Our Upcoming Events: Media Seminar, Policy Forum and Book Talk

Two weeks from now, those of us here at the Early Education Initiative will be hosting a series of events related to early childhood across the years from birth through age 8. Our hope is to heighten discussion about how public policies — for good and ill — are having an impact on the way children learn and grow throughout these critical formative years.

Birth Through Age 8: The Hidden Stories
March 1, 2011
Co-hosted by the Hechinger Institute on Education and the Media
8:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.

Before Birth & Up Through Third Grade: A Forum on Education Policy Connections
March 2, 2011
8:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Kids First: Book Talk
March 2, 2011
5 p.m. – 6 p.m.

In the journalism seminar on March 1, we aim to help reporters uncover stories that highlight the link between current policies that affect young children and America’s future educational (not to mention economic) success. We also want to provide some concrete examples of why seamless connections between preschools and elementary schools are so important. This five-hour seminar is for members of the media, but will be available as a streaming webcast to anyone who is interested.

In the daylong forum on March 2, we are bringing school district officials together with early childhood policy experts — including those with knowledge of home visiting programs, infancy, toddlerhood, pre-k, kindergarten, and the early grades. We have very few seats left, but please don’t hesitate to inquire if interested in attending. This event will be available to anyone as a streaming webcast and will also be the centerpiece of a new online discussion site that we’ll be opening soon. We’d love to have our blog readers become active participants! More details will be available in mid-March.

Lastly, at 5 p.m. on March 2, everyone is invited to join us for a conversation with David L. Kirp about his new book, Kids First: Five Big Ideas for Transforming Children’s Lives and America’s Future. Come for wine, cheese and what promises to be an interesting and lively discussion.

All events are here at the New American Foundation’s offices, 1899 L Street, NW, 4th Floor, Washington, DC, 20036.