Eager to LearnEducating Our Preschoolers\nAuthor(s): National Research Council, Commission on Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education, Committee on Early Childhood Pedagogy, M. Susan Burns, M. Suzanne Donovan, Barbara T. Bowman\nFormat: Paperback\nPublisher: National Academies Press, United States\nImprint: National Academies Press\nISBN-13: 9780309274234, 978-0309274234\nSynopsis\nClearly babies come into the world remarkably receptive to its wonders. Their alertness to sights, sounds, and even abstract concepts makes them inquisitive explorersand learnersevery waking minute. Well before formal schooling begins, children's early experiences lay the foundations for their later social behavior, emotional regulation, and literacy. Yet, for a variety of reasons, far too little attention is given to the quality of these crucial years. Outmoded theories, outdated facts, and undersized budgets all play a part in the uneven quality of early childhood programs throughout our country..