What is the significance of early childhood education

So what does this have to do with ECE? Studies suggest that putting more children in pre-K now will result in fewer adults in prison later in life.

The benefits of early childhood education can better entire communities, not only the child or their families. The study itself revealed that children from the poorest families learned approximately 30 million fewer words than those from more affluent families by age three. These numbers are a reflection of how much the parents talked to their children, tying directly to IQs and academic performance later in life.

That language deficit could then cascade on to the next generation, creating a negative loop. Much of this cognitive development takes place before a child will enter kindergarten, and ECE advocates cite this study when highlighting the value of early interventions that directly address the developmental inequality in young minds.

ECE professionals have the opportunity to build on what children already know, introducing and reinforcing new words in addition to already existing interests and capabilities, according to the National Association for the Education of Young Children NAEYC. Building upon the foundation that ECE and school readiness is a critical element in preparing our children to be successful in an increasingly competitive global economy, it is alarming to learn that the United States falls significantly behind other countries in enrollment, investment and quality of ECE resources.

As of , only a portion of children under five were enrolled in a preprimary programs, according to the National Center for Education Statistics : 7. Unfortunately, these numbers have not changed much since It also affects school readiness and other skills that prove essential to educating a strong workforce that can contribute to a successful global economy.

Many of these disparities are due to a large preschool access gap, which is why some efforts are being made on a national scale to increase the U. In fact, early childhood education policy is already being discussed in the presidential election. Some candidates argue for universal preschool, while others believe that parents should receive tax credits to help make childcare more affordable. Other candidates, like Senator Kirsten Gillibrand and Mayor Pete Buttigieg, want to increase the number of tax credits families can earn based on their childcare expenses.

Even if the parent already works, high-quality childcare helps parents improve their productivity at work by missing fewer work hours and opening up options for further education. Even the children in ECE benefit. These individual factors can play a big role in your local economy—and by extension—the national economy. A study found that rising childcare costs resulted in a 13 percent decrease in employment of mothers of young children.

In , Washington, D. A study of this program shows a substantial economic payoff, with an astounding 10 percent increase in workforce participation among mothers of young children after the program began in More participation in the workplace means fewer dollars lost by American business and more diversity in the workplace, as woman are primarily affected by the childcare crisis.

This kind of play is normally done with toys or objects that are stackable, can be filled with water or sand or playing outdoors. Water play or sand play is a favorite amongst pre-school children and a valuable teaching tool.

Constructive play is characterized by building or creating something. Toys that encourage this type of play are simple puzzles, building blocks, easy craft activities, and puppets. Normally 4 or 5 year old children enjoy this type of play, but it continues to be enjoyable into the first and second grades of school.

Hands and fingers are the best first art tools. Soon they will manage thick paint brushes, wedges of sponge, wax crayons, and thick chalks. It is advised to avoid rushing a child into making something in particular. Letting them do what they want encourages individuality and decision making.

Toddlers also enjoy play dough because they can get hands and fingers in it for poking, rolling, and shaping. This type of play develops thinking and reasoning skills, problem solving, and creativity. Pretend play allows children to express themselves and events in their lives. Normally a child will transform themselves or a play object into someone or something else.

This type of play is popular with children in preschool and kindergarten and it tends to fade out as they enter primary school. Pretend play helps children process emotions and events in their lives, practice social skills, learn values, develop language skills, and develop a rich imagination.

Because of the important skills that are developed through this type of play, efforts should be made to encourage children to pretend.

Playing games that have a definite structure or rules do not become dominant until children start to enter elementary school. Board games, simple card games, ball games or skipping games that have specific rules will teach children cooperation, mutual understanding, and logical thinking. A playground can be a turned into a learning experience for a child. Although a playground traditionally has certain elements, these elements may pose an unsafe surrounding for your child if the equipment is not properly supervised or built of unsafe materials.

A safe environment that allows gross motor activity is important for children. The following elements have been found to be unsafe in group care settings:.

I t is important that when considering an early education facility, caregivers and teacher in the facility have knowledge of the cultural supports for the language and literacy learning of the children and families they are serving.

They need to be able to draw out shy children while they help very talkative ones begin to listen to others as well as to speak. Caregivers or teachers need to arrange environments that are symbol rich and interesting without being overwhelming to infants and toddlers. Even the simplest exchange becomes a literacy lesson when it includes the warmth of a relationship coupled with words, their concepts, and perhaps a graphic symbol.

In that structure, there should be three strands: provision for the different starting points from which children develop their learning, building on what they can already do; relevant and appropriate content which matches the different levels of young children's needs; and planned and purposeful activity which provides opportunities for teaching and learning both indoors and outdoors.

If your child is between the ages of three and six and attends a preschool or kindergarten program, the National Association for the Education of Young Children NAEYC suggests you look for these 10 signs to make sure your child is in a good classroom.

According to Alvarado, someone who enjoys working with children and wants to make a lasting impact on their lives will probably be happy with a career in early childhood education. It can help you develop leadership skills and to become a reflective practitioner. Alvarado says that one of the biggest challenges educators face is finding the right balance between working one-on-one with children and managing the larger group as a whole.

Figuring out how to apply and implement classroom standards can also be an issue for new teachers. She recommends that teachers not beat themselves up if they make a mistake. Alvarado explains that teachers can take the topics or subject areas that fascinate individual students and expand on it through in-class or at-home activities. Early childhood education is a wide and varied career path. If you enjoy working with children and are willing to put in the work necessary to earn your degree, Alvarado believes you will find it rewarding.

It is also a growing field. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the job outlook for individuals working in early childhood education is strong, with employment of preschool teachers expected to grow 10 percent over the next eight years.. Sometimes the site served as a transition between families and foster care.

Alvarado adds that in addition to finding positions at schools, some of her past students have joined the teams at education-related non-profits — and fell in love with the work they do there. According to the United States Department of Education , graduates of early childhood education programs can be qualified for a variety of positions beyond teaching preschool, including:.