We continue our series The First Decade with early education. Research shows that a child’s foundation for success in school is established at a very young age, through high-quality care at home or at pre-school - and in New Hampshire, moving from half to full-day kindergarten. Yet, some also caution that how we teach our youngest kids is just as important as where.
GUESTS:
- Kristin Barden – kindergarten teacher at Beech Street School in Manchester.
- Katie Brissette – deputy director of Early Learning NH, a nonprofit that advocates for early learning programs, such as child care, Head Start, and preschool.
- Mary Earick – administrator of the Bureau of Integrated Programs for the N.H. Department of Education and state director of Title I. She was formerly a professor in the field of early childhood education.
CALLOUTS:
- Alia Wong – education editor for The Atlantic. You can read some of her coverage here.
- Sam Evans-Brown – NHPR’s education reporter.
Listen to an audio postcard from Beech Street Elementary School in Manchester:
Show highlights:
First 5 yrs are a magic time where neural connections happen at a rapid pace; it's imp to harness that - M Earick. http://t.co/Wgl5TA1TvG
— The Exchange (@NHPRExchange) May 20, 2015
Tech boom has interrupted brain-feeding conversations w/ young kids- parents staring at phones isn't ideal - M Earick http://t.co/Wgl5TA1TvG
— The Exchange (@NHPRExchange) May 20, 2015
Not enough $ to go around: if we put all kids in preK, it'll be lower quality than if we target neediest- @aliaemily. http://t.co/Wgl5TA1TvG
— The Exchange (@NHPRExchange) May 20, 2015
LISTENER: don't forget public libraries, which support learning for kids before kindergarten, afterschool & in summer http://t.co/Wgl5TA1TvG
— The Exchange (@NHPRExchange) May 20, 2015