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ECE in the face of competing demands. Worldwide, many countries invest fewer resources in ECE than in other levels of education (UNICEF 2019). Finally, another potential obstacle is what has been called “schoolification”, which refers to a tendency to mimic primary school environments in ECE programs. In many countries, ECE programs look like primary school programs, with children as young as age three sitting in rows of chairs listening to an educator deliver content. Most principles described in this chapter cannot be accomplished under these conditions (Williams-Siegfredsen 2017).
Key Takeaways • Situation analysis. Whether learning environments in a country respond to young children’s needs can be better understood by conducting a situation analysis using the five principles as a benchmark. Understanding where a country is with regard to quality is helpful to the design of strategies to improve quality over time. • Strategies to create ECE environments that promote early learning. Implementation of the principles in this chapter calls for different strategies: –– Safety and child-centered design. These principles are best implemented through the development of standards, norms, or regulations. –– Pedagogical organization, spatial flexibility, and empowerment and authorship. These principles can be implemented through guidelines, programs, professional development, and communication strategies. • Setting realistic goals. Improving quality is a slow and costly process that requires setting realistic goals that are achievable and affordable. Conducting regular monitoring and providing support for the achievement of goals can help create spaces that promote early learning.
CONCLUSION This chapter focuses on ECE learning environments as the educational habitats where children should find a plethora of nurturing opportunities, experiences, and resources to help them develop as individual human beings and thrive as a part of society. The understanding of quality learning environments goes far beyond the built facilities or the physical arrangement of classrooms. The chapter advocates for places that interconnect social, cultural, temporal, and physical aspects for teachers and children to engage in shared experiences of learning. Quality ECE learning environments have a place-based pedagogical core that relies on viable participatory transformation processes. Involving
