Preschool Blog and Directory
As a state policy maker, early childhood professional, and elected school board member in my home district, I participate in many discussions about the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). While it would be easy to go into educator or policy mode in addressing some of these questions, those perspectives dissipate and become subservient to my … Continue reading “Parents just don’t understand . . .and for good reason!”
We are a preschool blog and directory. Our goal is to inform the public on the benefits of preschool and help parents find the best fit in their city. Our mission is to promote wider preschool adoption nationwide. We are encouraged by the current administration and hope that one day all children rich and poor … Continue reading “About”
More than one-fifth of children in the United States are living in poverty. Children growing up in poverty face numerous adversities that can negatively affect their learning and development, starting at a very early age. For example, these children are less likely to have access to books and to hear rich vocabulary; and are more … Continue reading “School Mobility: Implications for Children’s Development”
Certain practices evoke strong reactions among early educators. Kindergarten “red-shirting (Katz, 2000),” academic “hothousing” (Hills, 1987), and developmentally inappropriate practice raise ire, yet pale in comparison to the issue of retaining children early in their school careers. As an increasing number of states adopt policies supporting, even requiring retention, emotions run high among early educators, … Continue reading “When Research and Emotions Collide”
We hope you have enjoyed our blog forum on Common Core State Standards. There are a lot of people paying attention to this issue. On day one, we outlined some concerns: Rigorous standards may lead to reduced play and less rich activity in preschool and Kindergarten classrooms. Literacy instruction may become limited to a few … Continue reading “The Common Core State Standards in early childhood education: summary”
There’s been lots of discussion about the Common Core State Standards recently, and their impact on classroom activity and child outcomes. Common Core is a major policy initiative to reform K-12 classroom practices, raise expectations and implement a new generation of assessments (at least in grades 3 and up), so it has major implications for … Continue reading “Top concerns about Common Core State Standards in early childhood education”
In a recent webinar, NIEER discussed what it means to be Hispanic and a DLL (a dual language learner) or Hispanic and come from a home with immigrant parents. We showed that Hispanic children, DLLs, and children with an immigrant background have lower rates of participation in center-based care (including Head Start) pre-K programs than … Continue reading “Young immigrants and dual language learners: Participation in pre-K and Kindergarten entry gaps”
As teachers and students alike head back to classrooms, the hopes and dreams of another school year lie on the horizon. Parents are sending their children off to preschool for the big “first day of school,” especially in New York City, where 50,000 children have enrolled in the city’s expanded pre-K program, nervous and excited … Continue reading ““Fadeout” in Early Childhood: Does the hype match the research?”
Engaging families in the education of young children is nothing new. Education was always viewed as a partnership between parents and teachers, with teachers held in high regard by their families and parents valued for their contributions and ability to reinforce shared values and expectations. Home visits were part and parcel of the home-school connection … Continue reading “Hiding Behind the Sofa: One Child’s Perspective of a Teacher’s Home Visit”
The African proverb, “It takes a village to raise a child,” recognizes the importance of supports for parents in raising healthy well-educated children who will succeed in school and life. The two most pressing education and health problems facing Blacks are the achievement gap and the “weathering effect.” Please visit National Institute for Early Education … Continue reading “Building a Strong Village to Promote Black Children’s Excellence: Early Childhood Education and the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for African Americans”