Is Preschool killing childhood?
I avoid this topic like the plague. Kids need to play, explore, and build their imaginations, and preschools that put an emphasis on reading, math and handwriting steal those opportunities from kids. My statement usually incites anger and probably fear, in parents who’ve already justified the decision that their child needs to build elementary skills while in preschool, and have already spent a few happy months in a preschool that is doing just that. Plus, they are already financially and emotionally invested in the school and its teachers, and even though the child is only three, the family thinks its too late to turn back now. And besides, they believe, I am wrong.
I’m choosing to speak up now because The Wall Street Journal (What’s Gotten Into Kids These Days? January 17, 2008; Page D1, By Sue Shellenbarger) has now reported some research data that backs my belief.
Behavior problems among preschoolers are emerging as a national issue. In several studies released in the past month, researchers at Yale, Rutgers and Cornell universities, among others, are treating preschoolers’ conduct as a challenge that calls for changes in school programs and classroom management. The problem has reached the point where researchers are recommending preschool teachers have access to mental-health consultants, like the psychologists who help out in higher grade.
This is kind of chilling. Why are behavior problems emerging as a national issue?
The causes aren’t clear. Some experts blame a government drive for accountability in schools that is intensifying emphasis on early skill-building in reading and math, frustrating kids who aren’t ready. Others cite a variety of other factors, including parents’ early use of child-care centers, family instability, poor prenatal care or an increased incidence of such learning difficulties as attention-deficit disorder.
This is creating a need for children to have extra training on more social and emotional skills so they can deal with other kids. “Indeed, the academic achievement that parents covet, and that schools are so avidly seeking, can’t be attained without good social and emotional skills as a foundation,” adds the WSJ. If you can’t fathom what a preschool is that does focus on play, imagination, and the ability to build emotional confidence, check here.
There’s no reason to teach a child to hold a pencil before he’s ready, just because someday he’ll need to know how to hold a pencil. If you have trouble grasping that concept, think of it like this: what if we took the same attitude with sexual skills? The child just isn’t ready. At preschool, I hope there are teachers willing to help my child button his costume, teach him how to say, “I don’t like that, but I do like this,” and show him how to pound play dough.
Some preschools have initiated testing, to aleve parental anxiety and to ensure that their child will be able to compete in elementary school testing. However, a bulletin in Mothering Magazine (145, Nov-Dec 2007: p35) cites an annual Gallup/PDK poll of people who claim to know at least a fair amount about the Bush administration’s No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act:
The vast majority (82 percent) said they would “prefer that schools be judged by growth in students’ achievement rather than by the simple percent[age] of students who score at or above proficiency on their state assessment.” Indeed, a growing percentage of parents of public school children–from 32 percent in 2002 to 52 percent in 2007–feel there is too much emphasis on testing.
I’ve seen the stress the NCLB leaves on Middle-School kids, and now it seems the NCLB act has hit the preschool room too. Hopefully, the work of the nonprofit Forum on Educational Accountability (FEA), will bring back some balance, and allow childhood to flourish again. The FEA sent a letter, August 7, 2007, to members of the Senate and House education committees for a major overhaul of NCLB, including implementing “multiple assessments of learning and multiple indicators of school performance,” signed by 117 leading educators, scholars, and researchers. The letter supports the Joint Organizational Statement of NCLB. You can view this statement here.
I would love to hear what other Moms think about this issue. There are several Hip Mommas I know who have such a wonderful way with words, and hearts that hate to see childhood pass so quickly, like Amy, Dawn, Louann, PunditMom — your opinion always rocks,Charlotte,(we’d like a global perspective) YogaMum, Mothergoosemouse (congratulations again), Patios, Beck, Mama M, Leslie, Jess — and you know I can’t just write every Mom and Dad’s name here, so don’t even think about your name not being here if it isn’t, and just let me know if you agree, or why in the world not.
As you choose preschool, or perhaps consider a NEW preschool, consider this poem, written by George Athanas.
I want to be six again. I want to go to McDonalds and think it’s the best place on earth to eat. I want to sail sticks across fresh mud puddle and make waves with rocks. I want to think M&M’s are better than money because you can eat them. I want to play kickball during recess and stay up Christmas Eve waiting to hear Santa or Rudolph on the roof.
I long for the days when life was simple. When all you knew were your colors, the addition tables, and simple nursery rhymes, but it didn’t bother you because you didn’t know and didn’t care. I want to go to school and have snack time, recess, gym, and field trips. I want to be happy, because I don’t know what should make me upset. I want to think the world is fair and everyone in it is great. I want to believe anything is possible.
