School Readiness and Our Children Barbara T. Bowman, Erikson Institute Barbara T. Bowman, President of the Erikson Institute in Chicago, Illinois, is one of three faculty members who founded the Institute in 1966. An authority on early education, she has experience teaching at both preschool and primary levels, as well as at colleges and universities. At the Erikson Institute, Bowman teaches courses in early childhood education and administration, and supervises practice teachers. She also has directed a wide range of projects, including ones for Head Start teachers, caregivers of infants at risk for morbidity or mortality, a Child Development Associate's program on Native American reservations, and teachers of inner-city schools. Dr. Bowman has served on numerous professional boards, including the Great Books Foundation, the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, Roosevelt University, the Family Resource Coalition, and the National Association for the Education of Young Children, of which she was President (1980-1982). Dr. Bowman is a frequent speaker at conferences and universities in the U.S. and abroad. Her specialty areas are early education, cultural diversity, and the education of at-risk children. "As times change and new research comes forth, program leaders must learn to integrate innovative ideas and knowledge into their interactions with children and families. Our Head Start children will be best served if we are able to successfully mesh their school learning with their outside lives in a mutually reinforcing manner." — Barbara Bowman Presentation Highlights This presentation discusses new research regarding what is needed for Head Start to remain at the forefront of the early childhood field and addresses the challenges Early Head Start and Head Start programs face today. Contributions of Head Start Family and Community - Head Start has built a system to support the development of young children in the context of family and community. Developmental Competence - Head Start has contributed to change in the way our society thinks about what children need in order to be developmentally competent. Promoting School Learning Educational Standards - As the world changes, educational standards for children must be raised to higher levels than ever before. Universal Preschool - Experts predict that some types of preschool program will soon become as universally attended as kindergarten. Developmental Competence - Although developmental competence and school readiness are interdependent, it should not be assumed that they are the same. It is possible for a child to be developmentally competent, while still lacking school readiness. A Child's Environment - What children learn depends on what their environment offers them. A majority of low-income children experience vastly different expectations and environments at home and school. In order for children to learn complex skills and knowledge, they must integrate new ideas with old ways of thinking. This integration will take a great deal of time and effort. The Significance of Early Learning Building Foundations - Early childhood is a time of rapid development and new research shows that early learning is the basis for subsequent learning. The foundations that are built for many types of learning take place long before evidence of it becomes apparent. Deprivations vs. Opportunities - During this critical period, any deprivations or opportunities can have long-term effects on a child's ability to learn. Relationships with Caregivers - The development of relationships with caregivers is perhaps the most important learning experience for children in the early years. A lack of early and responsive care giving relationships can negatively effect later motivation to learn. What is Developmentally Appropriate? A Set of Principles - "Developmentally appropriate" does not tell you exactly what or how to teach. Rather, it is a set of principles related to developmental growth and learning. A number of different activities may fall within the boundaries of those principles. Individualization - What is considered "developmentally appropriate" should be decided upon in the context of a specific program and should ensure that goals are individualized to meet the needs of each child in the program. Teacher/Child Relationship - The curriculum should build foundations for school success while promoting development and learning through the teacher/child relationship. Video of Presentation Presentation Highlights No Handout for This Presentation List of Curriculum and Assessment presenters/presentations Information on how to view videos and view/download handouts

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