Spark a Revolution in Early Education

Join the revolution in early childhood education!

Early childhood educators are facing a crucial inflection point in the profession. Active learning for the whole child has been increasingly ignored by early childhood education decision-makers. Research shows that children need movement and play and joy to learn to their fullest potential—yet the educational system pushes worksheets and takes away time outdoors, among many other harmful and developmentally inappropriate teaching practices. Educators everywhere are tired of witnessing unrealistic expectations and impossible attempts to accelerate child development, stripping children of authentic learning—and their giggles. They are disturbed by the inequities that exist in education and want to see every child provided with the good foundation a quality early education can supply. They are fed up with the nonsense depriving children of childhood, requiring them to teach in ways that they know aren’t right! Without an understanding of child development guiding ECE policies, children have lost their love of learning and play and face growing health issues.

This book challenges and inspires early childhood professionals to advocate for change in the field while giving them the research underpinnings and tools they need to take real action and bring back active, play-based learning for the development and education of the whole child. Including chapters on debunking myths in early childhood education, advocacy basics, and strategies for speaking up, it dispels the fears associated with speaking up and banishes all doubts about the need to advocate bravely and widely, proving the need to change course and providing practical and actionable steps for speaking to decision makers and convincing them to pursue change. Spark a Revolution in Early Education busts four myths—earlier is better, children learn by sitting, digital devices are important to learning, and play time is not productive time—to push for "Rae's Revolution" and get educators everywhere to stand up for the children.

Rae Pica is an education consultant dedicated to the development and education of the whole child. A former adjunct instructor at the University of New Hampshire, she is the author of 20 books, including the textbook Experiences in Movement and Music and What If Everybody Understood Child Development?: Straight Talk About Bettering Education and Children’s Lives.

A popular keynote speaker, Rae also offers online courses and has shared her expertise with such groups as the Sesame Street Research Department, the Head Start Bureau, Bright Horizons, the Centers for Disease Control, and schools, resource and referral agencies, and health departments throughout the country.