1,800 Days: The Story of Early Childhood in the U.S.
Erikson InstituteFrom the launch of Head Start to the Preschool for All initiative, to new discoveries in early brain development, the past 60 years have been transformative for the field of early childhood. Yet, America has no national system for early care and education—parents are faced with a patchwork of programs and policies whose shortcomings have been highlighted by the pandemic. Erikson Institute, a graduate school in early childhood, was co-founded by early childhood educator, scholar, and activist Barbara Taylor Bowman 55 years ago. Erikson’s rich history and the impact of the pandemic inspired Erikson to propose a podcast series looking at the history of early care and education, with an eye to what a more equitable and just system could look like for the future.
Our series is titled, “1,800 Days: the story of early childhood in the US” because the first 1,800 days of every child’s life – the time from birth to entering kindergarten – is the most intense period of development in every person’s lifetime.
Hosted by Natalie Moore—renowned author (The South Side) and reporter (WBEZ public radio) specializing in race, class, and communities--“1,800 Days” will feature experts in the field—from national figures like Barbara to dedicated professionals working on the front lines. The series will inform early childhood educators, caregivers, and students; policy makers, advocates and parents.
From the launch of Head Start to the Preschool for All initiative, to new discoveries in early brain development, the past 60 years have been transformative for the field of early childhood. Yet, America has no national system for early care and education—parents are faced with a patchwork of programs and policies whose shortcomings have been highlighted by the pandemic. Erikson Institute, a graduate school in early childhood, was co-founded by early childhood educator, scholar, and activist Barbara Taylor Bowman 55 years ago. Erikson’s rich history and the impact of the pandemic inspired Erikson to propose a podcast series looking at the history of early care and education, with an eye to what a more equitable and just system could look like for the future.
Our series is titled, “1,800 Days: the story of early childhood in the US” because the first 1,800 days of every child’s life – the time from birth to entering kindergarten – is the most intense period of development in every person’s lifetime.
Hosted by Natalie Moore—renowned author (The South Side) and reporter (WBEZ public radio) specializing in race, class, and communities--“1,800 Days” will feature experts in the field—from national figures like Barbara to dedicated professionals working on the front lines. The series will inform early childhood educators, caregivers, and students; policy makers, advocates and parents.
The Growth of Head Start
The creation of the Head Start program was a turning point for early childhood care and education in the U.S.. It was a national effort that promoted childhood development services for children in communities with limited resources, with the goal of improving social, emotional, cognitive and physical development. In this episode, we’ll hear about how and why Head Start was created. We’ll hear from opposing perspectives and the initial pushback against the program. Finally, we’ll hear about the long-term ramifications of the program, and a touching teacher/student story that illustrates Head Start's impact on individual children.