A New Way To Think About Early Childhood Education
By Dr. Patricia Fioriello
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Early Childhood Education
One of the biggest issues in education is that there is a lack of funding, and emphasis, on the early years. Local authorities have limited budgets, and choose to focus their work on older children and those who are approaching college age. This means that younger children simply do not get the care and attention they need, and they miss out on the chance to learn early in life, when their brain is still forming and they have the ability to absorb knowledge at an impressive rate.
The lack of early years education is a serious issue because it means that there is a big gap in the skill levels of children entering K-12. Some children are taught at home before they enter a mainstream school, and others are enrolled in private pre-K programsor have access to engaging childcare. Those children start K-12 far ahead of their less fortunate counterparts, and this leaves teachers in a difficult position.
How can they bring the less-fortunate children up to speed without leaving the more advanced students feeling frustrated or bored? What are teachers supposed to do when half of the class has never had to cope with being around large groups of their peers, while the other half is well socialized through full-day kindergarten? These questions will try to address one of the most critical issues in education – the importance of early childhood education for all children.