Leading scholars synthesize knowledge on how gains from early childhood programs and practices are initiated, increased, and sustained.

How gains from early childhood experiences are initiated, increased, sustained, and affect life-course development are fundamental to science and society. They also have increasing policy relevance, given public investments in early learning programs and the need to measure their effectiveness in promoting well-being. With contributions from leading researchers across many disciplines, this book emphasizes key interventions and practices over the first decade of life and the elements and strategies through which gains can be enhanced by schools, families, communities, and public institutions. Three critical themes are addressed: firstly, the importance of documenting and understanding the impact of investments in early childhood and school-age years. Secondly, increased priority on elements and principles for scaling effective programs and practices to benefit all children. Thirdly, a focus on multiple levels of strategies for sustaining gains and promoting long-term effects, ranging from early care and family engagement to school reform, state, and federal policy.

Make learning visible in the early years Early childhood is a uniquely sensitive time, when young learners are rapidly developing across multiple domains, including language and literacy, mathematics, and motor skills. Knowing which teaching strategies work best and when can have a significant impact on a child’s development and future success. Visible Learning in Early Childhood investigates the critical years between ages 3 and 6 and, backed by evidence from the Visible Learning® research, explores seven core strategies for learning success: working together as evaluators, setting high expectations, measuring learning with explicit success criteria, establishing developmentally appropriate levels of learning, viewing mistakes as opportunities, continually seeking feedback, and balancing surface, deep, and transfer learning. The authors unpack the symbiotic relationship between these seven tenets through Authentic examples of diverse learners and settings Voices of master teachers from the US, UK, and Australia Multiple assessment and differentiation strategies Multidisciplinary approaches depicting mathematics, literacy, art and music, social-emotional learning, and more Using the Visible Learning research, teachers partner with children to encourage high expectations, developmentally appropriate practices, the right level of challenge, and a focus on explicit success criteria. Get started today and watch your young learners thrive!

Children are already learning at birth, and they develop and learn at a rapid pace in their early years. This provides a critical foundation for lifelong progress, and the adults who provide for the care and the education of young children bear a great responsibility for their health, development, and learning. Despite the fact that they share the same objective - to nurture young children and secure their future success - the various practitioners who contribute to the care and the education of children from birth through age 8 are not acknowledged as a workforce unified by the common knowledge and competencies needed to do their jobs well. Transforming the Workforce for Children Birth Through Age 8 explores the science of child development, particularly looking at implications for the professionals who work with children. This report examines the current capacities and practices of the workforce, the settings in which they work, the policies and infrastructure that set qualifications and provide professional learning, and the government agencies and other funders who support and oversee these systems. This book then makes recommendations to improve the quality of professional practice and the practice environment for care and education professionals. These detailed recommendations create a blueprint for action that builds on a unifying foundation of child development and early learning, shared knowledge and competencies for care and education professionals, and principles for effective professional learning. Young children thrive and learn best when they have secure, positive relationships with adults who are knowledgeable about how to support their development and learning and are responsive to their individual progress. Transforming the Workforce for Children Birth Through Age 8 offers guidance on system changes to improve the quality of professional practice, specific actions to improve professional learning systems and workforce development, and research to continue to build the knowledge base in ways that will directly advance and inform future actions. The recommendations of this book provide an opportunity to improve the quality of the care and the education that children receive, and ultimately improve outcomes for children.

Early childhood interventions can be highly cost effective when positive impacts are sustained into adulthood. Yet while many recent preschool interventions have been found to have short-term effects on young children's language, literacy, mathematics, executive function, and social-emotional development, studies show that impacts on cognitive and academic skills tend to diminish in early elementary school--a phenomenon commonly known as fade-out or convergence. There are a number of plausible hypotheses, but little hard evidence, on how to sustain the benefits of early childhood education. This brief introduces the ExCEL P-3 project, a study being done in partnership with the Boston Public Schools, the University of Michigan, and the Harvard Graduate School of Education, which aims to explore several leading approaches for sustaining children's early preschool gains. Two related ExCEL projects--focusing on instructional quality (ExCEL Quality) and summer enrichment programs (ExCEL Summer)--will be covered in later briefs in this series.

The Sage Handbook of Sociology of Education is an international and comprehensive groundbreaking text that serves as a touchstone for researchers and scholars interested in exploring the intricate relationships between education and society. Leading sociologists from five different continents examine major topics in sociology from a global perspective. This timely, thought-provoking Handbook features contributions from leading and emerging sociology scholars, who provide their own cultural and historical perspectives on diverse—yet universal—topics; these include educational policy, social stratification, and cross-national research. 39 Chapters delve into the pressing issues faced by our global society, such as the effects of residential mobility on educational outcomes, gender and ethnic inequalities, and the impact of COVID-19 on early childhood education. Readers will gain a multifaceted view of the contours of educational inequality, from various international perspectives and focusing on country differences, as well as recommendations for expanding the practices, programs, and policies that could reduce the rising tide of inequities—especially for populations most at risk. This Handbook offers rich, diverse perspectives on the interplay between education, social inequality, and human rights around the world, making it an invaluable resource for students, researchers, and practitioners across a range of fields, including sociology, education, and social policy. PART 1: Education and Persistent Inequality PART 2: Social & Family Contexts PART 3: Schools & Educational Policy PART 4: Neighborhoods & Community PART 5: Education & Innovation in a Global Context

Parenting can seem overwhelming. Most parents want what is best for their children, but few have the time, energy, or background knowledge to take a deep dive into an ocean of scientific studies every time a decision has to be made. This book translates educational research, from Piaget to the latest neuroscience article, into actionable strategies for parents. The book is a “guerilla guide” in the sense that some recommendations may seem counterintuitive, radical, or contrary to popular practice. However, these strategies for home and school are supported by research and years of practical experience. What's a Parent to Do? is written for parents who want to know what to do, what not to do, and why.