Education: Where's the fun?
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Is a stricter curriculum really benefiting the students?
The school district in which I live is of the utmost excellence. Our schools are top of the line and provide a great education for the students enrolled. Yet a recent announcement by our superintendent leaves me a bit baffled.
Many of the higher ups in our school system believe a strengthening of our kindergartens curriculum is for the benefit of the students. They believe that providing a stronger focus on reading and writing will give our students a jump-start on their future education. If our five year olds are already able to read and write then they must be getting a head start on the great education that they shall receive, and therefore become better (whatever “better” may entail) students.
It is my belief that this type of heavier-curriculum based kindergarten is mostly detrimental to our young ones. I believe the ultimate goal of kindergarten is provide a smooth transition from home to school. All too often children have a difficult time adjusting to being away from home, which begs the question; why make it more difficult? Being away from home can be a very stressful time for our children. Even at the college level students often find the lack of home life to be discouraging. If these students have a difficult time adjusting, then why put more of a stressor on them by forcing a more difficult curriculum on them? I believe the core values that should be taught at our kindergarten level should be acceptable social behaviors, working together with others, abiding by rules, and becoming a little more independent. I do not believe that more of an educational pressure will be beneficial to our kindergarteners. Kindergarten should be a joyful experience for the students. We want our little learners to be excited to go to school. I think that a more involved enjoyment of an education will prove to be more beneficial to the students then a “head-start” on reading and writing.
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Thank you for responding. I believe the desire for education begins with the individualized education for each student. Students naturally have a desire to learn. Everyone has a desire to learn. The problem lies with the education of students in subjects that in turn tend to be irrelevant to their dreams. Students tend to do better in subjects that they are more interested in, and just the opposite for subjects they dislike. If a student wants to become a biologist then they will naturally desire to take courses in the sciences. The problem that occurs during curriculum development is generalization of requirements and focuses. If there is a focus in math and science, then the students that dream to study in fields of english and history are hindered; therefore not receiving the education that is most beneficial to them. You cannot create a generation of engineers and mathematicians. Each student is an individual and therefore must be treated as such.
"Thank you for responding. I believe the desire for education begins with the individualized education for each student."
Awesome! I am so glad to hear someone outside the bubble of progressive education (?) mention that students want and need to learn but it is based on following and developing their natural sense of curiosity! Delightful :)
Alternate rote learning like multiplication tables with a fun activity demonstrating the use (that looking at a series of items and rows to know how many there are).
I agree that one size does not fit all. My assertion is not that students are forced into science and math at the risk of other studies. My assertion is that the parents are left out of the real decisions reflecting their children’s desires and actual abilities. There seems to be an assumption that the parents do not know as much as their children’s teachers do about science, math, English, music, and other subjects. I am finishing my studies in my Ph.D. and have children in school. Am I not intelligent enough to help design the curriculum for my children? I have far more at stake in my child’s academic achievement than do their teachers. I will not forget them and move on to the next group next year. I will follow their progress their whole life.
My hats are off to you for wanting ti be involved! Many parents assume the education of their child should be left to a school and when problems arise become quite defensive. It is always refreshing to run across a parent that wants more involvement. In the right school, your background could be an asset for the class and the community as a whole. I hope you find the right fit.
Pressure does not make for better students! School should be a good experience and parent involvement should be welcomed. Contrary to what some think, I still believe that it can also be fun! It has been shown over and over that students begin to read at different ages and the late bloomers will catch up with their peers very quickly. There is no need for all this pressure, including entrance exams in some cases, at the kindergarten level.
tcummuta 5 months ago
The problem in our schools is not that students need to get a head start. The need is to get students to desire to achieve more. We need less focus on PC and more focus on the necessary tools needed for college and beyond. All of the countries we compete with in the world economy do just that. There is no excuse that we cannot also do it.
There is plenty anough time in our primary school systems as they exist today to get the job done. This country used to be able to get the job done. Are we saying our children are not as smart as American children were in the past?