"Experts tell us that 90% of all brain development occurs by the age of five. If we don't begin thinking about education in the early years, our children are at risk of falling behind by the time they start Kindergarten.” - Robert. L. Ehrlich
I love this quote; I believe it seems up the essence of the early childhood field. I share the belief of those who advocate for prevention rather than intervention. In many developing countries, early childhood education is practically non-existent, and in many developed countries the quality of programming for young children is very poor. I do not believe that there is a critical period for learning as many skills are acquired throughout life. However, I strongly believe the early years are extremely important if we want to make a positive and lasting impact on children’s development, whether biosocial, cognitive psychosocial, mental health or physical health. During the early childhood years when children are generally eager to learn as research by Piaget show, and eager to be part of their social environment as Vygotsky’s research show. More recently, we have learned that every aspect of learning correlate with brain “maturity”. Whether in the arctic, in the desert or in the forgotten bushes of Tambacounda, children all around the world seek to make sense of their environment. They are eager and ready, and the ready to fully participate in their communities. The questions really are: are we the policy makers, educators, parents, and neighbors ready to support and protect their optimal development? Are we ready to address the many issues such as poverty, victimization, maternal health among other issues that hinder child development around the world?
I love this quote; I believe it seems up the essence of the early childhood field. I share the belief of those who advocate for prevention rather than intervention. In many developing countries, early childhood education is practically non-existent, and in many developed countries the quality of programming for young children is very poor. I do not believe that there is a critical period for learning as many skills are acquired throughout life. However, I strongly believe the early years are extremely important if we want to make a positive and lasting impact on children’s development, whether biosocial, cognitive psychosocial, mental health or physical health. During the early childhood years when children are generally eager to learn as research by Piaget show, and eager to be part of their social environment as Vygotsky’s research show. More recently, we have learned that every aspect of learning correlate with brain “maturity”. Whether in the arctic, in the desert or in the forgotten bushes of Tambacounda, children all around the world seek to make sense of their environment. They are eager and ready, and the ready to fully participate in their communities. The questions really are: are we the policy makers, educators, parents, and neighbors ready to support and protect their optimal development? Are we ready to address the many issues such as poverty, victimization, maternal health among other issues that hinder child development around the world?
Great post!!! Thanks for sharing so much in this class! Good luck in the future courses!
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