The importance of being little : what preschoolers really need from grownups
(Book)

Includes bibliographical references (pages 339-364) and index.

"Parents of young children today are in crisis: pick the 'wrong' preschool and your child won't get into the 'right' college. But our fears are misplaced, according to Yale early childhood expert Erika Christakis. Children are hardwired to learn in any setting, but they punch below their weight when 'learning' is defined by strict lessons and dodgy metrics that devalue a child's intelligence while placing unfit requirements on the developing brain; we have confused schooling with learning. The race for good outcomes has blinded us to how young children actually process the world, acquire skills, and grow, says Christakis, who ... defends the preschool years as a life stage of inherent value and not merely as preparation for a demanding or uncertain future"--,Provided by publisher.