Why the Concern About Early Care And Education?1
By: Barbara Bowman, Erikson Institute

Over the past 25 years there has been an explosion of knowledge about child development that has implications for how young children are cared for and educated. For example: we now know that children's learning begins earlier than we thought. Infants as young as six months can recognize different number sets and are beginning to discard sounds not needed in the language or languages they hear spoken around them. We know that early learning is more important than we had thought. Children who do not learn to love others as infants and young children may have their social development permanently derailed and those who do not begin to learn literacy concepts during their preschool years have more difficulty learning to read. We also know that the children's development is holistic and, therefore, how much children eat is as relevant to their learning as their school curriculum. Foods, warmth, protection, responsive and loving care, consistency, time to self regulate, and opportunities to explore, learn and play are all necessary for healthy development.

While much of development is driven by genetic (both human and individual) characteristics, the environment facilitates or impedes these genetic predispositions. Poverty often acts as a constraint on development because it causes stress, restricts resources, and fosters hopelessness. Therefore, low-income children are at greater developmental risk than children from more economically secure families. There are also individual differences in how well children develop and learn. Some children, no matter what their economic level, need more support than do other children-but it is sometimes hard to tell who these children are early in life. The best strategy therefore, is to provide a good quality environment for all children and to be on the lookout for children who are at greater than average risk and provide extra resources for them. Unfortunately, the cost of good quality care and education is beyond the means of families. Yet, poor and mediocre quality care and education do not support healthy development and learning and may have a deleterious effect on otherwise able children

Children who are developing well generally will learn the skills and knowledge that are valued in their natural environment; they learn to love, to categorize, to observe and remember without much instruction from adults. However, school learning is different from natural learning. For example, children learn to talk like their friends and relatives without much help but learning to read and write and manipulate large sets of numbers requires teaching from knowledgeable adults. As our expectations for children's achievement increases, children are increasingly disadvantaged who live in natural environments that prepare them for the later challenges of school.

Many people concerned about children's school achievement wonder what to do to make sure that all children learn at the high level required in a technological society. Often it is assumed that all we need to do is wait until children are school age and teach them what they do not know - but it is more complicated than that. In order to learn well, children must have loving and responsive relationships with others beginning in infancy. These early relationships play a powerful role in children's later relationships with teachers and lay the foundation for social attitudes and interest in learning. When parents are unable to provide a responsive and responsible care environment as when they are depressed, or overstressed, or unavailable children do not learn well unless other adults take up the slack. Being well cared for then, is critical to children becoming effective learners. Healthy development and learning require providing responsive and loving care, as well as teaching children skills and knowledge.

1 Reprinted from the Spring/Summer 2000 issue of Continuance. Continuance is produced by the Intergenerational Initiative at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. Reproduction rights granted.