Choose a link below to read the responses to that article.
- A Role for Play in Early Learning
- Great Expectations
- "It Listened!"
- Resources for Play vs. Technology
A Role for Play in Early Learning
Thank you for this issue. I will share several of the articles from it with my students.
Diane Friedman
I loved your articles! Very needed and practical with issues we all deal with. Thanks
Christy Edden
YES!!! I was a head start teacher 23 years ago. I got so frustrated that I was testing and documenting and I didn't have a chance to be with the children that I quit. .... In my area, children are encouraged to begin attending school all day when they are four years-old. Since they have begun this program Many of us have noticed that:
- We now more fifth graders that read on a second grade reading level.
- We now have fourth graders that don't know their own address.
- We see children experiencing burn-out by third grade.
- Our teachers are no longer allowed to use teachable moments to expand a lesson while the children are interested. They must teach the plan in the allotted time slot.
- Children are experiencing more anxiety, less playground time.
- Yet instead of backing up and letting the primary grades be a time of exploration; they are trying to solve the problems through drugs, therapy, and expecting the teachers to adapt to every individual child's learning style.
Evidently educators have decided that children can be programmed like computers. I believe that if we would back off of our expectations with children until they are at least 10 years old then we would be able to teach children more in the following years. Unfortunately, my state is wanting to build bigger schools so we can accommodate all day programs for three year-olds.
While this is voluntary, many parents are told that if they don't get their children in these preschool structured school programs that their children will be lagging behind by the time they go to Kindergarten. I tell parents "Yes, your child will be behind in ulcers, high blood pressure, and obesity." We need to support parents that read to their children, assist their children in cooking in the home, and playing outside. We need to empower parents to know that talking with your child as they shop for groceries, and play with legos, and sort laundry, and plant flowers, and go for walks is much better than putting your child into a structured environment that removes all the "white spaces".
Thanks for letting me vent.
Jayna Coppedge
Preschool/Children Coordinator
First Baptist Church Tahlequah, OK
Great article - important information. Am ordering the book. Sincerely,
Sally Gordon,
Director Children's Center of Lexington
Excellent article, will share it with my colleagues. Thanks.
Tina Albanese
Early Years Preschool Red
Clay Special Services
As a Developmentally Appropriate Center, I totally agree with this article. Thanks for this information.
Mary Breazeale
Hinds Community College
Early Childhood Education Center
Great Expectations
I was having lunch with a friend yesterday who also works with young children and their families. Together we have more than 60 years in the field. Our conversation and many other conversations with friends centered on how young children should be valued and treated and what the reality we see each day actually is. Endangered clearly addresses the issues we are discouraged by and concerned about. One of the reasons that I continue to order your wonderful furniture and toys as well as recommend your company to my college students, hopeful new daycare owners when I consult, and enjoy each day in the center I direct is your consistent respect for the children, families and those who work with them. Thank you.
Jacqueline Flynn
Bright Start Learning Center
Thanks for the engaging articles on letting children be. I too believe that little ones need time to sort of all of the input they receive, and to try out things in ways that they devise. I will be passing this along to my peers.
Jody R. Williams
Director, Child Development Center
Terrific newsletter this month! As a pediatric speech-language pathologist, I feel increasing pressure to present tech-based activities in sessions and to keep up with all the characters on video and computer games. I'm also glad there is a resource about cutting down on the flash cards. I am putting all these articles up on my bulletin board!
Shelly Gramza M.A., CCC-SLP,PC ,
Pacific Speech and Language, Inc.
”It Listened!”
Thank you so very much for every word in this month's Community Collage!! I intend to share the thoughts, ideas, and feelings conveyed in your beautifully expressed convictions, with parents and colleagues.
I am encouraged in my work with families and children that there is an increasing number of parents who understand this and are committed to this approach/philosophy for their families and for life in general. But, like all things having support and sharing the belief does help further it. Then to get it to the 'tipping point' would be our next goal!!! Keep up the great work!
Any further thoughts on how we could offer opportunities to champion the effort to save childhood and all the wondrous gifts that accompany it would be greatly appreciated.
Mary Hannert
Early Childhood Program
Director Elgin Academy
I nearly cried when I read parts of this site, I agree so passionately with what was said. I hope you stand tall on this soapbox and shout these thoughts as loudly and often as you are able. Early childhood educators need to be given supportive reminders of the value of play. Our children need their parents to hear this. I will pass this on to those under my influence. Thank you.
Willette Watts
Early Education Director
Northwest Christian School
I always love your articles but this month was especially wonderful. I printed all of the articles and plan to distribute each of them, or parts of them to all of the parents at our preschool. Recently our local grocery store began to offer shopping carts that include a screen on which the Wiggles perform. The kids are closed into a small compartment at the lower front of the carts where the parents cannot even see them after they select a few groceries. The children can only see the screen, not all of the wonderful colors, shapes, words, etc. that are displayed at the grocery store. I told our parent group that they should not use these carts but instead put their children in the child seat of the cart facing them and talk to them as they tour the store. These articles will clearly support my advice and might be more believable than me. Thank you,
Barb Waggy
I have become so concerned about our "worship" of grade point average and test scores with no concern for the human being. Your work with this newsletter supports all the things that I believe are so important for children at anytime. In this fast-paced, child unfriendly environment, the articles are especially important. I will share these with my friends in the child care community in the hopes that we can soften the requirements to encourage "a kinder, gentler world" that might respect the right of children to grow and develop appropriately. We know that it isn't appropriate to push and stress the development of butterflies. Why do we think humans will develop to their full potential when we push and restrict.
Anita Fowler
Rainbow Fleet Resource and Referral
Resources for Play vs. Technology
I really enjoyed this month's articles. It has very valuable information that I plan to pass on to my Pre-K teaching staff. Thanks!
"The objective of education is to prepare the young to educate themselves throughout their lives."- Robert Maynard Hutchins
Janis Woods
Early Childhood Coordinator
Jasper County School District
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Children Come First CD ROM