Archive for the ‘Early Education’ Category

Racing to the Top, Again

Wednesday, June 1st, 2011

Duncan, et al. have announced a new RTT competition targeting early education. States will be competing to share $500 million in new funds―a significant sum, especially for Pre-K. But, as Bellwether’s Sara Mead has pointed out, the department’s description of the new “Race to the Top―Early Learning Challenge” contains nothing that will make improving the actual content of Pre-K education a factor in the competition. “I’m concerned that, unless the administration designs the competition criteria to also emphasize quality instruction for preschool-aged students,” writes Mead, “they could squander an opportunity to lay a real foundation for improved student achievement.” We’ve repeatedly bemoaned the lack of content in Pre-K education. The lack of exposure to real content―history, quality literature, art history, science, foreign language―is a problem in most Pre-K programs, not just those serving children from low-income families. Mead calls for the new federal competition’s review criteria to:

“[R]equire states to have in place a definition of ‘high-quality early learning programs’ that emphasizes instructional quality for pre-k programs, including use of effective instructional practices and strategies; clearly articulated and content-rich curricula… .”

We agree, and would even recommend, that the department itself issue a definition of “high-quality early learning programs” that makes content-rich instruction in core subjects a priority.

Lynne Munson

 

Posted in Curriculum, Early Education | No Comments »

Content Matters in Early Ed, Too

Wednesday, May 4th, 2011

With rumblings of a separate early education competition Race to the Top (RTTT) 2.0 (with its $700 million, one-year extension), I thought I’d highlight a groundbreaking report on early education from the New America Foundation (NAF).

In the March report, its author, Laura Bornfreund (a former colleague of ours), provides an overview of the state of teacher preparation in early childhood (preK-3) programs across a sampling of six states: Arizona, Florida, Georgia, New Jersey, Oklahoma and Pennsylvania. Interestingly, of theses states, only Florida and Georgia secured RTTT funds in the last round of the competition. New Jersey is rumored to have just missed an award, making them a favorite candidate in the next round.

The NAF report is so interesting because of its emphasis on content―oft-neglected in the early grades. As cognitive scientists like Dan Willingham have argued time and again, content knowledge is vital for literacy. And this knowledge can only be gained through years of exposure to books and conversation, as well as quality classroom instruction. The children who stand to benefit most from early education are those who lack access to quality content at home. And, because kindergarteners are at a very different cognitive stage than children in fourth grade, early education teachers must be well-equipped to provide developmentally appropriate instruction in important content.

Unfortunately, NAF’s analysis of teacher preparation courses found insubstantial attention to teaching both content and developmental science. In Florida, for example, a state which (like many others) offers licenses in K-6 and in preK-3, the programs have very different requirements. K-6 certified teachers are expected to exhibit deep content knowledge, while preK-3 candidates are expected to have a deep understanding of child development.

Bornfreund’s recommendations are dead-on. States should require teachers in pre-k, kindergarten and the early grades “to gain both a strong grasp of math and science content plus developmental knowledge and pedagogical skills.” Early childhood teacher preparation programs must emphasize content, as well as child development. And teachers and principals need strong professional development to further their understanding of how young children learn content.

Good teachers are a vital component of strong early learning programs―this goes without saying. The Department of Education would do well to reward states for improving their teacher-preparation and certification in the early grades.

Stephanie Porowski

 

Posted in Early Education | 1 Comment »