Would bonuses for pre-k teachers improve quality?
To create an educated workforce, you have to start with high-quality educators. In the field of early childhood, the issue has long been debated. High quality programs tend to be taught by teachers with four-year degrees and specific training in early childhood education. Yet teachers may be poorly trained, or not trained at all. Only [...]
The great kindergarten debate, California style
Kindergarten students these days have a lot in common with middler schoolers. Visit any middle school and you are likely to be struck instantly by the vast differences in the size of students. There are plenty of small, still childish looking 13 and 14-year-olds who look as if they’d be more comfortable in an elementary [...]
The nursery school insanity begins anew in New York City
It might seem as if the push to get into one of New York City’s most prestigious and pricey nursery schools is an old story, but quotes like these remind readers that it’s not just the city’s übercompetitive parents who are keeping the frenzy alive: “I will interview parents all night if I need to,” Wendy [...]
Should gifted pre-schoolers be isolated, nurtured?
The little things young children do and say can be so amazing that it’s hard to imagine not thinking of all children as gifted. The very word is fraught, though, and has led to years of debate about what constitutes a gifted child. How should the quality be measured and how should the littlest learners [...]
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder’s impact on children
A summer guest of EarlyStories, Susan Sawyers, had a chance to participate in a radio discussion recently that focused on post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in the lives of young children, and its impact on their behavior and ability to succeed in school. It turns out that the younger the child is at the time of [...]
Lessons in early learning from Montgomery County
At a time when budget cuts are derailing public pre-kindergarten programs and other districts are trying to figure out how to integrate early learning, the Montgomery County school system in Maryland is touting a model for success they believe can be replicated to help narrow the achievement gap. The report is available on the website [...]
One way to improve early childhood ed: leadership
With all the talk about budget cuts and other ways early childhood education is being hurt in the recession, it was refreshing to read a piece that looks at other obstacles and ways to improve the quality of early learning. Education Week points out that elementary school principals in the U.S. don’t get sufficient professional [...]
Wait, aren’t parents supposed to set an example?
The headlines about kindergarten out of Victorville, California are particularly disturbing because they have involved a school on lockdown, an alleged brawl and misdemeanor charges — against parents. And all of this bad behavior took place at a kindergarten graduation, the kind of event that usually inspires hugs and possibly tears of joy or nostalgia. [...]
A look at early learning for special needs children
Finding high quality child care and early education programs is a huge challenge for most Americans, but those with special needs children find it so impossibly complex that they often don’t even send their children to any organized child care programs, the excellent “Birth to Thrive,” blog notes. “The availability of high quality child care [...]
Wait, does study mean kindergarten teachers should be paid more?
It’s well established that children who skip kindergarten typically fall behind their classmates, and much research points to the value of a high-quality pre-kindergarten experience coming first. There has been less discussion about the impact of a kindergarten teacher on the future earnings of little learners. A new study that made its way to the [...]
