Math Experience in Many Pre-K Classrooms Almost Non-Existent

by Susan Gunnewig Posted on: February 12, 2010 at 10:30 AM
As we reported in late July, the National Research Council introduced a rigorous study into early childhood mathematics to the nation.  This report entitled, Mathematics Learning in Early Childhood, presents a sobering look at math instruction or the lack of math instruction in early childhood.  Some of the committee members who wrote this report participated in a February 1, 2010 event on Capitol Hill.  Dr. Doug Clements, Dr. Heidi Schweingruber and Henry Kepner explained some of the findings.  “According to the study, 60 percent of 3 year-olds receive no math instruction at all, even though young children can be very competent with certain math concepts at an early ageChildren in low-socioeconomic (SES) backgrounds are more vulnerable because they receive less exposure to math from parents at home. 
 
Alice Starkey and Prentice Klein from the University of California, Berkeley have informed the nation through their rigorous studies that preschool children in a program receive about 3 minutes per day on average vs. their peers in China who receive 30 minutes per day.  In the Starkey/Klein study they looked at programs in both countries who served children from low SES.

I am pleased that early childhood mathematics is receiving national attention!  
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Category: Early Childhood News | Mathematics

President Obama’s New Budget Request Increased Funding for Early Childhood Programs

by Susan Gunnewig Posted on: February 10, 2010 at 12:35 PM

Early Ed Watch from the New America Foundation condensed the FY11 budget for early childhoodI appreciate Lisa Guernsey providing this information.  Here is the summary:

“The administration has requested an additional $989 million in funding for Head Start and an additional $1.6 billion for federally funded child care programs.  The potential boost for Head Start is eight times more than the modest $122 million increase the program received last year.”

It might be interesting to compare FY 2010 to FY 2011.

Source: Department of HHS
(in millions)                                      2010                       2011

Head Start (incl. Early Head Start)     $7,235                   $8,224     

CCDBG                                           $2,127                   $2,927

Child Care Entitlement to States        $2,197                   $3,717

 

Total:                                               $14,289                 $16,879

The new budget will consolidate 38 educational programs into 11, and literacy programs are part of the restructuring.  They will be subsumed into a broader program called Effective Teaching and Learning.  The broader program will have three sections:  1) literacy  2) science, math, engineering and technology (STEM) and  3) programs that the administration says provide a “well-rounded education,” such as history, art and economics.

The Early Learning Challenge grants have passed the House but not the Senate.  Stay tuned!

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Category: Department of Education | Early Childhood News | Funding | Head Start | Literacy | Mathematics | Technology

Hatch Blog - Insights into Early Childhood Education

About the author

Susan Gunnewig
Susan, a renowned expert in the field of early childhood and the Director of Product Development at Hatch, was a coauthor of the CIRCLE and Head Start STEP training as well as co-creator of the Texas Early Education Model (TEEM), and the School Readiness Project. During her tenure as faculty at the Children’s Learning Institute located in the University of Texas Medical School, she presented at approximately 100 conferences and conventions across the United States and has coauthored many early childhood research articles.
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