I'm so sorry I need to make a correction to my post. My phone rang and I posted without proofreading. Here's what I meant to post.

Shelly Buckmeier
Bethesda Sharing Center
Aberdeen, SD, United States

03/17/2015 10:08 am
Did the research include whether or not the preschools were developmentally appropriate or not? In my opinion that would make a huge difference in whether or not a child would benefit from a program. I feel a child that is enrolled in a program that focuses on worksheets and learning by repetition would be much less beneficial than a preschool that is based on play and provides hands-on activities. Too much research is out there that supports that young children learn best through play and hands-on activities. An age-appropriate preschool classroom proves that day after day! All you need to do to do your own research is to spend some time in one!

Did the research include whether or not the preschools were developmentally appropriate or not? In my opinion that would make a huge difference in whether or not a child would benefit from a program. I feel a child that is enrolled in a program that focuses on worksheets and learning by repitition would be much less beneficial than a preschool that relies on worksheets and learning by rote. Too much research is out there that supports that young children learn best through play and hands on activities. An age-appropriate preschool classroom proves that day after day! All you need to do to do your own research is to spend some time in one!

I agree that these stats could be misleading, but to me they are very clear. The push-down drill and (s)kill curriculum happening in way too many places ISN'T WORKING for our kids! Let's get these stats out there, so everyone knows that academic preschools are NOT the way to go for children. Then we can get back to what children really need -- sand, water, paint, playdough, blocks, dress up -- and a responsive teacher who is educated in child development and LISTENS to the children!

Sheila makes a great point--what does preschool really mean? In my school--three year-olds can only attend two days a week; parents of four year-olds can choose three or five days. We run a morning program (9-11:45) with optional lunch programs that only run until 2. We do not offer daycare type services and so are only reaching out to what seems like a small segment of modern society that does not require all day care for their children. I do not like using the term school when referring to daycare--what child attends school for up to 10 hours a day all year long? I believe the children suffer because they are placed into these formal settings from very early ages and don't have enough time to just be themselves. When you are at school (or daycare) there are expectations for behavior--the child is facing stressful situations from 6 weeks until who knows when. Even in a quality care facility--the ratios permit one teacher (caretaker) to four babies----not a normal ratio in any American household. It all comes down to the money but the children need more, not less, adult supervision, interaction and guidance and it would be wonderful if they could just spend more time at home!

This is an interesting perspective, but short sighted.
The findings used to support this argument are based on data that doesn't take in to account whether the kindergartens were quality classrooms or if by third/fourth grade the children had quality, meaningful instruction.
We know that until recently social and emotional health and well being was not even considered as important in elementary schools. We still see classrooms that are not ready for children to learn effectively. . . consider the amount of transitions/ wait time, the lack of connected meaningful content and the restricted environments/lack of movement most children endure in K thru 3rd grade.
It's no wonder when a child enters a K classroom after a quality preschool experience, a child not supported might be aggressive and that by 3rd and 4th grade we see disengaged learners.