Sometimes while I was maturing I learned to much. I learned of nuclear weapons, starving children, battered wives, death, unhappy marriages, and abused children. I learned of the unhappiness that exists and like my addition tables I never forgot it. I want to be six again and think that everyone I know including myself will live forever because I don’t know the concept of death. I want to be oblivious to the complexity of life and be overly excited at little things again.
I want television to be something I watch for fun, not something I use for an escape from the things I should be doing. I want to think answering the telephone is a privilege not a pain in the neck, and that bus rides are fun regardless of where I am going, not an inconvenience because I could have driven there faster by car. I want to live knowing the little things I find exciting will not always make me happy as when I first learned them.
I remember not seeing the world as a whole but rather only being aware of the things which directly concern me. I want to be looking at the picture of life so closely that I can only see the people directly around me — family and friends — as the people who concern me, unaware of the power of the government and the possibility I have of being insignificant. I want to be naive enough to think that if I am happy so is everyone else. Because by being aware you take on responsibility, the responsibility to act or know you didn’t and live with the consequences.
I want to walk down the beach and think only of the sand under my bare feet and of the possibility of finding that blue piece of seaglass that I am looking for. I long for the days when while I walked down the beach it was the only thing I thought of. But those days are gone. I am destined now to walk the beach always thinking other thoughts, worrying other worries , reliving memories good and bad that the beach reminds me of, enjoying the view and air but never completely removing myself from the thinking, worrying and rethinking that is always going on inside of me.
I want to be six again, happy to be alive yet unaware of what life really is. I want to spend my afternoons climbing trees and riding my bike, letting the grown ups worry about time, the dentist, and how to find the money to fix the car’s battery. I want to wonder what I’ll do when I grow up, not worry about what I’m going to do after graduation.
It’s not that I want to live my life over again, I’m basically happy with how things turned out — so far. Rather I want to be able to escape but not have to pay for it later. I want to be able to visit my six year old state of mind, play in my six year old state of mind dirt and swim in my six year old state of mind water. Life was good then but I didn’t know enough to realize it. I was so anxious to grow up I spent time, I should have enjoyed being young, acting older. I want that time back. I want to use it now as an escape so that when I have a computer program, six reading assignments, two depressed friends, and second thoughts about my major I can travel back and build a snowman without thinking about anything except why the snow sticks together and what could I possibly use for the snowman’s mouth.
Thanks for the tag, Susie. I would be honoured to provide an international perspective. I’ll give it some thought.
I think that getting kids to school at an earlier age than the usual–in a way–deprives them of play and recreation, which is a necessary episode in their formative years. I am not a psychologist, but I believe that this phenomenon somehow has an impact later on in life, to even become the environmental factors prompting anxiety and depression towards adulthood.
My well was running a bit dry today. I will ponder and respond this week…
{Thanks for the tag, Susie.}
Oh, what timing this post has! We had playgroup at my house this morning, and the topic of conversation? School!
Julia and her playgroup friends are three. Starting next month, birthday celebrations begin and by August, they will all be four. They are a rare bunch of three-year olds (at least in our geographic area) because none of them are attending preschool. Yet. And while none of them are in preschool, they can all say and write both their letters and numbers up to, at least, 20 and in more than one language. They can write their names and the names of their playgroup friends (a skill they built sending Christmas cards and tons of Thank You notes to each other). They know their colors and shapes. They exhibit better manners that the average adult I encounter in public.
I started the conversation about school this morning because many of the parents I interact with (through ballet, swimming, t-ball, gymnastics, Kindermusik and story time at the library) have suggested that preschool is absolutely necessary for success in elementary school. One parent even suggested that my child could be put in a special class for NOT having a preschool experience. That parent was a teacher. And that scared me.
As I ‘ve started to look at preschools, I’ve been very disappointed in what I’ve seen. In places that claim to offer daycare and preschool, I’ve struggled to see the difference between the two options. I’ve watched children show up to preschool only to spend the first fifteen minutes getting out of coats, organizing their things, getting in line and waiting. I’ve seen a child reprimanded for coloring a rock the “wrong” color. I’ve watched for another half hour while everyone stands in line and waits their turn for the potty. And I couldn’t help but ask, “When does the learning happen?”
The bright spot in my research has been a Montessori school about a half hour away. Dave, Julia and I all have been excited about what we’ve seen there. We are seriously considering sending Julia there in the Fall.
My playgroup compadres live far enough away that the Montessori school isn’t likely to be an option for them. And we all began to talk about the condition of our local schools and eventually about homeschooling.
I believe it when I hear about behavior problems in preschoolers. There certainly seems to be an increase in behavior problems among older children in school. I certainly have ideas about why this is…I just may need to write a post about it as this comment is nearly turning in to one! But this topic is of GREAT interest to me right now. I appreciate your opinion and the links you provided!
