Best Practices Archives - Early Learning Nation

Megan McClelland: The Skills & Tools of Self-Regulation

The Editors·Apr 29, 2019·4 min read

Self control. Attention. Focus. These foundational skills make up a key area of early childhood development: Self-regulation. So what can teachers, parents, caregivers –even children themselves – do to help those skills grow? Oregon State University Professor Megan McClelland explains the science and the practical things we all can do. Filmed for Early Learning Nation’s Mobile Studio at the Society for Research in Child Development’s biennial meeting in Baltimore, MD, on March 22, 2019. #SRCD19

Montessori and Equity: Rising to New Challenges

Part 3 of a 3-Part Series

Mark Swartz·Sep 27, 2022·5 min read

The Montessori method arose across the Atlantic and more than a century ago. How is it rising to the challenges set in motion by the global pandemic and national reckoning over racism? A new generation of Montessori leaders is infusing the approach with a heavier dose of equity.

Meeting (and Teaching) Families in Unexpected Places Can Transform Cities

Grocery stores, bus stops, laundromats… what’s next?

Mark Swartz·Jun 25, 2019·5 min read

School is a great place to learn, but it’s not the only place. No matter how excellent our teachers are, no matter how enriching the curricula, school accounts for only about 20 percent of children’s waking hours. That’s why a growing number of education pioneers are building out nontraditional sites for young minds to develop their language skills and to learn about their world.

A New Start for New Mexico’s Native Families

Mark Swartz·Dec 7, 2021·3 min read

“What some may see as a gap,” says Jovanna Archuleta, “that’s not necessarily a gap. We can learn a lot...

Five Takeaways from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Early Ed Summit

The Editors·Mar 5, 2020·2 min read

On February 28, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce held a summit for early education advocates and professionals, highlighting the work...

5 Questions for the Mayor: Rochester’s Lovely Warren

Linda Shockley·Jul 31, 2019·2 min read

Where do you go for the top news in Early Learning at the municipal level? Check out “5 Questions for the Mayor,” where we’ll explore the top Early Learning challenges and successes in cities across the nation. We’re thrilled to partner with the National League of Cities on this new series.

Wes Moore, CEO of Robin Hood, with Chirlane McCray, First Lady of New York City, at the FUEL launch event at the Brownsville Recreation Center in Brooklyn. Photograph courtesy Office of the First Lady, New York City.

Robin Hood FUELs the Future for Children

Shares Brain Science, Strategically Partners to Create an Early Learning Metropolis

Linda Shockley·Jul 16, 2019·6 min read

The greatest city in the world. More than 100,000 children 0-3 growing up in poverty. Two facts that are painful to reconcile. This is a job for Robin Hood. Unafraid to challenge the seemingly intractable, the grant maker and all-around poverty fighter combines rigorous data and strategic partnerships with powerhouse fundraising. Here’s the story behind the $50 million, five-year Fund for Early Learning (FUEL) .