Children can learn so many wonderful skills at Preschool. They learn to be a kind friend. They learn to be creative. They learn to be confident. They learn to be independent. They learn to be cooperative. They learn to be excited about SCHOOL!
When we help a child learn these skills, I feel we have done our job as Preschool educators. We send our children off to Kindergarten ready for success!
A good quality Preschool enriches both the child and the family. I recently received a high school graduation announcement and beautiful letter from the mother of a former student. The mother thanked me and said Stepping Stones was a "highlight". These moments make me so proud and happy!
Monday, October 7, 2013
Friday, October 4, 2013
Preschool Census
Today I received mail from the US Department of Education. The National Center for Education Statistics of the US Department of Education requests my participation in a Private School Survey. While reading the information, I stumbled across a few items which shocked me. There was mention of both Kindergarten and Transitional Kindergarten, in addition, there was Transitional First Grade. What is that, you ask? Apparently, it is an extra year of school for children who have attended Kindergarten but have been judged not ready for First Grade.
It seems that our public school now spans up to 15 years of free education. Why is it that we need to spend 15 years educating our children when we used to only need 13 years? Are our children less intelligent these days? I don't believe that for a minute! I believe children are not allowed to investigate and learn on their own. We expose them to so many organized activities, that they are having a difficult time navigating on their own. Whether at home or in the classroom, many children are lacking in personal motivation to attempt or complete school work and other tasks.
At Stepping Stones we encourage our children to explore the world around them and validate what they discover! The lessons children learn on their own (or from each other) are extremely valuable!
It seems that our public school now spans up to 15 years of free education. Why is it that we need to spend 15 years educating our children when we used to only need 13 years? Are our children less intelligent these days? I don't believe that for a minute! I believe children are not allowed to investigate and learn on their own. We expose them to so many organized activities, that they are having a difficult time navigating on their own. Whether at home or in the classroom, many children are lacking in personal motivation to attempt or complete school work and other tasks.
At Stepping Stones we encourage our children to explore the world around them and validate what they discover! The lessons children learn on their own (or from each other) are extremely valuable!
Thursday, October 3, 2013
Transitional Kindergarten - Good Idea?
As the owner of a Preschool and long-time early childhood educator, I do not believe California's Transitional Kindergarten is a good idea.
One reason behind the entry date change for Kindergarten was so the children would be more developmentally ready to handle what is expected. So why then would you set up a program to include those children that were just excluded?! In many schools there is no space to set up a Transitional Kindergarten classroom, so they are put in with the other Kindergarteners. What was the goal again? The powers that be said these children should not be in Kindergarten and then put them there anyway!
The state of California continues to increase the standards in Kindergarten classrooms, but the previous standards have yet to be met. School administrators don't seem to be in tune to the needs of the children. There is a disconnect between what they want children to learn in Kindergarten and what is developmentally appropriate. According to a local area Elementary School Principal, at the end of the school year they expected a Kindergartener to read and solve a math word problem. What a ridiculous goal for a 5-6 year old child! Children are put into such pressure situations at such a young age that they are stressed out and learning to dislike school.
According to State Attorney General, Kamala Harris, our state is currently in an "attendance crisis". Currently, 1 in 4 elementary students are truant! How can we be failing to nurture so many promising entrepreneurs and leaders?
It is our goal at Stepping Stones Learning Center to create a love of learning, but we need our public schools to foster this as well!
One reason behind the entry date change for Kindergarten was so the children would be more developmentally ready to handle what is expected. So why then would you set up a program to include those children that were just excluded?! In many schools there is no space to set up a Transitional Kindergarten classroom, so they are put in with the other Kindergarteners. What was the goal again? The powers that be said these children should not be in Kindergarten and then put them there anyway!
The state of California continues to increase the standards in Kindergarten classrooms, but the previous standards have yet to be met. School administrators don't seem to be in tune to the needs of the children. There is a disconnect between what they want children to learn in Kindergarten and what is developmentally appropriate. According to a local area Elementary School Principal, at the end of the school year they expected a Kindergartener to read and solve a math word problem. What a ridiculous goal for a 5-6 year old child! Children are put into such pressure situations at such a young age that they are stressed out and learning to dislike school.
According to State Attorney General, Kamala Harris, our state is currently in an "attendance crisis". Currently, 1 in 4 elementary students are truant! How can we be failing to nurture so many promising entrepreneurs and leaders?
It is our goal at Stepping Stones Learning Center to create a love of learning, but we need our public schools to foster this as well!
Thursday, September 12, 2013
Preschool - Old vs. New
My primary goal for each child is to leave Stepping Stones with the necessary tools to succeed in Kindergarten. In addition to knowing basic "curriculum", children need good social skills. We work very hard at achieving a balance between academic and social skills. I wish we did not need to place so much emphasis on academics, but we need our children to be prepared for our public and private Kindergartens.
Kindergarten is so different than it was when I went - Mrs. Anderson played the piano and the children sat in a circle and clapped in time to the music. We learned to use scissors and paste. We ate snacks and took naps. We were not expected to know the alphabet and basic phonics. We did not solve math word problems. We did not know how to read. We did not have ADD or ADHD.
We went to Kindergarten with good manners and good behavior and learned the curriculum when it was developmentally appropriate!
We learned to read in 1st or 2nd grade and yet we still went to college without any problem. Why rush to push our children to do more than they are ready to handle?
I believe we are doing more harm than good when we push our children too early. We are seeing more children diagnosed with ADD and ADHD and the school drop-out rate is staggering! When children feel that they do not "measure up" they often give up. Is this what we want for our children? I know I don't!
Kindergarten is so different than it was when I went - Mrs. Anderson played the piano and the children sat in a circle and clapped in time to the music. We learned to use scissors and paste. We ate snacks and took naps. We were not expected to know the alphabet and basic phonics. We did not solve math word problems. We did not know how to read. We did not have ADD or ADHD.
We went to Kindergarten with good manners and good behavior and learned the curriculum when it was developmentally appropriate!
We learned to read in 1st or 2nd grade and yet we still went to college without any problem. Why rush to push our children to do more than they are ready to handle?
I believe we are doing more harm than good when we push our children too early. We are seeing more children diagnosed with ADD and ADHD and the school drop-out rate is staggering! When children feel that they do not "measure up" they often give up. Is this what we want for our children? I know I don't!
New Preschool Year Begins!
As Stepping Stones Learning Center begins another school year, I reflect on the children who I have seen grow up into happy and self-sufficient citizens. I have been in the preschool environment since I graduated from UC Davis in 1986 and I have had the benefit of watching many wonderful children blossom. On this day, in particular, I think about the world we live in and the changes that have taken place since 9/11.
I look forward to the opportunity to watch many more children evolve into enthusiastic life-long learners!
I look forward to the opportunity to watch many more children evolve into enthusiastic life-long learners!
Wednesday, September 11, 2013
Kids are funny!
"Out of the mouths of babes"...the other day one of the preschooler's was spinning in circles in the sandbox saying, "I'm a tomato, I'm a tomato". I asked them to repeat what they had said and this is what followed. He said, "I'm a tomato, you know, a great swirling wind". I could not help but laugh as I let them know that the correct word was TORNADO not TOMATO!!
One day I was on the playground sweeping and a child asked, "what are you doing? Are you brooming?".
Over the years, I have had the opportunity to listen to so much dialog between preschoolers. They are insightful and funny and interesting and informative and most of all HONEST!
One day I was on the playground sweeping and a child asked, "what are you doing? Are you brooming?".
Over the years, I have had the opportunity to listen to so much dialog between preschoolers. They are insightful and funny and interesting and informative and most of all HONEST!
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