2. Why do toddlers need Pre-Schooling before School? Children are born learning, their first years of life (0-4) impact the success they experience later in school. Early experiences that are nurturing and active actually thicken the cortex of an infant’s brain. (Good) After age 4 all learning must build on prior knowledge (Sousa)
3. Why Pre-Schooling Matters (cont’d) The first five years are crucial to building the social and emotional “soft skills” children need to succeed in school. “Soft” skills- following directions, starting and finishing projects, knowing when to ask for help. Equal in importance to Cognitive or “hard” skills—like being able to count, recite the alphabet, and write their names. (Good)
Editor's Notes
http://www.good.is/post/why-early-childhood-education-matters/David Sousa*creating a brain with more extensive and sophisticated neuron structures that later determine intelligence and behavior.
On the first day of kindergarten, teachers expect children to be able to follow directions, start and finish projects, and know when they need to ask for help.
According to the Maine ECE curriculum: According to Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, the foundations for each individual’s personal and social development lie in providing basic physiological (food, shelter) and safety (security/stability) and relationship (belonging/love) needs early in life. Maslow’s theory suggests that all people need a safe and nurturing environment to achieve their full potential. When the environment in which a child develops is safe and nurturing, the building blocks for learning are laid. Such a foundation enables a child to become a full contributing member of the community with a healthy sense of self and social skills to navigate a complex society.
