Preschool programs started in the early 20th century in the United States and grew in popularity in 1970’s. It was realized at that time that children need early education to be prepared for elementary school. For low-income families, federal government started a program called Head Start in 1965. It began as an eight-week summer program to prepare low-income children for elementary school. Head Start is one of the longest-running programs and it has served more than thirty-two million children since its inception. (Office of Head Start). The program has expanded from an eight-week summer program to a full day yearlong program with various program options. The purpose of such programs is to prepare the young children for challenges of life. …show more content…
Children that attend preschool are able to develop these much-needed skills in a nurturing environment. Preschools offer structured and unstructured ways to teach preschoolers. The goal of a preschool is to prepare young children for elementary school. Preschools have many developmental milestones for the children. Cognitive milestones for 4 year olds include ability to understand counting and numbering, recognize colors, recall names, following commands and engaging in imaginative play. Other goals for children are to interact and get along with each other, learn concepts of self-control and self-respect and express their thoughts. Apart from short-term benefits, there are many long-term benefits of preschools. Until recently, critics questioned the benefits of preschools and Head Start programs in long run. Initial studies performed on National Head Start Impact found that students of preschools lose their edge by 3rd grade. This so-called “fade-out” effect created a perception that there were no long lasting benefits of preschools. However, recent studies have confirmed preschoolers fearing well in the long run. (Chandler) The long-term benefits of quality preschool programs can be noticed even after high school and …show more content…
A study conducted in North Carolina, starting in 1970s shows long-term effects of preschools on kids (Starr, 2002). In this study, half of the kids attended quality preschools from the age of 0 to 5 years, while the other half have only received nutritional foods. At the age of 15, their college failure rate was less than that of control group. At the age of 21, kids who had attended preschool were more likely to attend a college as compared to control group (Starr, 2002). So kids who attend quality education at very early age are more likely to be successful later on in
If we had a tool that would improve our children's performance in school and social settings, lower the crime rate, lower teenage pregnancy, and save taxpayers' money, who wouldn't want to use it? Preschool is that tool, but few people pay attention to or care about preschool's potential benefits. For many parents, preschool is a valuable asset, providing their children with social play, fun, and an experience within a school-like setting. Children in preschool learn social skills like respect for authority, listening, and sharing; they also benefit from interaction with peers, which results in improved language and relational skills. Unfortunately, many parents simply cannot afford the expensive cost of private preschools, and there are few other options. Children are valuable as the future of the country, but the government has largely ignored them. Whether at the federal or state level, the government needs to create a free preschool available to all families.
Barnett, W.S. & Hustedt, J.T. (2003). Head Start’s lasting benefits. Infants and Young Children, 18(1), 16-24.
This legislation “provided federal money to help communities meet the needs of disadvantaged preschool-aged children” (Wasniewski) by creating a positive learning space. Over time, “Head Start has served over 32 million children since 1965, growing from an eight-week demonstration project to include full day/year services and many program options” (“History of Head Start”). Mink stated, “We could establish a program for working mothers who do not fall into the poverty level. These mothers deserve the concern of the Nation as well” (Rose). Even though Mink helped those who weren’t as fortunate, she also thought about equal opportunities and rights of families who could benefit from Head Start. This is important to me because this provides my family with an opportunity to begin their education early and excel in school by the start of
meeting educational, health, social service, and parental needs. “Head Start also wants to help bring about a greater degree of social competence in these children (Mallory and Goldsmith, 2002).” The program has met a goal of impacting child development and day care services, and the increasing availability of services offered to low-income families and their children (US Department of Health and Human Services, 2002).
In the 1980s, child care was back on the national agenda due to the education reform movement (Tejada, 2010). Tejada further disclosed that several states even launched pre-kindergarten programs for disadvantaged children. Why the Need for Universal Preschool Two-thirds of 4-year-old children in the United States attend preschool, as well as 40% of 3-year-olds (Tejada, 2010). Half of those are enrolled in a public program, such as state prekindergarten (preK), Head Start, or special education, and the other half are in a private program (Adams, 2009). Despite such a large enrollment of children in these programs, there is still a handful of children who are missing out on obtaining a head start in obtaining a good quality education.... ...
The value of preschool is often overlooked as parents consider it for its utilitarian purposes. Although most preschools do function as a daycare, the merits gained from an early education follow children throughout their entire lives. Children at this ripe age are eager to learn, excited about the buzzing world aroun...
Seventeen to nineteen percent of the fifty percent of children who are in early education programs are in head start. Head start was created in 1965 and is the largest financed early education in the United States. Although many say that head start is a great tool to get students ready for school there are some mixed evidence on both of it. Head start has not shown any improvement on the math skills. There is only a limited research on the impact of making a teacher and student relationship. It has shown that it helped with the students who have special needs on their attention abilities. Children who went to head start did have a more positive school readiness then the one who did not go to Head
In 1964, the Federal Government asked a panel of child development experts to draw up a program to help communities meet the needs of disadvantaged preschool children. The panel became the blueprint for Project Head Start (U.S. Department of Health and Human Resources, 2002). Beginning as an eight-week summer program out of the Office of Economic Development, the Head Start program was well received by the education community. From the outset the program offered not only an education program, but also a health program for children. The program strongly encouraged parental involvement
Another factor parents may not look into when finding a preschool is the curriculum that will be taught. “Despite decades of federal, state, and local programs intended to support young children’s preparation for schooling, children from low-income families continue to begin formal schooling at a disadvant...
The purpose of this research paper is to investigate the issue of Preschool to determine if children who participate in structured preschool programs are more successful in kindergarten or first grade.
Head Start does an adequate job at meeting the needs of children in the manner in which it was originally founded. The Head Start program is not bad and should not be done away with. But, from what I have learned through this study, amendments could be made to increase the longevity of the desired results. In this paper I will discuss the Head Start program. How Head Start has succeeded. The way it attempts to influence children’s behaviors. I will also discuss some of the shortcomings of the Head Start program and ways to make the program more effective.
Preschool isn't just a place for parents to drop off their children while they are at work for the day. It is in preschool where children learn the necessary skills needed to succeed in school and in life. With high-quality preschools and qualified teachers the possibilities are endless. It's not only the children who reap the benefits of Early Childhood Education; their parents, fellow peers, and even society feel the positive effects of quality preschool programs. Children enrolled in quality preschool programs are more likely to succeed academically and socially when they are older.
Loeb, S., Bridges, M., Fuller, B., Rumberger, R., & Bassok, D. (2005). How much is too much? The Influence of Preschool Centers on Children's Social and Cognitive Development (No. 11812). National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
Peisner-Feinberg, E. S., Burchinal, M. R., Clifford, R. M., Culkin, M. L., Howes, C., Kagan, S., & Yazejian, N. (2001). The Relation of Preschool Child-Care Quality to Children's Cognitive and Social Developmental Trajectories through Second Grade. Child Development, 72(5), 1534.
Early childhood education plays a key role in a child’s academic development because he or she learns soft skills, job skills, and develop positive traits. Preschool is not like kindergarten, but instead a stepping-stone that prepares young students for the years of schooling they will have later in life. As more schools began to open families wanted to be able to verify that programs would benefit and protect their children. In response, the National Association for the Education of Young Children was made to help families find the best care for their children, by providing the early childhood educators with training and ensuring the quality of children’s daily experiences. (“NAEYC”5).