Is public, high-quality Pre-Kindergarten a wise investment for the United States?
President Obama has recently addressed the need for quality preschool education to be made available for every 4 year old in the US. Is this a wise investment to help equalize the educational/social needs of our 4 year olds? Please elaborate rather than simply answering yes or no. Thank you for your contribution to an important topic.
Any investment in quality education is a wise investment, and it is never too early to start. Early-age education is an on-going 24/7 activity for babies and toddlers. There's just no turning off those small forming minds. They absorb whatever is in their environment be it good, bad or indifferent.
The early learning years can be a child's springboard for a life of learning and making a difference in our world. We are teaching our future. We need leaders and thinkers and explorers. It starts at this age.
It has been shown in studies that children w/ preschool education fare better and are more prepared for kindergarten and beyond unless they are well socialized and engaged at home. Should it be publicly funded when we are in debt? No, not at the present time. If it is so important, why can't a parent or family member rearrange work schedules to be at home or pay for private pre-school? I had to do it and go without other things. State property taxes are already high enough!!
(Here in Calif., we endlessly pump more and more into schools, yet there is little improvement in outcome for the students. Is that a wise investment?)
There are some parents that simply have no other choice than to work. Some are also going to school. There are also those who have no support system.
Spending more than we have is unwise no matter how attractive the investment. Our kids and future generations are already saddled with debt because the U.S. just can't say "no." It will be our demise.
I don't know why we need pre-Kindergarten. For many many years, kids started school in Kindergarten, they didn't even learn to read until the first grade. Why children need to be out of their homes at an earlier age mystifies me.
Kids need the opportunity to be home, color the pictures they want, play in their backyards, be home with mom, dad or grandparents if possible. School begins soon enough and they will be at it for at least the next 17 years.
I personally think we ask too much of kids too soon. Parents need to be spending time teaching the basics, colors, numbers and have fun doing it.
Emotional and social needs should be met by the child's parents and family, and not teachers. Teachers have a hard enough job without having to be responsible for the emotional needs of 20 or more children.
Educational needs should be met by both the school and the parents. Parents have got to have a hands on approach and get involved in the child's education.
No, I don't think the government needs to start that early with preschool education.
I respect your response. I totally agree that parents need to be more involved in the learning process, starting at home. Sadly, some think learning should be left to the schools and teachers, and children are unprepared for a learning environment.
I think this is too much. A child so small must be given some freedom within the walls of home. It's too early to introduce any kind of education at this stage. Let him learn himself for some years from the home environment, which must be kept ideal of course, and then send him to KG.
The one big problem is that the home environment is not always kept 'ideal'. Children are left in front of tv's, computers, ipads with little to no exposure to other children, playing outside, being in a structured environment. Some kids need this.
I think it is a very wise investment for the United States. The truth is that there are a lot of countries that are putting their foot ahead of ours and coming up higher in education. China starts their kids going to school when they are 4 years of age. There are other countries that have started to do so as well. There are a lot of people who are realizing that they may be ahead in education and bring their education for the United States in order to take the top jobs. While I'm not against this, there are things that we can do about it. I think that one major thing that the United States can do about it is to start school earlier. This can take place in a public school building, but it does not have to be as formal as the other grades. I believe that teaching should be taught at an age-appropriate level. This means that the pre-k'ers should not come to school and expect to do nothing but worksheets. That is not age appropriate, but they should come to school expecting to learn from their experiences. Pre-k'ers can learn from playing with others, playing letter and number games, and by learning strategies that are meaningful.
Like Jim TxMiller wrote, "Any investment in quality education is a wise investment, and it is never too early to start. Early-age education is an on-going 24/7 activity for babies and toddlers. There's just no turning off those small forming minds. They absorb whatever is in their environment be it good, bad or indifferent (Jim TxMiller, 2013)." It is never too early to start with a good quality education. These minds will not be turned off. Before the age of 8, is when the minds grow the most and can absorb the most information. With most states waiting to start their children to school at the age of 6 that is just too late. Students need to be absorbed with information in a fun and meaningful way when their minds are developing the most. For these reasons, I say that is is a very wise investment for the United States.
Great response. I agree with all that you post. 6 years of age is too late. It is incredible what a preschooler is capable of absorbing and learning in a quality program. All of my children love coming to school. They have fun and learn.
Yes, I believe that it is. I agree that we should not be pushing young children any harder than we already are, but preschool is a great time to teach students how to learn and how to behave in school. It can also be very important in identifying kids who have extra needs, and connecting them to services before they escalate.
I also believe that our society does not have the structures in place to support working women, and that the lack of things like quality preschool contribute to holding women back. It is no longer the norm for women to stay home with their children, and many families can not afford to live on a single income. At the same time, preschool is prohibitively expensive and this creates increased challenges for women especially. Quality universal preschool would help families, and especially women, as they struggle to balance work and home life.
I think that you have a point, but I'm a little concerned with your reasoning about how not having it holds women back. Lots of women work longer than the time the elementary kids are at school. I think what the gov't wants is for Pre-k time the same
You make some very good points. Preschool can be a first intervention for the child who has learning disabilities. Quality preschool can make all the difference in the world for a child. Why not have it available to those who want it?
No. It is another education is king kind of attitude; once again not looking at what is best for children. Education today is geared at what educators say is good. Parents are pardoned from doing the right thing for their children, with the excuse they don't know whats best. The reason for this is the parents think educators know best. Government mandates don't teach anyone. Teachers teach. When my first fall birthday child came of age for school I had teachers beg me not to sen my four year old to school. A child has the ability to sit still one minute for each year of their life. If a four year old can sit and listen for 4 minutes what will a school do with them for the rest if the day. How many children are labeled A.D.H.D. because school is boring, and doesn't apply to anything they want to do in life?
With all the people who go into child development and psychology I can't believe the government gets away with this. Small children do well one on one and in small groups. (2-3) Continually putting small children into social situations they don't have social skills to handle undermines relationships for the rest of their lives. Putting the government in charge doesn't allow for individual differences,
I think you're underestimating the word "quality" in the question! Any preschool program should be developmentally appropriate, meaning lots of play and small group activities for little ones.
You are an amazing diplomat. Sorry this was so strong. Its frustrating to see how curious children are when they go into school and how their curiosity goes away the longer they are in school.
Well, that is true. There is a lot wrong with our educational system, and I agree that more needs to be done to teach critical thinking, creativity, and a love a learning. But, I suppose that's another topic!
I have worked in early childhood for many years and hold a degree in early childhood education. I have found that young children have an intense desire to learn and to inquire, to discover. A child learns throughout the day, not only while sitting.
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