Credit: Provided by the National Science Foundation
Summary:
Preschoolers engaged, teachers enthusiastic about moving math and science to the head of the class
Full Text:
The 4-year-olds at All Souls School in Englewood, Colo., are learning their shapes and numbers within a science lesson about sea creatures.
It’s a new approach to early childhood education that focuses more attention on science and math while incorporating important literacy connections along the way. With support from the National Science Foundation (NSF), University of Denver education professors Julie Sarama and Douglas Clements are part of the team that developed the research-based Connect4Learning, which blends academics, social and emotional development, and play for the pre-K set, with high expectations for learning for teachers and kids alike. Sarama and Clements analyze videos of Connect4Learning in action to research the efficacy of this approach and to find even better ways to connect with children of all backgrounds, particularly those in struggling schools and difficult home circumstances.