12/18/2007

Early Childhood Lessons from Around the World

John Bennett has been reviewing early childhood policies and practices in developed countries for the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development since 1998. Here are a few of his observations as reported in the UNESCO Policy Brief on Early Childhood (December 2007) ...

• The quality and effectiveness of programmes do not depend entirely on wealth — some rich countries have poor systems and services — but on the vision that a country has for its children, backed by sound government planning, financing, and policy-making.
• There is a temptation to turn early childhood services into junior schools. Preparation for school is necessary, but research shows that didactic classrooms do not support effectively the holistic development of young children, in particular their creative capacities, and their socio-emotional and physical development.
• The review also underlines the importance of the participation of families in services and in their children's learning — a persistent challenge for developed countries. The more community-based services of the developing world may well have important lessons for the richer nations in this area.

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The Working Forum for Teacher Educators, taking place in Auckland, New Zealand from April 30 - May 2, 2008, will facilitate the sharing of techniques, objectives, philosophies, and perspectives among teacher educators from around the world to enable them to improve their effectiveness. This Forum is designed for college instructors and independent trainers as well as individuals in private and public organizations responsible for the training of early childhood directors, teachers, and family child care providers. At the Forum educators from around the world will present their perspectives on training adults, developing curriculum content, motivating learners, assessing learners' progress, and teaching and learning at a distance. Go to the World Forum web site to learn more about this Working Forum.

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