Hot Topics in Early Childhood Education

There are a few hot topics in the field of early childhood education.  I have chosen those that are important to me.

1.  Volunteers in the classroom -  This is a hot topic in all areas of education, and the preschool classroom in no exception.  This is a hot topic in my school district (which is a rural district in one of the poorest counties in Ohio) because getting people to volunteer has been like pulling teeth.  Volunteers are a big deal in todays classroom because of budget cuts.  Many teachers are left with too much to do and not enough hands to do it with.  Classroom volunteers can be a tremendous help.  Also, the importance of the home to school connection is huge when it comes to educating children, especially those at poverty level.  The topic of volunteers in the classroom is an interesting one because when children see family and members of the community in their school it shows them that someone actually cares about their education and that education is important.
2.  Kindergarten Readiness -This is a topic everyone is talking about because kindergarten is no longer the frist step in a child's education.  It is a big deal in the early childhood education field because preschool teachers are now expected to provide more than social/emotional interactions for the children they serve.  The interesting thing about kindergarten readiness is that it is different for everyone.
3.  Literacy in early childhood education -  Literacy in early childhood education is imporatnt because it is the beginning of that literacy foundation in a child's life.  It is a big deal because children are often being pushed to read more, know more, do more at an earlier age.  This is an interesting topic to me because many times children are being asked to do/know things they are not developmentally ready for.