You have this opportunity early in life to give kids an experience that seems to head them away from crime, or you can give them a custodial experience that doesn't head them away from crime,'' he said. Zigler said research shows high-quality programs help all children, ''but they are particularly beneficial to poor children. Fewer than 3 percent of the 466 day-care centers in Maine are accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children. Audrey Maynard, as director of the childhood education program at Casco Bay College, regularly goes through day-care operations to observe her students doing internships. For example, Maynard considers wooden blocks of different sizes to be a basic component for child care, yet few programs have them.
Blocks help children develop their spatial skills.
Children who spend a lot of time chasing each other around. Too many children are being asked to stay for long periods of time in relatively dull environments,'' Maynard said. Sue Reed, who teaches early childhood education at the University of New England, agreed. In addition to teaching, Reed runs a day-care center at UNE and helps the National Assocation for the Education of Young Children assess centers seeking accreditation. Reed said many day-care providers not only have a dearth of activities, but they also have few teachers who fully understand how to work with children.