Welcome Economists!
In the past decade, economic research has made a remarkable case for the importance of early childhood education. Nobel laureate James Heckman, and former Federal Reserve research economist Art Rolnick (among others) have championed the cause not only in academic papers, but also in pursuit of strategic philanthropy and wise public spending.
How does that important work translate into important changes in public spending, social expectations and civic institutions? It occurs by setting that important economic research in context in a way that non-experts can grasp. This little book is one tool to that end.
A Manifesto for You
If you care about health, sustainability and civil society, this book is for you. It makes the case for the peculiar power of cultural transmission in the earliest years of life that sets a child’s trajectory. That trajectory affects virtually every aspect of our social and economic life including public and philanthropic expenditures on education, child care, housing, and criminal justice.
The Virtue Argument
This is not just a restatement of the economic argument for investments in early childhood. It is the virtue argument for the place of individual, family and civic roles in helping families with young children to thrive.
Specifically, by reading this book, you will:
- Understand the lifelong impact of early home life on children
- Recognize the power of early brain development for children
- Identify the four key developmental areas that parents influence
- Focus on the three critical levers for promoting healthy development
- Identify ways that schools, non-profits, and community organizations can work together to support thriving families in your community
Because The Apprenticeship of Being Human:
- Provides an overview of the nature and rate of human brain development
- Offers a simple, compelling metaphor that captures the power of relationships
- Displays the power of stories in forming children for learning and life
- Describes how educators, parents, policy makers, medical professionals and non-profits can and should work together for the good of families with young children
Are you a professor? This book is a speedy way to help your students come up to speed on this important issue.
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Want to use it for your classes or a book club? Contact me for volume discounts.