Early Childhood
Education
There is a great
deal of evidence that a child’s early language
experience will have a profound effect on reading
success. Reading proficiency at grade three is a clear
indicator of a student’s likelihood of achieving
secondary school graduation. For this reason, in my work
as your trustee, I have been urging improved services
for young children and their parents.
The Early Development
Instrument, administered in Durham Region provides a
measure of children’s readiness for school (see:
Ready for School?). This report provides data that
supports the notion that more could be done in Brock &
Uxbridge to support young children before they enter
school. Such support could take a variety of forms
including greater access to affordable, quality child
care programs, resource centres for parents and language
enrichment programs for pre-school children.
Current brain research
tells us that there are sensitive periods in early brain
development when it is critical that children master
important concepts essential for future school success.
The chart above illustrates
the pre-schooler's receptiveness to important concepts
related to language, numbers, conceptualization and
socialization. Recognizing the importance of children's
early learning, the Durham District School Board is
actively working to explore partnerships and program
opportunities that could be implemented in an effort to
provide more options to support parents’ efforts to enrich
their young children’s readiness for school.
Please do not hesitate to
contact me if you would like to learn more or become more
actively involved in the pursuit of better learning
opportunities for the young children in our community.
