One thing the pandemic has shown us is how much we need interaction and involvement with each other. This is especially true for our nation’s growing, young children. The Goddard School has heard from parents who are worried about what some are calling “the lost year.” We want to tell parents that 2020 has not been a lost year. Children continued to learn and grow through the pandemic. Their little minds will move ahead and be fine.
Young children are resilient, and they have continued to learn and develop while away from school. There are, however, benefits of a structured learning environment and of children being able to engage socially, face-to-face with their peers. Goddard’s Summer Learning program will give children the opportunity to playfully get back to some fun and familiar routines and confidently explore their worlds again.
From the onset of the pandemic, the early childhood education community has been focused on keeping students and faculty safe and healthy. Many of the children enrolled in childcare have family members serving essential roles in our communities including law enforcement, medical, restaurant workers, and research and development. Childcare centers serve parents who need to work to support their families.
As the nation cautiously emerges from the pandemic, Goddard would like to share some of the “best lessons” we are learning to keep our Schools moving forward and to support the unique emotional and social needs of children now.
To share these perspectives, interviews are available with Dennis R. Maple, President and CEO of Goddard Systems Inc. and Helen Hadani, Ph.D., fellow at the Brookings Institution, and expert in creative thinking and child development.
