Expectations

     Recently, there has been a huge push, nationwide, to teach more and more academics to our youngest students, even if the expectations given to the teachers are not developmentally appropriate for the students entrusted to our care.  The push for academic excellence is starting younger and younger every year.  This is my 33rd year of teaching and the changes, quite frankly, are scary and unbelievable!  Kindergarten expectations are what first grade expectations were when I began my teaching career.  Now that I am teaching preschool, the expectations for my students used to be the expectations in kindergarten.  And so it continues.
     There is research out there that shows students that are frustrated will act out.  In an article written by Van Thompson in "Classroom" magazine, he states that students who don't understand the classroom concepts are more likely to act out, struggle controlling their impulses, tun out, and even exhibit mental health disorders.  Could it be that children are being expected to learn concepts that they are not developmentally ready to learn, that their young brains are still unable to comprehend?  I believe the emphatic answer to that is "YES!"  In some cases, not all, children act out because they simply don't get it.
     Case in point:  Many public school affiliated preschools are looking at implementing full-day preschool programs.  Why?  Because there is so much that these young children are expected to learn, that it can't be done in a half-day program.  I'm getting on my soap box here:  For crying out loud! Let them be little!!
     Even preschool is becoming data-driven and outcomes-based.  This is simply not fair, nor right, and not age-appropriate!  Preschoolers should not be expected to take computerized tests.  Quite frankly, they shouldn't be tested at all, but rather given exposure to lots of different things and the ability to explore.  They're only four!  This is what a preschooler needs:  They need to be able to run, play, talk, sing, explore, get along with others, and share.  As my amazing mentor, Sheri Kay Sitzman once told me, "Play is how children learn." Not though testing.  Not through academic expectations.  Through play!
     As well-known educator, Dr. Jean Feldman says, "When I hear stories about pushing academics in pre-k I have nightmares. Seriously! The crazy thing is decision makers have lost common sense when it comes to four year olds. And, somehow, we just can’t figure out BALANCE when it comes to early childhood. When they started pre-k in Georgia over 20 years ago they wouldn’t even let the teachers display alphabet letters in their classrooms. Anything academic was discouraged and PLAY was encouraged. What has happened? Where is all this leading???"  I have to agree!