Is Four the New Six?

06/12/2008

If we surrendered to earth’s intelligence we could rise up rooted, like trees.
Rainer Maria Rilke

A child’s job is to learn all about
the world and fully develop into
the very best person that
he or she can be.

This is the opening for Jim Greenman's Exchange article, "The Child’s Job: Talking to Parents About Child Development." Greenman continues...

"Child development is complicated. There are many research studies and thick textbooks that cover every aspect of child development. Good caring practices, environments, activities, and the expectations of children and teachers are designed to promote and foster each child’s development. How can we explain that to parents? How can we help parents understand and recognize the value of what we do?

"Of course, what good early care and education programs should do is under siege by a growing national anxiety attack and obsession with school readiness. This anxiety casts a cloud (or shroud) over early childhood programs, as if all we should focus on is how to create the ideal child for a kindergarten classroom, and an academic kindergarten at that! The irony is many of these children may live to be 100 years old. Drawing from a popular expression, they will experience '40 as the new 30', '60 as the new 50.' So why does four have to be the new six?

"In reality, the focus of good child care is much broader and deeper because our programs provide the foundations for lives that extend far beyond the kindergarten year."

This entire article can be found in the Exchange Ideas for You — Free! section of the Exchange web site.

Caring Spaces on Sale

Jim Greenman has distilled his great thinking on designing learning spaces in early childhood programs in his best-selling Exchange guidebook, Caring Spaces, Learning Places — Children's Environments that Work. This week, Caring Spaces is on sale at a 20% discount on the Exchange web site.

KinderCare Learning Centers are Creating a World of Learners We are the nation's leading private provider of early childhood and school age education and care. Every KinderCare teacher is highly qualified and experienced, and we provide more staff development opportunities than any other childcare company. Learn more about joining our professionally trained and passionately committed staff.

For more information about Exchange's magazine, books, and other products pertaining to ECE, go to www.ccie.com.