Early Childhood Education: Topical Problems

Important issues of care and education of children from birth to 3 years are reviewed: education content, teachers and organization of education. The status of contemporary early childhood education and its often untapped resources make this topic ever more urgent. Two opposite approaches to early childhood education are discussed: the approach which is limited to care and supervision and the approach that targets on age-inappropriate stimulation of early intellectual development. The disadvantages of both approaches are analyzed in view of insufficient competence in and a lack of knowledge about early-age mental development that many teachers and parents demonstrate. Based on the Russian and foreign practice, a model of a Support Center for early-age children and their families is proposed as an optimal form of providing comprehensive support to this population group. Basic principles and directions of the Center's work as well as its staffing are described.