– The promotion of prekindergarten education was the main subject of discussion for more than 500 educators, scientists and business leaders who gathered for the Early Childhood Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) Conference in Costa Mesa at the beginning of February. It was discussed that children who start learning math at an early age are more likely to attend college and enter high-demand career fields. 

– Susan Wood, executive director of the Children’s Center at Caltech and the event organizer, stated that “Early math education has been a critical missing piece of a child’s development.” When children start kindergarten, a knowledge of basic math concepts (how to count and the fundamentals of addition and subtraction), as well as basic engineering concepts (like how to assemble structures with building blocks) give them a decisive advantage.

– For his part, Professor Greg J. Duncan, an expert in early-childhood education at UC Irvine, said that children can start learning some STEM concepts soon after birth and that parental involvement at this early age is key to foster in children a lifelong inclination for learning.

Image: Wikimedia Commons

READ THE ORIGINAL ARTICLE