Education and Early Childhood Development

Open Classroom Policy Series Policy Advice to the President

Session 12: November 28th

School of Public Policy & Urban Affairs | Northeastern University

Jim StergiosExecutive Director, Pioneer Institute for Public Policy Research

Paul TonerPresident, Massachusetts Teachers Association

Tassy WarrenProject Director,Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University

In loving memory of John Sarvey

6/1/1967- 11/24/2012

Education and Early Childhood Development

Open Classroom Policy Series Policy Advice to the President

Session 12: November 28th

School of Public Policy & Urban Affairs | Northeastern University

Jim StergiosExecutive Director, Pioneer Institute for Public Policy Research

Paul TonerPresident, Massachusetts Teachers Association

Tassy WarrenProject Director,Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University

Early Childhood Development and Policy Implications

Tassy Warren

Center on the Developing Child

Open Classroom, Northeastern University|November 28, 2012

YOUR

INSTITUTION’S

LOGO

HEALTHY CHILD DEVELOPMENT

Educational Achievement

Economic Productivity

Responsible Citizenship

Lifelong Health

Strong Communities Healthy Economy

Successful Parenting of Next Generation

The Foundation of a Successful Society is Built in Early Childhood

Three Core Concepts of Development

123

Brain Architecture Is Established Early in Life and Supports Lifelong Learning, Behavior, and Health

Stable, Caring Relationships and “Serve and Return” Interaction Shape Brain Architecture

Toxic Stress in the Early Years of Life Can Derail Healthy Development

HEALTHY CHILD DEVELOPMENT

Experiences Build Brain Architecture

Brains are built over time, starting in the earliest years of life. Simple skills come first; more complex skills build on top of them.

Brain Architecture Supports Lifelong Learning, Behavior, and Health

Cognitive, emotional, and social capabilities are inextricably intertwined throughout the life course.

A strong foundation in the early years improves the odds for positive outcomes and a weak foundation increases the odds of later difficulties.

Young children naturally reach out for interaction through babbling, facial expressions, and gestures, and adults respond in kind.

Serve & Return Builds Brains and Skills

These “serve and return" interactions are essential for the development of healthy brain circuits.

Therefore, systems that support the quality of relationships in early care settings, communities, and homes also support the development of sturdy brain architecture.

The Ability to Change Brains Decreases Over Time

Source: Levitt (2009)

Birth 10 20 30

Physiological “Effort” Required to Enhance Neural Connections

Normal Brain Plasticity Influenced by Experience

Age (Years)

40 50 60 70

Barriers to Educational Achievement Emerge at a Very Young Age

16 mos. 24 mos. 36 mos.

Cu

mu

lati

ve V

ocab

ula

ry (

Word

s)

College Educated Parents

Working Class Parents

Welfare Parents

Child’s Age (Months)

200

600

1200

Source: Hart & Risley (1995)

400

800

1000

Emotions

Executive function and self-regulation skills comprise an array of capacities that include the ability to focus and sustain attention, set goals and make plans, follow rules, solve problems, monitor actions, and control impulses.

Error Processing

Reaction and Responses

Use of Rules

Risk/Reward Decisions

Behavioral Control

Working Memory

An “Air Traffic Control System” in the Brain

A key biological foundation of school readiness as well as outcomes in health and employability

What are Executive Function Skills?

Inhibitory Control — filter thoughts and impulses to resist temptations and distractions

Mental flexibility — adjust to changed demands, priorities, or perspectives

Working Memory — hold and manipulate information in our heads over short periods of time

When Do Executive Function Skills Develop?

Weintraub, et al., (2011)

Birth

Age (Years)

50 70 80

Ski

ll pr

ofic

ienc

y

3 5 15 25 3010

Policy Implications

-Invest early - during the time of greatest cognitive development – in high quality programs

-Return on investment - Lower education, health care, incarceration costs down the road- Increased earning, taxes

-Invest more in those at higher risk- 90-100% chance of developmental delays when exposed to

significant adversity- 3:1 odds of adult heart disease after 7-8 adverse childhood

experiences

Policy Implications

-It’s not just about the kids

- Adult capacity

- Community capacity

-Creative use of existing funding streams

Policy Implications

FIVE NUMBERS TO REMEMBER ABOUT ECD

www.developingchild.harvard.edu

Tassy Warren

Director

Frontiers of Innovation initiative

YOUR

INSTITUTION’S

LOGO

Education and Early Childhood Development

Open Classroom Policy Series Policy Advice to the President

Session 12: November 28th

School of Public Policy & Urban Affairs | Northeastern University

Jim StergiosExecutive Director, Pioneer Institute for Public Policy Research

Paul TonerPresident, Massachusetts Teachers Association

Tassy WarrenProject Director,Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University

Climate: Challenges and Solutions

Climate: Challenges and Solutions

Open Classroom Series

Spring 2013

Wednesday evenings, 6:00 to 8:00pmJanuary 9th – April 17th

West Village F, Room 20

Immigration

Open Classroom Policy Series Policy Advice to the President

Session 12: November 28th

School of Public Policy & Urban Affairs | Northeastern University

Eva MillonaExecutive Director, Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition

Jeff JacobyBoston Globe columnist