THE IMPLICATIONS OF NATIONAL POLICIES IN THE UNITED STATES, BRAZIL, EL SALVADOR, AND PERU ON EARLY CHILDHOOD TEACHER EDUCATION

It may seem obvious but the world is filled with believers in the value of good care and attention to children during the earliest months and years. That belief is embedded in virtually all cultural traditions. Indeed, both common wisdom and hard scientific research evidence lead to the forceful conclusion that the earliest years of life are critical in the development of the intelligence, personality, and the social values and behaviors that will characterize later life... But if the value of the early years is so evident... why is there such neglect by families and social institutions? Among the reasons that might be offered are the following: Families living in extreme poverty or victimized by war and famine, may be so busy surviving that they cannot give the loving attention to their children they would like to give. Families living in luxury may be too busy making money, or spending it, to give the needed time to their children. At the same time, some institutions that could help families to help the...