we count the ways?
It’s difficult to quantify just how difficult times are for U.S. children, and the myriad ways a weakened economy and record joblessness are taking their toll on childhood. A series of recent reports paint a bleak and frightening picture that adds to the anecdotal evidence so readily available from large cities to small rural communities. [...]
Why Finland gets early childhood education right
It’s always fascinating to hear how other countries handle the education of their littlest learners, and even better to participate in a discussion with top educators on the subject. EarlyStories had a chance to converse on BAm! Radio with Linda Darling-Hammond, the Stanford University researcher and professor, and John R. Burbank, the executive director of [...]
Is poor quality early childhood education better than none at all?
Imagine the dilema of a working parent in Georgia, dropping a child off at a child care center on the way to work. In many cases, the parent could not hold down a job without having a place to drop the child off. But what happens during the day? A study of 3,100 licensed day [...]
Nap-time: “Baby-stuff” or a necessary piece of early education?
Is nap-time for young students “baby-stuff” that takes away time from learning, or do they need it to help them achieve? On a recent Bam! Radio broadcast, Early Stories joined a discussion with Rae Pica and three experts on early childhood, who reached the unanimous conclusion that naps in preschool and kindergarten aren’t superfluous. They’re [...]
Hard times in the U.S. are taking a toll on children
There are some frightening pitfalls ahead for children who are living through these tough economic times. More are living in poverty (more than 1 in 5) and have parents who are unemployed. And a recent report by The Foundation for Child Development predicts the number of children living in poverty will rise to 15.6 million [...]
How does stress impact our littlest learners?
EarlyStories had a chance to participate in a fascinating radio discussion recently that looked at the role stress plays in the lives of young children and how it impacts their brains and their learning. Turns out too much of it can lead to learning disabilities and a range of problems. The experts on the BAm!radio [...]
Why the impact of low quality childcare lasts long beyond childhood
One of the most frustrating and difficult aspects of early childhood education — and child care — in the U.S. is the lack of quality. Advocates and academics alike have called for all kinds of ways to improve pre-school programs with higher standards . They’ve called for better teacher training and higher standards for day [...]
Should young children be allowed to fail?
EarlyStories had a chance to take part in a fascinating discussion with top educators recently on the Bam Radio Network, who were asked just how much young children should be allowed to stumble, fall — and yes, fail. Failure isn’t an easy word for parents or for educators, especially at a time when a push [...]
