Shop by Topic
Shop by Product
ExchangeEveryDay Past Issues
<< Previous Issue
| View Past Issues | | Next Issue >> 
Early Childhood Education Works
February 7, 2008
Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be?
-Marianne Williamson
-Marianne Williamson
"A five-year study by Penn State's Prevention Research Center has found marked academic progress among kindergartners and first graders who attended preschool over those who did not. This confirms what educators, researchers, and proponents of early childhood education have been saying for years, that investing in preschool pays off in dramatically better educational performance in the early years of elementary school. The key will be to determine whether that 'head start' continues on through the rest of school, or whether other factors begin to take hold that may diminish the impact of an early educational start.
"These findings, which reflect the results of similar studies elsewhere, are particularly critical for urban schools, such as Harrisburg, which have struggled for decades to raise the academic success of children from low-income and minority families. This is a challenge of a very high order. The future of thousands, even millions, of youngsters, as well as society generally, depends on finding answers to this persistent conundrum.
"There is enough solid evidence that quality early education programs work �" with a clear emphasis on quality �" that a strong case can be made that such programs should be universal, or at least available to all children attending schools in districts with a history of academic underperformance. All children should have the opportunity that quality preschool programs afford in stimulating their cognitive skills so that they not only acquire the building blocks of knowledge, but also gain confidence in their own abilities and develop an appetite for learning."
Join hundreds of your peers around the world in voting for the phrase that you think most appropriately names our profession in this week's Exchange Insta-Poll.
ExchangeEveryDay
Delivered five days a week containing news, success stories, solutions, trend reports, and much more.
What is ExchangeEveryDay?
ExchangeEveryDay is the official electronic newsletter for Exchange Press. It is delivered five days a week containing news stories, success stories, solutions, trend reports, and much more.
Motivate Teachers
10 (FREE) tips to help you facilitate effective and energizing staff meetings are posted and ready for you to print and implement today!
10 (FREE) tips to help you facilitate effective and energizing staff meetings are posted and ready for you to print and implement today!
Comments (2)
Displaying All 2 CommentsUnited States
I would like someone to describe the benefits of early ed for all children not only based on socioeconomic status or minorities. Middle income children benefit from quality early ed as well as at risk families.Middle income families are in jeopardy of not being able to afford these programs if they are not there already. Please address these issues, they seem to be ignored. Thanks for your attention.
United States
Since quite a while (years) I get your email on a daily basis, and read your quotes; seldom the whole article.
Today's quote, "Don't feel entitled to anything you didn't sweat and struggle for." by Marian Wright Edelman is a little bit off to my taste.
So many people sweat and struggle and still the outcome of their action is poor. Sweat and struggle often just clouds their own judgment towards their action. Lowering the bar due to willfulness and exhaustion.
"Don't feel entitled to anything!" just by itself would have been better, but still incomplete.
Thank you,
Holger
Post a Comment