How to educate children under 8 years old in western countries

At present, in western countries, the EcEc plan has two main objectives. First of all, for those children aged 3-6, education is broad.

Socialization and school preparation under the educational goal) and nursing are the main goals of its preschool plan. For children under 3 years old,

For children, the more important goal of the plan is to enable them to be taken care of when their mothers go out to work. Of course, with the continuous expansion and deepening of the program,

At present, when providing care for these children, they pay more and more attention to their socialization, physical and mental development and cognitive stimulation (or

Education in a broad sense has also become an important part or subsidiary goal of the plan.

In recent years, with the further development of the implementation of the ECEC plan, some other goals have begun to receive more attention, including early intervention.

Sex education (intervention in the first few years of an individual to avoid the emergence and development of some subsequent problems) and compensatory education (such as Head stan in the United States)

Case) and so on. In addition, some countries (such as France and ECEC America) have other social employment considerations, such as creating working and employment conditions for low-income and low-skilled women to take care of their children at home or outdoors.

Second, the formulation of ECEC policy.

In different countries and regions, the formulation of early childhood education policies has different levels. In some countries, such as France, child care policies are formulated by national governments.

All programs in China are formulated by the state, while Italian programs for children aged 3-6 are formulated by the state. In the United States, Canada and Germany, etc.

In state-owned countries, only the state formulates the framework, and the specific policies and measures are decided by the provinces. In Denmark, Sweden and other countries, all ECEc

Policies are formulated by local governments. 1]

The competent department or institution is also a key factor affecting the content and purpose of the ECEC plan. The ECEc program is considered as an education program, a health program,

Social welfare programs, or a combination of the above, will lead to a series of different results. If it is regarded as a comprehensive plan, it must be considered individually.

The school's responsibility is to implement them in turn (as children grow up, the projects for them are also transferred from one competent institution to another) or at the same time.

Execute. The main model in Europe is that educational institutions are responsible for the health of younger children between the ages of 2 and 3 and 5 and 6 (the starting age of compulsory education).

Or social welfare institutions. However, in Sweden, all children under the age of compulsory education are taken care of by Swedish national educational institutions and related institutions.

Responsibility. Countries such as Britain and the United States tend to assume the responsibility of education and welfare institutions of all ages, but there are differences in the distribution of responsibilities between countries.

Same. It is worth mentioning that at present, some countries or regions in the European continent (such as some regions in Spain and Italy) have a responsibility for education.

The trend of extending to children under 3 years old. 2 1

In the past, in many countries, the goals of early childhood education programs were mainly limited to low-income families, children with working mothers and children with special needs.

Important children (such as neglected children, disabled children or immigrant children) or those single-parent children. With the passage of time, children aged 3-6 now receive education.

The object of the case is more and more extensive. No matter whether parents work or not, and what the family income is, as long as parents want their children to participate, they can become this one.

The goal of the plan. However, programs for young children (and programs for all children under 6 years old in Nordic countries) remain the main goal. In addition, countries with high preschool education programs for children aged 3-6 include Germany (85%), New Zealand (85%), Spain (84%) and Austria.

(80%), USA (7 1%) and Netherlands (7 1%). But in some of these countries, such as Germany, the United States and Austria, most projects are incomplete.

Japanese, while in Germany, it is usually difficult to get extra services and programs. 5]

For children under 3 years old, the coverage of early education programs will undoubtedly be lower. At present, no country can satisfy parents.

This need. 6] Among them, the country with the highest coverage rate is Denmark, and almost 60% of children from 6 months to 3 years old can participate in the EcEc program.

In Finland and Sweden, about half of children aged 65,438+0-2 can participate, while in Belgium and France, about 30% of children aged 3 months to 3 years can participate.

In Germany and Italy, the proportion of children under 3 years old receiving early education programs is extremely low, only about 5% and 6% respectively. Of course, this speed is also

There are great regional differences, such as the eastern States of Germany, where the coverage rate is as high as 50%; The Bolaona region of Italy also reached 30%.

Fourthly, the implementation mode of ECEC scheme.

In most of these countries, early childhood education programs are implemented through public institutions with public funds. By religious institutions or other types

Private projects sponsored by non-profit organizations (such as parents' unions, voluntary organizations, business groups and women's organizations) vary greatly in different countries.

In Britain, the United States, Germany and the Netherlands, private projects are the main components of the implementation system, while in the Nordic countries, private projects are not very important. but

In recent years, some countries have restricted the government-funded early childhood education projects, so the number of early childhood education projects provided by private (non-profit) institutions is also decreasing.

Is rising sharply. For example, in Sweden, from the late 1980s to 1994, the number of children participating in private ECEC projects rose from almost zero to 9%.

In some autonomous regions, it even rose to 27%. Moreover, except Canada, Britain and the United States, almost all EcEc projects are non-profit.

Even in Catholic countries along the Mediterranean, public projects are dominant. In the early 1990s, about two-thirds of Italians were children aged 3-6.

Children participate in public programs, 19% in church-sponsored schools and 10% in private schools. Similarly, about two thirds of Spain.

Preschool children also attend public schools, while the rest of the children, especially those under the age of 3, participate in the ECEc program sponsored by the church. eight

At present, most ECEC programs are implemented through various "centers" or specialized institutions, and some are located in or near primary schools. this

The design of some centers or institutions pays great attention to providing children with an appropriate and sufficient physical environment or space to facilitate their outdoor activities. However, except Rui

In most countries except France, Italy and Spain, very young children under the age of 3 are in these centers (especially those institutions that are only supervised by the government).

