Carly Berwick, writing at Next American City, asks a question you don’t hear asked much around my neighborhood: So when did 3-year-olds start needing an education?
It is, of course, a fact of nature in the Upper West Side, that not just 3-year-olds but also 2-year-olds, and perhaps even 1-year-olds, need an education. Berwick, who was writing a review of Elizabeth Rose’s The Promise of Preschool: from Headstart to Universal Pre-K, makes a point that I think applies here. Basically, parents (and voters) want to see their early childhood education look as much like school as possible, even if that’s not always age-appropriate.
I got that sense going through the Universal Pre-K process: in a big auditorium meeting two months ago, the bosses of NYC’s early childhood education program talked a lot about “teaching to standards,” which I found almost as repulsive a construction as the “interview” process that private preschools have for 2-year-olds.
The institutionalization of preschool in my neighborhood seems also to be tied to the moving of that invisible line between daycare and preschool. Two-year-olds “need” an education, I think, because all the working moms and dads here, who have left their children with nannies and in group care since their piddling maternity/paternity leaves ended six weeks postpartum, want to feel like there’s some enrichment coming out of these impossible life choices. So instead of calling it daycare, call it a deeply educational experience that will help your kid get into one of them fancy prep schools, and sleep better at night.
Being a certified teacher I understand the idea of “teaching to standard” for K-12, but what kind of standards can you place on 2 year-olds? Have to imagine they’re pretty watered down.
“Child picks up block correctly” Check.
“Child stacks blocks correctly to build model of DNA chromosome” Needs improvement, recommend student be transfered to shop class.
I do think we need to start education sooner in this country. I dont know if I agree with CK – 2/3 years can be shown what to do (if not learn what to do) my 20 month old know how to use an iPhone – why because I’ve been working with him on flipbooks, interactive educational game and what not.
overall our education system is a little broken we need to start earlier and stop the idea that 5th grade will repeat again the first half of 7th grade – we need to create critical thinkers not “workers”
You’ve got to question whither starting formal school education so early, never mind pre-school, is for the benefit of children or the convenience of parents. Here in the UK kids go to school at five, yet in Finland pupils start school at seven and then enjoy 11-week summer holidays (5-6 in the UK) – and they end up with the highest educational standards in Europe.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/7234578.stm
That’s intriguing, @hugh. Because here in NYC a lot of the promising models–especially for inner-city schools–involve cutting summer break down. One reason for that might be the difference in the educational content kids are receiving at home. Here, you’re often not sure that they’re actually learning away from school. That is presumably different in Finland?
@CK definitely gearing up for shop. Would actually love it if both my kids learned something actually useful like that.
@Tessasdad I’m not that impressed by kids using iPhones. Haven’t you seen the cat using the iPad on YouTube?
Shops not too bad, and I learned to type without a thumb.
oh, forgot. Just a point to make re: Da Da Rocks. Don’t disagree that 2/3 year-olds can’t learn, and yes, the system overall is broken. However, I would make an argument that it’s not the length of time in school but the quality of the education, which is where I see the biggest problem. Last month Houston ISD fired over 400 teachers who had been teaching for a while and who, year after year passed overwhelmingly high numbers of failing students. (That’s a lot of kids on the street who can’t read the warning labels on what to do with a toaster in the shower.) Point being, quality educators make for better educated kids; whereas more time in school with crappy ones probably won’t.
When my kids were in preschool I was far more interested in socialization. I wanted them to learn how to get along with others and how to play. That is a huge part of education that sometimes is overlooked.
That didn’t mean that I wanted academics overlooked, but it wasn’t the priority at that time.
Nathan, I think you meant @Dada_Rocks up above… 🙂
I think @JackB hits it right on the head. The piece of the puzzle missing from those “teaching to standards” conversations is the fact that socialization and emotional development at the age is just as, if not more, important the academics. Learning socialization, empathy and those kinds of things IMO is very crucial at the age.
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Whoops — You’re right. Sorry @Dada_Rocks. Clearly Tessasdad has been haunting my dreams laterly.
I suppose what the people spouting the “standards” for three-year-olds would argue is that socialization is the standard. But still, the language they use, and their attempts to tie their preschool instruction to good performance on future standardized testing, is just creepy. –Nathan
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