| Clearly babies come into the world remarkably receptive to its wonders. Their alertness to sights, sounds, and even abstract concepts makes them inquisitive explorers--and learners--every waking minute. Yet, for a variety of reasons, far too little attention is given to the quality of these crucial years. What will it take to provide better early education and care for our children between the ages of two and five? Eager to Learn explores this crucial question, synthesizing the newest research findings on how young children learn and the impact of early learning. Key discoveries in how young children learn are reviewed in language accessible to parents as well as educators. Perhaps most significant, the book documents how very early in life learning really begins. The book discusses: evidence for competing theories, models, and approaches in the field and a hard look at some day-to-day practices and activities generally used in preschool; the role of the teacher, the importance of peer interactions, and other relationships in the child's life; learning needs of minority children, children with disabilities, and other special groups; approaches to assessing young children's learning for the purposes of policy decisions, diagnosis of educational difficulties, and instructional planning; and preparation and continuing development of teachers. | 
