Category: Preschool and Primary

January 4, 2022

Throughout my 20 years in the field of early childhood development, in the classroom and as a kids’ show host, I have observed that a young child in focused, self-guided, open-ended play is like a lucid dreamer. Consider how our […]

December 16, 2021

Senate Democrats are planning a vote on a version of President Joe Biden’s $1.75 trillion “Build Back Better” bill sometime in the coming weeks or months. The Democratic House has already passed its version of the bill, which includes over […]

December 3, 2021

The communities of practice aim to help school systems build capacity to implement interventions so the efforts best address students’ needs. State education systems were invited to apply to participate. “Students across the country have felt the impact of school […]

November 29, 2021

Spending on preschool programs surpassed $9 billion for the first time in 2019-20 across 44 states that funded preschool and Washington, D.C., according to a separate report by the National Institute for Early Education Research. Leading up to this time […]

November 17, 2021

The report emphasizes the importance of early childhood education, especially during the pandemic, when it says “child care was more readily acknowledged as essential to the economy.” The pandemic heavily exacerbated teacher shortages. Education organizations wrote to Congressional leaders drawing […]

October 27, 2021

The early childhood education system in the United States is fundamentally broken. In a sector that rarely sees quality, affordability and availability offered in the same place, that is more a statement of fact than it is a subjective viewpoint. […]

October 22, 2021

If I had one teaching tool at my disposal in a classroom besides pencils, papers, and books, it would be an educational robot. A robot is the single most engaging learning tool I’ve used with students. It appeals to children […]

October 5, 2021

Five years ago, we had about 900 students in our K-5 elementary school, with roughly 40 percent of them either eligible for free or reduced lunch. Being in a geographic area that’s challenged by generational poverty and other socioeconomic issues, […]

September 8, 2021

There is an oft-cited parable in children’s mental health about two individuals fishing on the banks of a river. In the midst of their outing, they notice a child in the middle of the river, struggling to stay afloat and […]

June 22, 2021

The clock is ticking in Washington, D.C. By the end of 2023, workers who teach the littlest learners in the nation’s capital will be required to have advanced credentials in early childhood education. For some teachers, this feels like pressure. […]