Quality early childhood education for all and the Covid-19 crisis: A viewpoint

Abstract

The purpose of this viewpoint is to consider the impact of the current Covid-19 crisis on the educational prospects of young children attending early childhood education and care (ECEC) settings. Studies show that health pandemics and environmental, political, and socio-economic crises jeopardize children's development and education. It is likely that for the immediate future, young children will continue to experience emotional and psychological stress. A curriculum that does not take into consideration a pandemic of the scale we are witnessing today creates unnecessary pressure and anxiety not just on young children but also on the adults who care for and teach them. This article outlines actions to ensure quality education for all as suggested by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The response of ECEC curricula to the pandemic may potentially act as a catalyst for educational change.

Emergency Remote Teaching and Learning in Portugal: Preschool to Secondary School Teachers’ Perceptions

“…Childhood education teachers were faced with specific challenges, given the characteristics of their students. Studies of previous crises have highlighted the long-term consequences they have caused for children's learning and development [45]. As childhood education is geared towards providing children with "real-life sensory experiences, hands-on activities, and meaningful face-to-face interactions" (p. 3), it is particularly challenging to move online.…”

“…As childhood education is geared towards providing children with "real-life sensory experiences, hands-on activities, and meaningful face-to-face interactions" (p. 3), it is particularly challenging to move online. Spitery [45] also cautions readers about the inequalities that can be heightened in this situation due to differences in parental support and conditions, and the distance from other children and caring adults. These economic and even psychological conditions may also have become more inequitable due to the pandemic.…”

“…The lived experiences of diverse students, teachers, and families were also particularly upheaved by this crisis [38]. Providing equitable education to all students was the most relevant concern expressed by school principals in a study based in the USA [22] This experience has, nonetheless, been pointed out as an opportunity for rethinking curricula, teaching, learning, assessment, and educational organization and management [9,27,31,45,47]. Moreover, the development of social and emotional competences, which is especially relevant for students, in particular self-regulation, social skills, and selfcare, was noted as having improved during the crisis [44] Stressing cooperative and mutual learning and fundamentally changing the teacher-student roles is seen as a possibility, and therefore returning to "normal" can be feared more than desired [11].…”

Impact of COVID-19 Restrictions on the Social-Emotional Wellbeing of Preschool Children and Their Families

“…Between 18 March and 13 May 2020, which was the time frame of the pandemic survey, the children of fourteen families (17 children in total) were at home all or most of the time, and children of six families (seven children) attended early childhood education all or most of the time. Most parents worked at home (11) or were at home for other reasons (8). Out of the nineteen responding families, thirteen reported an unchanged marital relationship between parents, while six respondents reported a change in this relationship.…”

“…The effects of remote education and work on families have already been researched both in Finland and internationally, but most of the research has focused on school-age children and their families. Little is known about the effects of the current pandemic on the families and wellbeing of small children, although articles leaning on former knowledge about isolation and exceptional circumstances have been published (see e.g., [6][7][8]). However, there are some studies focusing on the mental effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on small children's families, based on data collected in spring 2020.…”