I believe the current public opinion in the United States regarding the value and importance of providing quality services, including early care and education, is increasing. Developments in brain research have increased awareness of the importance of the early years regarding young children's growth and development. Researchers agree it is the earliest years that are the most crucial for healthy growth and development for all children. Early intervention programs, Head Start / Early Head Start, and Special Education programs help provide high-quality, safe, and healthy experiences to young children and their families. The history of these types of programs demonstrates the increased awareness and focus on quality childcare and education. The long term benefits have social, economical, and political impacts on our society.
My hope is that continued research, community based programs, and family involvement continues to raise awareness and increase the focus on the importance of quality early care and education for all children. It is my hope that funding will continue to increase and that as a nation we will be able to create more and more programs to ensure that all children have access to high-quality care and education programs. I hope to be a part of this continued movement and hope that I will be a part of implementing new programs, bringing awareness to my local area, and will have a positive influence on families and young children.
I believe that when we can provide services to all children we will see long term benefits not only for our children but for our Nation as well. Studies have shown that investing in the care and education of our young children is beneficial to our economy. The economic benefits include lowering the cost of remedial, special education, and grade repetition, higher income for graduates, better job preparation, and fewer welfare payments to name just a few (MIT Workplace Center, 2005). The social impact includes higher rate of graduation, lower crime rates, and individuals become better citizens (MIT Workplace Center, 2005).
In the words of Maria Montessori:
"Free the child's potential and you will transform the world!"
My hope is that continued research, community based programs, and family involvement continues to raise awareness and increase the focus on the importance of quality early care and education for all children. It is my hope that funding will continue to increase and that as a nation we will be able to create more and more programs to ensure that all children have access to high-quality care and education programs. I hope to be a part of this continued movement and hope that I will be a part of implementing new programs, bringing awareness to my local area, and will have a positive influence on families and young children.
I believe that when we can provide services to all children we will see long term benefits not only for our children but for our Nation as well. Studies have shown that investing in the care and education of our young children is beneficial to our economy. The economic benefits include lowering the cost of remedial, special education, and grade repetition, higher income for graduates, better job preparation, and fewer welfare payments to name just a few (MIT Workplace Center, 2005). The social impact includes higher rate of graduation, lower crime rates, and individuals become better citizens (MIT Workplace Center, 2005).
In the words of Maria Montessori:
"Free the child's potential and you will transform the world!"
References
MIT Workplace Center. 2005. Early childhood education for all: A wise investment. Retrieved from
Nicely said! I agree with you 100%. My blog post is much like yours - especially the part about hoping to be part of the solution in the future so all children can have quality, accessible early care and education in the future. You are right, too, about how the history of these types of programs show how we have evolved in our awareness as a society in how we understand better how important early education is for our children and the history of our nation.
ReplyDeleteGreat post Toni,
ReplyDeleteIt is not only the parents that benefit from high quality programs, the nation does benefit too. I believe that this why everyone including both the State and the Federal need to come together and improve the quality .Early education is the foundation for the life -long education.