There is recognition by leading economists that social capital (e.g. trust, networking and shared values as expressed through strong families and communities) are the basis of increased human capital (i.e. increased education and training achievement).
Ron Faris, Learning Community by Community: Preparing for a Knowledge-based Society, Education Canada, Vol. 43 No. 1 (Winter 2003)

trevor twining

Forest Kindergartens Make Nature Their Classroom

“ While schools and parents elsewhere push young children to read, write and surf the Internet earlier in order to prepare for an increasingly cutthroat global economy, some little Germans are taking a less traveled path — deep into the woods. Germany has about 700 Waldkindergärten, or “forest kindergartens,” in which children spend their days outdoors year-round. Blackboards surrender to the Black Forest. Erasers give way to pine cones. Hall passes aren’t required, but bug repellent is a good idea.”

*Read full article” by clicking below.

(Source: Wall Street Journal)

”Babies are like the raw material for a self. Each one comes with a genetic blueprint and a uniqu-Sue Gerhard

Mon, 04/07/2008 - 16:12 -- admin
”Babies are like the raw material for a self. Each one comes with a genetic blueprint and a unique range of possibilities. There is a body programmed to develop in certain ways, but by no means (is it) on automatic programming. The baby is an interactive project, not a self-powered one. The baby human organism has various systems ready to go, but many more that are incomplete and will only develop in response to other human input.

The difference between the two outlooks – children who are confident and optimistic versus those w-T. Berry Brazelton

Thu, 03/27/2008 - 14:03 -- admin
The difference between the two outlooks – children who are confident and optimistic versus those who expect to fail – starts to take shape in the first few years of life. Parents need to understand how their actions can help generate the confidence, the curiousity, the pleasure in learning and the understanding of limits” that help children succeed in life.

Early childhood development programs are rarely portrayed as economic development initiatives…and -Rob Grunewald

Thu, 03/27/2008 - 13:29 -- admin
Early childhood development programs are rarely portrayed as economic development initiatives…and this is a mistake. Such programs often appear at the bottom of economic development lists. They should be at the top. Studies find that well-focused investments in early childhood development yield high public as well as private returns

If the first few years of life include support for growth in cognition, language, motor skills, adap-Martha Erickson and Karen K

Thu, 03/27/2008 - 13:26 -- admin
If the first few years of life include support for growth in cognition, language, motor skills, adaptive skills and social-emotional functioning, the child is more likely to succeed in school and later contribute to society.

Supporting children’s play is more active than simply saying you believe that it is important. Whe-Marjatta Kalliala

Thu, 03/20/2008 - 13:12 -- admin
Supporting children’s play is more active than simply saying you believe that it is important. When children’s play culture is taken seriously, the conditions which make it flourish are carefully created. Children’s play culture does not just happen naturally. Play needs time and space. It needs mental and material stimulation to be offered in abundance. Creating a rich play environment means creating good learning environments for children.

Young children learn the most important things not by being told but by constructing knowledge for t-Ingrid Pramling Samuelsson

Thu, 03/20/2008 - 13:02 -- admin
Young children learn the most important things not by being told but by constructing knowledge for themselves in interaction with the physical world and with other children—and the way they do this is by playing.

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