As noted in the U.S. Department of Education’s recent study, the process of educating children is a complex equation affected by numerous factors–most notably the fact that children are individuals who come from different backgrounds and bring a wide variety of life experiences with them to the classroom (“Study finds poorer kids lagging in kindergarten,” News, Feb. 18).
The study points out that, in general, most children who enter kindergarten are well-prepared. The study also shows, however, that a substantial number of children lag behind by kindergarten. The truth is children who enter school behind their peers are likely to fail. Children from low-income families and communities and those with disabilities are among those most likely to have trouble.
For the past several years, the early childhood field has made great strides understanding how and what to teach young children. We know that these early years are critical in preparing children for school, and can have a lifelong impact on them.
We also know what to do. The list is short:
1. Make sure that all children have the health and nutrition services they need. Children who are sick and/or hungry make poor learners.
2. Make sure that all children have a high-quality early childhood education, whether in home or school and child-care centers. Universal access to preschool education for 4-year-olds would be a good goal for which to aim.
3. Make sure that teachers and other adults know how to work with young children. To teach effectively, you must know the expectations and standards for each stage and be able to identify and address children’s varied starting points, and work forward. This means paying attention to how children feel and how they act toward others, as well as seeing that they know the alphabet and numbers.
4. Make sure teachers receive specialized training to work with children from more challenging environments and those who have special needs. All children can learn if teachers know how to help them.
5. Make sure all parents know what children need to know for school and give them the support they need to provide it. Good learning depends on children’s interests and motivations as well as on high expectations and standards. Parents who are overstressed will not be children’s first and best teachers.
We often say that our children are our most valuable assets. Let’s act like it.
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