Laura Bornfreund recommends First Things First

First Things First: Creating the New American Primary School

By Ruby Takanishi (Teachers College Press, 2016).

Education doesn’t begin with kindergarten — that’s a message that bears repeating. In First Things First, the late Ruby Takanishi offers a detailed vision of what we can do to provide all children with high-quality education in the early years, from preK through 5th grade. Drawing on Takanishi’s decades of teaching, research, and advocacy, the book calls for a smarter and more equitable system of public education, one that starts with voluntary preK for three-year-olds, provides challenging and engaging learning experiences for all children, recognizes bilingualism and language diversity as assets, and supports teachers in providing coherent, research-informed, carefully sequenced instruction. Further, Takanishi argues that schools must do more to partner with families and caregivers, not only to strengthen their children’s education and well-being but also to foster adult learning among parents and teachers alike.

My own perspective on education — especially learning and development in preK, kindergarten, and the early grades — has been greatly influenced by Takanishi’s research and guidance. While it is certainly hard to find silver linings in the challenges our nation has faced over the last 18 months, times of crisis do offer opportunities for reimagining and changing our public institutions. When it comes to preK through 5th-grade education, First Things First offers the framework we should use to upend the status quo in education and, as Takanishi puts it, to launch “every child on a successful pathway to a good and productive life.”

Laura Bornfreund’s latest in Kappan