5 ways to buoy early science learning at home
More parents would focus on science-related activities with their young children if they knew how to actually engage in such activities, according to a new survey. The survey…
Early childhood education
Why keeping parents and kids connected in the early years is critical
In more than 60 percent of all two-parent households, both parents work, and in nearly all of these households, at least one parent is employed. This means that…
Are these preschools changing the future?
Since 2008, Utah has given its families an alternative to preschool called Upstart. Developed and administered through a state contract with the Waterford Institute, the Upstart program provides…
Media specialist: 3 ways to break down barriers between students and reading
It’s safe to say that both the environment and expectations for library media specialists have certainly changed, but what’s remained true is our mission to break down the…
6 steps to strengthen early STEM learning
Although STEM education is inarguably essential in today's economy, it is not always seamlessly incorporated into early childhood education--and the barriers to inclusion are more pervasive than many…
5 ways to reduce the harrowing STEM teacher shortage
No technology can replace high-quality teachers. But what happens when high-quality STEM teachers become hard to find, and what happens when STEM teacher applicant pools dry up? And…
Are online preschools signaling the future of education?
Since 2008, Utah has given its families an alternative to preschool called Upstart. Developed and administered through a state contract with the Waterford Institute, the Upstart program provides…
Teachers want more support in early education communication
While almost all educators feel support of parents with children younger than school age is important, only 23 percent of educators have sufficient tools to do so, according…
Can simple games make kids better at math?
Kindergartners participating in a Johns Hopkins study demonstrated increased math performance after exercising their intuitive number sense with a computer game. “Math ability is not static—it’s not the…
Researchers develop preschool STEM education curriculum
In an effort to address the national need to guide more students to careers in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) researchers are developing…
ABCmouse launches school-centered platform for K-2
Age of Learning, Inc. has launched ABCmouse for Schools, a scalable solution to meet the pre-K through 2nd grade needs of school districts and school groups in the…
IBM supercomputer Watson to help advance preschool education
Sesame Workshop and IBM announced a collaboration to use IBM Watson’s cognitive computing technology and Sesame’s early childhood expertise to help advance preschool education around the world. As…
5 tips to engage parents using technology they already use
The trick to getting more parents involved in what's going on in the classroom: stick to video, social media, and other familiar tech.
8 ways digital media will evolve for the future
While digital educational media can continue to have a substantial impact on children, the size of that impact is directly proportional to a commitment to equity, according to…
10 building blocks of early childhood education
A new brief highlights 10 important elements of high-quality early childhood education programs, pulled from a body of research, which can help young students have an equitable start…
Utah’s early literacy program works–here’s why
A statewide kindergarten readiness initiative in Utah is helping children develop early literacy skills before they enter kindergarten, and is doing so at a higher rate than among…
District launching free pre-K literacy tool
Manassas City Public Schools (MCPS) in Virginia is launching a new approach to early learning that will increase literacy for all 4 year olds in Manassas City by…
Public libraries to offer digital early literacy tools
In an effort to support public libraries’ life-long learning initiatives, Gale, a part of Cengage Learning, is launching Miss Humblebee’s Academy, a new early literacy product that will…
Kansas preschool programs focus on literacy support
To ensure young children are reaching important achievement standards and school readiness goals, the Kansas Preschool Programs (KPP) are integrating structures necessary for implementing a Multi-tiered System of…
4 fresh ideas for teaching digital citizenship sooner
Kids are immersed in technology from a very young age. So why do digital citizenship courses focus on middle school and above? Recently, I was reflecting on how…
Study reveals steps to kindergarten prep
An intervention that uses music and games to help preschoolers learn self-regulation skills is helping prepare at-risk children for kindergarten, a new study from Oregon State University shows.…
Screen time debate broadens with research
Screen time remains a hot-button issue, but classifying technology use guidelines to include active versus passive use, and how the technology is used, could help redefine traditional screen…
Six key competencies for effective Pre-K-3 principals
Providing personalized learning environments and ensuring developmentally-appropriate teaching are just two of six competencies principals need to support teaching and learning during the transition from birth and preschool…
Coding with the kindergarten crowd
Introducing coding to kindergarten students helps them reflect on their own learning as they develop 21st-century skills such as problem solving and creativity, experts say. Coding has emerged…
Top ways to choose and use tech in early education
Making sure that young children benefit from technology isn't quite as simple as handing a child a mobile device with age-appropriate apps. But using a series of questions…
5 steps to better early childhood tech use
Closing the digital divide has been a constant challenge as technology tools and use become more prevalent in schools. Now, research shows that developing early technology skills can…
Early learning, assisted by technology
Susan Kelly is excited about the possibilities when her school welcomes its first class of students this fall. Kelly is the vice principal of VINCI School in Ottawa,…
5 new findings about early childhood data use
A new survey reveals that most states cannot answer the most basic questions about early childhood care and education, including whether young children up to age 5 are…
Estimate for statewide pre-k in New York puts schools chief in a tangle
New York State’s top education official was caught in a battle between city and state leaders on Tuesday after he suggested that providing universal access to prekindergarten would…
eSN Special Report: Closing Gaps Early
Located in Marion County, a rural area of north central Florida, the town of Weirsdale doesn’t offer many opportunities for preschool education. The median family income in the…
VINCI offers blended learning for pre-K
Technology entrepreneur Dr. Dan D. Yang already had achieved fame within the world of physics, having earned close to 20 U.S. patents—some of which became the standard for…
Ed-tech tools boost early learners’ math skills
New research indicates that a technology-supported curriculum can help early learners better absorb STEM subjects, setting up at-risk early learners for more academic success down the road. A…
How to support young learners with tablets
Tablets and other mobile devices are not uncommon in today's classrooms and in the hands of students. But companies targeting "typical" students sometimes forget an important subset that…
Get them while they’re young
Starting pre-school poses tests for any four-year-old: sitting still, the risk of a yucky lunch, missing home, The Economist reports. The stakes are still higher for 700 small…
Early education in Nordic countries: Can we learn anything?
Nordic countries, which score high on international education benchmarking tests, have provided successful preschool education programs for decades—success that has prompted U.S. education leaders to wonder what policies…
Study: Better TV might improve kids’ behavior
Teaching parents to switch channels from violent shows to educational TV can improve preschoolers' behavior, even without getting them to watch less, a study found.
Obama pushes preschool programs as sequestration looms
President Barack Obama's ambitious plan to expand preschool programs comes as one out of every 13 students already in Head Start classrooms is at risk of being kicked…
New study shows early learning helps prevent crime
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Early childhood skills pave way for later success
Advancements in digital media are helping young children use technology to develop important social and emotional skills as they enter school, and a new PBS Kids resource aims…
ACT to launch college and career testing for elementary school students
Standardized testing is under increasing scrutiny, as proponents tout its potential for bringing accountability to education while opponents deride it as misguided and exhausting. How much testing is…