Usually we can't get enough good care from our families, which is usually an extremely important factor affecting our parents' choice. But until now,

Only France (through special cash schemes) and the United States (through tax incentives) provide partial subsidies for people who take care of their children at home.

Usually, the government will expand the ECEC "degree" by allocating funds to build more projects or providing more subsidies to organizers. In northern Europe,

This is mainly the responsibility of local governments, while in France, Italy, Spain, Germany and the United States, it is mainly through providing more information to religious or voluntary organizations.

More public subsidies to achieve. Sponsorship subsidy scheme is the most important strategy for the government to fund these projects. In the United States, Canada and now Britain.

China rarely subsidizes parents who "buy" such services, or makes some compensation for the "consumption" of early childhood education through tax policies. France passed the first item.

Universal cash subsidy scheme and tax incentives provide compensation for working parents who take care of their children at home or in family day care centers.

Most of the funds for ECEC projects in these countries come from national, state or local governments. In Britain and the United States, most of these expenses have been included.

In the child care allowance. In France, government authorities (national and local) provide 2/3 of the infrastructure costs and almost half of the daily operating costs, as well as families.

The subsidy fund provides14 of the daily operating expenses, and the rest is compensated in the form of childcare allowance. In Italy, most of the expenses are paid by local and national governments.

The government will bear it, and a small part of the expenses will be borne by the employer.

Accurate information about the cost of child care is extremely difficult to obtain. For example, in France, Belgium and Italy, it is difficult to put compulsory education ahead because of the variety of preschool education projects.

Separation of education investment and compulsory education; In the United States, Canada, Germany and other countries, the funds for the ECEC program mainly come from state governments and local governments.

It is also difficult to obtain national data. Only the Nordic countries' EcEc cost data are quite comprehensive and reliable, because these data are regular.

Reflected in the "Nordic Statistical Report". In the early 1990s, the ratio of planned investment in EcEc to GDP was 2.4% in Sweden and 2.0% in Denmark.

Blue is 65438+O.6%5438+0%, and Norway is 0.6%. In Denmark, the cost of 199 1 per child is $65438 +03000, which is basically the same in Sweden. Family day care

A13-the cost is less, and each child only needs about 7 100 dollars a year. As can be seen from these figures, the investment of these countries in EcEc projects is

Quite large.

Table 2 Comparison of ECEc plans in different countries 10j

The implementation strategy of national policy makers' competent departments to serve the times fund

French state (major) education is free for all governments aged 2-6.

Three months' health/welfare with local government for three-year-old working parents, local government with special needs, family allowance and child support.

User allowance

The Belgian state government educates all governments aged 2.5-6 (free of charge).

Benefits of working parents under 3 years old, governments with special needs, employers, childcare allowance and related options/requirements.

, low income and many other aspects.

Children between the ages of 3 and 6 receive Italian national education, which is provided free of charge by all governments.

Local health/welfare working parents under 3 years old, local government, childcare allowance and related income.

enter

National and local education in Denmark is open to all children aged 5-7.

(Main) Welfare The childcare allowance provided by the government (local) for working parents aged 6 to 6.

Swedish national and local education o-6 years old is available for all national and local governments to choose.

(mainly)

Finnish national and local education All national and local governments are at the age of 6, and childcare subsidies can be used for Spanish national or local education O- All governments are at the age of 6 (3-6 years old) (free).

Government support allowance for children under 3 years old, tax for low-income people

good

Austrian state or local welfare 3-6 years old working parents state/local government, child support allowance is optional.

All state and local governments in the United States require national or local education.

Optional.

Education and welfare child support allowance for children aged 0-4, which is provided to people with special needs and low-income federal, state or local governments.

Workers, working parents

I 3-4 years of national or local education in the UK (free of charge) optional/mandatory.

4-year-old children's special needs benefits, low-income free or income-related expenses

human

L All children aged 5-6 can/must receive Canadian national education (free of charge).

The welfare of people with special needs under 5 years old and multiple low-income people mainly comes from childcare allowance.

Yesterday, working parents

One of them, Peter Moss, also tried to study the quality of child care in EU member states in the early 1990s. In that way

However, he believes that before systematic comparison and evaluation, it is necessary to have a deeper discussion on the connotation of "quality" in various countries. Association about

The final report on the quality of ECEC plan lists some important aspects and the goal of obtaining higher quality, but most of them are general.

The most influential European study was conducted by Swedish psychologist Bai. He works with several groups of children, from infants to high school.

After years of follow-up, and according to a large number of tests and teachers' observation and evaluation, for those who start from a very young age (9 to 12 months),

Compared with those children who start day care late and those who are used to constantly changing care institutions, the children taken care of by family day care centers. knot

The results show that those children who started day care very early showed obvious advantages at the age of 8, and this advantage will continue in the future, mainly as follows

In languages and many school subjects, except physical education. At the same time, the teacher's evaluation also shows that children who enter day care earlier talk more, at school.

Less anxiety, more independence and more persistence. French research found that their early education programs were prepared and reduced in primary education.

The problems in primary school and the subsequent learning failure have certain value. In Italy, a survey of parents also found that for children under 3 years old,

Generally speaking, the ECEC program can not only meet the needs of parents who need to work, but also provide opportunities for children to interact with other children of the same age so that children can

Better prepare for pre-school and primary school.