I think it all really depends on the school and the student/toddler. Some people treat Pre-school like a babysitter. Some people treat it like it is preparing for the SAT’s.
The reality of it is only the child will get out of it, what the child puts into it. Not the parents putting anything into it.
Leslie, they really believe there’s a “special class” for someone without preschool experience… LOL! Did you tell them the one about the tooth fairy? And William, you are unfortunately right about some preschool as a testing
ground for the SAT. Many of the teachers say that much of the assessment and testing they are doing is in fact driving by parents.
Susie, have you been eavesdropping on me?!
I am quite outspoken about my beliefs regarding pre-school. It’s not a time to “get ahead” - it’s a time to learn how to function in a group, follow directions, and accept another source of authority besides parents.
Susie, I’m honored that you want to hear my thoughts on this! I will give it some thought and post on the subject soon.
I find many things about the current educational system for very young children upsetting - in Canada, they’re getting ready to start full-day, everyday school for four year olds. Goodbye, little kidhood.
Beck — what is up with the four year olds?! I’m assuming there is no NCLB act up there in Canada… Ouch, that is early.
i think mothergoosemouse said it all for me. i put MQ in preschool, but I do think it’s more about group dynamics and socialization. I think kids at this age WANT to learn things, and I think having the letters and colors and all that jazz is good, but that testing and pushing is bad, and that the most important things that MQ learned in preschool had to do with getting along with others and treating people with respect
I totally agree with you. I’ve felt this way for years.
My opnion Susie- which consists of my beliefs and opinions.
I put my son in pre-school when he was 3. I was working and so was my husband. He would be left at gome for 8 hours a day with the nanny. With no older siblings or cousins at home, he had no interaction with anyone else.
I spoke with the school director and she told me this: thay their school usually accepts children as young as 3 if the parents can justify why the child cannot stay at home for 2 or 3 more years - that is, they believe that the best learning environment for the child is still the home.
And then another issue came up. When my second was in Kindergarten, there was a surge in parent’s wants to have their children reading by this age. I expressed my concern to my son’s teacher that my son was not reading yet. She told me, “He will read. THere is no need to rush. For as long as we all continue to support his learning, he will eventually read. Kids will read when they are ready.”
And now with my second son, I have decided to put him in school a little later. He will learn from the home. Books are read, he is exposed to crayons and pencils -eventually he will learn his nursery rhymes and his alphabet. His brother will be there to help us teach him. I am not rushing with this little guy anymore.
So there, if a child is blessed with a parent who can stay home with him / her or if a child is blessed with siblings who they can interact with, I believe there is no rush in putting them in school.
Susie, just wanted to correct the last sentence of my comment - I meant …I believe there is no rush in putting them in school too early. =)
While I think it is important to promote reading and math skills, I think being a kid is way more important.
Great post Susie. I totally agree with you.
We would be lost without preschools that allow children to develop their imagination and creativity. I really value that the preschool we’ve chosen caters to a lot of different learning styles - something that higher grade levels loose quickly. The loss of that accommodation can be especially brutal for kids who don’t learn or test well in standardized formats.
Awesome post. Have you read “The Power of Play”? My son goes to preschool - to PLAY. And through play, he’s learned to think for himself.
Susie -
I see nothing wrong with pre-schools as a concept and my children will go to preschool. What I have heard is that even at the elementary school level, the kids here are *rushed* and a lot of this has to do with those bleeping Standards of Learning. As my friend said to me the other day “Don’t you remember being in 3rd grade and reading for an hour up in the loft in the classroom?” (Okay, so I am a child of the 70s). Maybe we can’t get away with reading lofts these days, but surely we can slow. down. just a little bit?
I believe that not only is preschool killing childhood, but elementary school too! First, let me say that neither of my children are in school yet, so what the heck do I know, but I will say there is a difference between a pre-school that does let a kid be a kid and a pre-school that is basically a prep school for oh, something as trivial as, oh, LIFE!
“And while none of them are in preschool, they can all say and write both their letters and numbers up to, at least, 20 and in more than one language.” They’re three?!? We’re evidently failing dismally as parents! Poor dudelet - all he can do is speak English and count.
I chime in here a bit apologetically because what I have to share is (gasp) political. Is that okay?
There is one candidate who would love to wipe out the burdensome and inefficient NCLB act, and the whole DOE while he is at it. He believes that schools should be accountable to parents (what an idea!!) not to Federal Bureaucrats.
His name is Ron Paul and I invite you to google him.
Best,
Suzanne
[...] Response to Susie 24 01 2008 The lovely Susie tagged me to respond to her post Is Preschool killing children?, where she discusses the fact that in the USA preschool (which is what we in Germany call [...]
