EC Smart Reading: 5 Articles You Should Read

1) Classic Games Help Improve Self-Control in Children

2) Child Beatings in Early Ed Classrooms

3) a recent Wall Street Journal article the Reason Foundation's Shika Dalmia and Lisa Snell argue that pre-k programs don't work or, worse, actually harm kids

...and the rebuttal from another blog: Protect Our Kids from Preschool Hype

4) Top 5 Reasons It's Okay for Kids to Take Risks

5) Toys and our children

Obama's Plan for PK

Do you know what your candidate's plan for PK is?

Barack Obama has a full plan for the education system that includes PK-12. Although I am an advocate for Obama, I am more an advocate for everyone to ensure they really get to know the candidates before they make their own decision. Research the candidates and what their own plans are. If you are interested, below you will find Barack Obama's memo/plan for Early Childhood (PK) and a link to his full education plan (PK-12).

"Expand Early Childhood Education: Research shows that many low-income children do not enter kindergarten ready to learn. In fact, half of low-income children start school up to two years behind their peers in preschool skills, and these early achievement gaps continue throughout elementary school. Barack Obama supports increasing funding for the Head Start program to provide preschool children with critically important learning skills, and supports the necessary role of parental involvement in the success of Head Start."

http://obama.3cdn.net/a8dfc36246b3dcc3cb_iem6bxpgh.pdf

Early Childhood Longitudinal Study (ECLS-B)

http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICWebPortal/contentdelivery/servlet/ERICServlet?accno=ED498793

For those of you interested, I have posted a link to the first findings of the ECLS-B as published by the National Center for Education Statistics. I can't wait to hear your responses/reactions!

-M.