In a radical rethink of South Australia’s education system, Italian early childhood expert Carla Rinaldi says that funding and resources should be focused on the time from birth to age six rather than the later years of school.
She said care and education were inseparable, so day care centres must not simply act as babysitters for busy parents. Centres also need to be accessible to all families, regardless of wealth. Dr Rinaldi also wants to see an end to the term “preschool” as she says it is not “pre” anything.
Sheradyn Holderhead, The Australian (9/4/2013)
Interesting piece on the need for a re-conceptualisation of early education in Australia. We are still pretty firmly locked into the notion that “real learning” and “real education” start at school, despite all the evidence that foundational and integral learning begins from birth.
Liam McNicholas 