Hi Susie,
I commented at length on Charlotte’s blog, so I won’t repeat myself. I’m a firm believer in the Waldorf method, where kids are kids for a loooong time. Early intellectual work just stunts their growth in other ways, and the important “skills’ of childhood, especially learning to be at home in your body, are lost. Kids are displaying “negative” behaviors in preschool because they’re unhappy and don’t know how to deal with what is being forced on them.
My kids definitely needed socialization time, so they’re in a Waldorf/Lifeways daycare. But all they do there is play. My son (age 5) desperately wants to learn to read, so occasionally we go over letters together. But there is no pressure, no expectation, it’s just coming from his own ability and desire. I’m sure he’ll love to read some day.
[...] mad. (and I don’t get that way often). 24Jan08 So while reading this, I decided to write about what went down for us last night and this morning. First of all, I [...]
Hi Susie- I linked to this post, I found it particularly relevant to my life and very informative! Thanks.
[...] 24, 2008 Posted by yogamum in Education, Family, Kids. trackback When I read SusieJ’s post the other day and she asked me to jump in with my opinion on “Is Preschool Killing [...]
Reporting in as an elementary school teacher and a mom of two school age children:
On paper it is hard to argue with NCLB, after all who can disagree with moving ALL children to academic success? However, the reality of how it’s implemented, and underfunded, is scary. It is stealing childhood, and I recoil when I hear how stressed the primary grade teachers are and that they feel there is no time for PLAY. No value in NCLB is placed on kindness or thoughtuflness or creativity - things that have made America great. I could go on forever, but I’ll stop with those thoughts.
Moothergoosemouse — I thought as much. I knew you had a good head on your shoulders.
YogaMum, I just read your post, and you brought up another side to this issue — also sad — about kids not being challenged enough. We’re so focused on trying to get kids “ahead” that we don’t think of the ones who may need a little more.
Louann — isn’t that the way… The second time around we listen to our instincts so much more?
And Painted Maypole — this is enough isn’t it? The social skills are hard and stressful to learn right now.
Gift of Green — yes, you are right. It used to be WAY more fun. And, LOL, I’m a child on the 60s and 70s.
Crank Mama, you are lucky. So lucky — and the fact that you recognize this — it’s so important.
(un)relaxeddad — you forgot to mention build an awesome train track, dance, and name the lyrics to some really cool songs.
Suzanne — are you saying there might be hope?
Henisirk. I have visited a Waldorf school — and it was the most amazing “calm” place full of children I have seen. Beautiful. You are so fortunate that it is so close to you.
Shannon — I read your post, and that was a nightmare…
Tickled Pink — It is true about the teachers — I think they feel more pressure than anyone. I’ve talked to several, and they are working so hard to get it all in, and most seemed genuinely concerned about the kids having fun while they learn.
Sorry state we’re in. I appreciate the time I have with my children at home more than ever.
Thanks for thinking of me - in my “other life” I’m a special ed teacher - so I will have PLENTY to say
(after I deal w/ the pressing penis issues of course.)
Oh goodness. I love this post. I am a preschool and struggle to keep a balance between what I truly believe (pretty much what you just wrote) and what the school is looking for. I’ve done a pretty good job the past 8 years in my position walking the line. I’m hoping to be able to convince the school that the line needs to budge just a bit…we’ll see how that goes.
It’s so refreshing to see this kind of conversation out there.
Yes! My kid is in a daycare program that kind of morphs into pre-school - but there is no forced learning. No worksheets. Just play. But in the interstices, they learn. They learn to count. They learn letters. They learn to hold a pencil and draw a picture. They learn social skills too - “that hurts my feelings” and “would you like to share”. There’s plenty of time for rigor later. Right now, she needs to play. It’s essentially a montessori program, though they don’t use that name.
[...] day to get kids thinking about rockets and science isn’t a bad thing. Now that our schools are stuck with standardized tests, there’s little time left in school to focus on experiments and figuring out how our universe [...]
[...] As I sit by the light of the computer, with my 12-year-old at my side, who is still laboring over his homework, long after his brothers are asleep, I stumble across the slide show of the fortunate little kindergartners featured on the front page of the April 14, 2008 edition of the Wall Street Journal (German Tots Learn to Answer Call of Nature.) This kindergarten class (the US-equivalent of preschool) is held in the woods, following the original philosophies of the original kindergarten of Friedrich Fröbel, the German who opened the world’s first kindergarten more than 150 years ago. “Playing in nature, rather than focusing on letters or numbers, was best for young children,” he said. That’s a sure-fire antidote to our stressed-out preschoolers. [...]