MAINE COMPASS: Investing in childhood education guarantees a high rate of return

Each and every morning, principals and teachers welcome our children into our schools, acting as stewards, not only of the students’ futures, but also of the future of Maine. Our mission is to help students attain the knowledge, skills and attitudes they need to achieve personal fulfillment, be responsible citizens, do meaningful work and pursue lifelong learning.

That’s a tall order, of course, and a humbling one, but it’s one that we take seriously as educators.

We also have been paying attention to the latest science of child development for guidance about how to create the best learning conditions for our students. We now know that all aspects of development — intellectual, social, emotional and physical — are intertwined. In other words, our work is as much about promoting students’ abilities to make responsible decisions and communicate clearly as it is about teaching them to write for comprehension and analyze math problems.

http://www.kjonline.com/opinion/MAINE_COMPASS__Investing_in_childhood_education_guarantees_a_high_rate_of_return.html