How important is Early Learning for children?

I have always known about the importance of early learning. Judging alone by the amount of investment put into Ontario’s full day kindergarten program, I could surmise its significance.

…And yet,...

...it was not until 2020 when pandemic hit and children moved to online learning that I truly understood the benefits of early learning programs. My experience at home with my kids demonstrated that no matter how many supplies I purchased or time I devoted, I could not replicate in my home what my children were receiving in a school setting.

At the time, my daughter was between 3-5 years old –critical early learning years! My son who was two years older also missed his classroom environment, however, it had less impact on his ability to learn.

Learning in Ontario’s Full Day Kindergarten Program

Children’s self-regulation scores in junior and senior full-day and half-day kindergarten until Grade 2.Author provided

The Environment is the Teacher

Among many things, the FDK program has done a great job at a creating a Reggio inspired learning environment for children. During the early learning years, the environment is critical to a child's learning and development. Through the exposure of learning centres and interacting with peers, young child are able to make connections and expand their knowledge and curiosity. There are rules and routines that must be followed in a classroom environment and this builds their ability to self regulate. The learning habits that will carry them through their later schooling years are developed in the classroom environment.

In recent research completed on the Ontario FDK program, we have been able to see that this program's intersects children's lives in different ways and it not only benefits the child personally but it also benefits families and society as a whole.

"Children are among the most marginalized and vulnerable members of society..." (UN Global Compact)

Overall, the Ontario FDK program has many benefits to children and families. Unfortunately, this program is always under threat of decreased funding and even talks of complete dismantling. It is important that as adults, we continue to advocate for this program and recognize the needs of young children. We must continue to ensure that children receive the best start to life that we can offer.

Reference

L' écoline. (2021, January 28). The environment as the third teacher. YouTube. Retrieved

September 14, 2022, from https://youtu.be/CV_vFJspRM0

Cleveland, D. G. (2021). (rep.). ONTARIO’S KINDERGARTEN PROGRAM A SUCCESS

STORY (Executive Summary). Retrieved September 13, 2022, from https://www.etfo.ca/getmedia/05d5d7d5-4253-48ca-92d5-

6b0b7e261792/210204_ExecSummaryDrGordon.pdf.

Jones, A. (2019, January 29). Ford won't guarantee future of full-day kindergarten after next

year. CBC. Retrieved September 13, 2022, from https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ford-won-t-guarantee-future-of-full-day-

kindergarten-after-next-year-1.4998764.

Pelletier, J. (2019, October 10). Children gain learning boost from two-year, full-Day

kindergarten. The Conversation. Retrieved September 14, 2022, from https://theconversation.com/children-gain-learning-boost-

from https://theconversation.com/children-gain-learning-boost-from-two-year-full-day-kindergarten-79549? utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Latest%20from%20The%20Conversation%20for%20August%203%202017&utm_content=Latest%20from%20The%20Conversation%20for%20August%203%202017+CID_3b51c04b24b7444248b9dee39c2c63ae&utm_source=campaign_monitor_ca&utm_term=Children%20gain%20learning%20boost%20from%20two-year%20full-day%20kindergarten