The Future of Early Learning is Relational

What matters most in learning is not IQ, not SAT scores, and not college. The greatest predictor of lifelong success is relationships (aka love), starting in the early years of life. The American Academy of Pediatrics recently elevated early relationships as a critical way to prevent toxic stress. This session will offer a fresh look at what it takes for children to flourish from the start. It will review the body of evidence on why relationships are foundational to learning and development. It will then explore the alarming trends in relationships around our little ones, including the latest studies on how COVID-19 has affected emotional connection between babies/moms, and how cognitive and social-emotional skills in babies born during the pandemic have been dropping. Lastly, it will discuss how to improve those concerns, and frame the circles of relationships around our little learners in the FTLM framework—Families, Teachers, Little friends, and Mentors/Community.

Slide deck for presentation