ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the state of early childhood education in the English-speaking Caribbean countries, though from time to time reference is made to common underlying mechanisms tied to the broader linguistically and ethnically diverse countries in the region. It aims to address some of the salient factors around the evolving nature of early childhood education: cultural belief systems or ethnotheories about early childhood development, curriculum models, and the salubrious effects of preschool education on children’s early cognitive and social skills. Because of socioeconomic conditions, early childhood education grew unevenly across Caribbean countries during the post-World War II period. A popular message in Caribbean socialization practices is that children should be shaped—the proverbial “as the twig is bent—so goes the tree.” It should be mentioned that because of the societal, parental, and teacher beliefs, most early childhood programs in the Caribbean employ a structured approach to meeting the cognitive and social needs of young children.
