Early Childhood Education: Giving Young Learners a Boost that Can Last a Lifetime

When people think of early childhood education, what frequently comes to mind are the benefits that these programs can provide as measured by the skills a child has developed by the time they start kindergarten. Access to high-quality preschool education programs can improve a child’s language, literacy, mathematics, and social-emotional skills. Research shows that kindergarteners who were previously enrolled in high-quality preschool programs are more “school ready” compared with young children who do not have similar opportunities. Early education and care benefits all young learners, but it is especially important for children from under-resourced communities. A presentation on the state of early childhood education in Virginia found that the lack of participation in quality preschool can have a significant impact on school readiness for students from low-income families. The presentation referenced data which showed that among economically disadvantaged students who did not attend a quality preschool or early childhood education program, only three out of ten were considered school ready upon entering kindergarten. Participation in a quality early childhood education program can result in significant gains not only for children from low-income families, but it can increase school readiness in children with disabilities or those for whom English is a second language.

The benefits of early childhood education and care do not stop at kindergarten but can have lasting impacts throughout a child’s academic career, if not their entire life. Studies show that early childhood education and care supports brain development from birth through age five. The experiences that children have during their early years affect their self-regulation and executive functioning skills, both of which can predict a student’s likelihood of academic success by third grade, middle school, high school, and beyond. Faculty from the Inclusive Early Childhood Education Program within the School of Education at George Mason University recently shared their perspective on early education and care for young learners. Engaging in this discussion were Associate Professors Bweikia Steen, Academic Program Coordinator (Undergraduate), and Colleen Vesely, Academic Program Coordinator (Graduate).

Teachers in a high-quality early childhood education program must meet the needs of the “whole” child.

A positive relationship between the teacher and the young student is the foundation of a high-quality early childhood learning experience. Building this type of relationship requires the teacher to address the needs of the “whole” child. This includes the child’s health and safety needs and involves creating a nurturing environment that fosters the child’s sense of belonging. Early childhood educators must also teach young children how to be respectful of one another and how to engage with each other collaboratively in working toward a common goal. These are basic skills all children will utilize throughout their lives. Connecting with a child’s parents and family members and developing a relationship based on trust is also essential if a teacher is to be successful in establishing a quality early childhood education experience for a young learner. A relationship of this kind is really a partnership where the teacher and the family work together as a team in support of the best interests of the child.

School district administrators and leaders should adopt policies that provide early childhood education teachers with the resources they need.

While early childhood education teachers must address the many needs of their young students, they must also take care not to neglect their own needs as educators. School district administrators and school leaders can help in this regard by adopting policies that support educators and ensure they have access to the resources needed to perform their jobs effectively. Education advocates recommend that policies supportive of teachers be implemented at the school and district level, and at the state and national levels.

Early childhood education teachers need to be lifelong learners.

An effective early childhood education teacher takes pride in being a lifelong learner. This means keeping up on the latest research on child development and brain research. It also means learning from the children, families, and communities they work with. When teachers educate themselves, they are better able to help the young children under their care.

Improving Publicly Funded Early Childhood Education Programs at the State Level

As the benefits of providing young children with access to positive early learning experiences become more evident, some states are taking action to improve the quality of their publicly funded early childhood education programs. One of these is Virginia where policymakers have adopted the Unified Virginia Quality Birth to Five System (VQB5) initiative. The goal of this program is to prepare all children for kindergarten and to ensure that all children have quality teaching and learning experiences that meet their unique needs. As described by the Virginia Department of Education, the VQB5 initiative seeks to improve the quality of all publicly funded birth-to-five classrooms and support families in choosing quality early care programs for their children.

For information on degree offerings in the Inclusive Early Childhood Education Program in the School of Education at George Mason University, please visit the program website.