Education
Update Online Survey Results
Education
Update’s online website receives 750,000 hits per month. Our online
survey has brought many varied responses to an extremely important
topic in education: Universal Pre-Kindergarten. Respondents were
asked to vote as well as share their opinions. Here are some of
their insights.
Survey
Respondent Comments:
“Pre-kindergarten
teaches much more than academic skills. It prepares students for
basic needs.” - Primary Teacher
!The
myths about pre-kindergarten—let children be children,
don’t rush them,there is plenty of time — are not ideas for this
day and age. Times have changed and education must change with
the times. The day-care centers offer coloring, cutting, pasting,
alphabeting, recognizing 20 to 25 of the first basic reading words,
spelling some of them and napping. Why should a child go into
pre-kinder in the school districts doing the same things? The
transition from preschool to primary school should be more challenging
and offer more variables that predict success in school. The teacher
helps set the child to his or pace. All children do not progress
at the same pace. They will progress if not held back according
to traditions.” - Educator
“Too
many children are at a disadvantage by not having Pre-K training!
This is an important time in the life of these young children
who are eager to learn and it’s not fair for some to start kindergarten
with the advantage of knowing more than others. All children need
the advantage of being able to learn at an early age.”
- Teacher
“Actually,
my parents are willing to pay the taxes. I attended a pre-kindergarten
in Belgium and it was an overall positive experience. I think
pre-kindergartens allow children to go from the hands of babysitters
to the hands of educators...those early years are not wasted for
children whose parents work, for example.”
- High School Student
“I
do not support academic pre-kindergarten programs. Children need
time to enjoy their childhood with many opportunities for guided
discovery and play. As a kindergarten teacher, I have seen too
many children burn out by second grade. The burnout resulted from
excessive demands for high performance of pushed down curriculum
that they were not emotionally ready for. Improving teacher education
and implementation of standards is the best medicine for preparing
our children for the 21st century.” - Early Childhood Specialist
“Pre-K
works for children in helping them learn and be prepared for kindergarten
and the future as learners for life.”
“Universal
Pre-K is needed. However, the programs must be developmentally
appropriate and not just watered down kindergarten.”
“Such
a program would only subtract from the amount of money available
for regular education. Regular education has already lost funding
to special education and after school programs.”
“I
think Universal Pre-K is extremely important, but not with a ‘strong
academic focus’ as your survey asks. We should not insist on four
year olds knowing how to read! If they do, that’s great. But we
all know that children all learn differently, and some may take
until first grade to be able to read—this should not be seen as
a bad thing. Instead, Universal Pre-K should focus on the the
process of learning and instilling a love for it through hands-on,
interactive activities such as art and music and just playing.”
“If
I have no kids, why should I pay?”
“I
believe academics ought to be connected to classroom behaviors.
Certainly academics would play a strong part of the childs educational
growth. What I see in classrooms are behaviors that prevent students
from learning. Currently there are educational and political ambitions
to begin after-school classes. I believe time in classrooms ought
to expand, — similar to other countries around the world, but
disruptive behaviors will interfere with academics. I strongly
believe disruptive behaviors are, at least partially, learned
at home. Behavior management in classrooms does help, but is only
temporary in stopping bad behaviors. What is missing is the parents
part of the equation. They, ought to be held accountable for their
childs behavior. I would be interesed in paying extra taxes, but
only if parents learn to parent.”
Survey
Participants Included: Full
time teachers (public and private), substitute teachers (public
school), students, doctors and a graphic designer.#
Education Update, Inc., P.O. Box 20005, New York, NY 10001. Tel:
(212) 481-5519. Fax: (212) 481-3919. Email: ednews1@aol.com.
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