Originally Posted by nannyde:
I hope you haven't been smitten by the research on poor kids and early childhood intervention. YES preschool is valuable to children who are the poorest of the poor and who live in underprivledged environments. Other than that subsect of the population, I haven't found any research to back up that preschool makes any signficant difference in any measurable life outcome for lower middle class, middle class, upper middle class, or wealthy children. That's the blunt of our kid population.
i remember you saying this in another thread awhile back. yesterday i was telling my husband i may take my son out of preschool. i put him there because his sister goes to school during the day and i thought it would be good for him socially and to get prepared for kindergarten. his "teacher" seems to think he's doing great *in comparison to the other children*, i'm sure he is. i have done my own assessments and he doesn't know half of what i *know* he should know by now. he has HOMEWORK which consists of coloring alphabet people. what is the point in coloring a picture of "mr. N" or writing the letter N on lined paper when you don't recognize the letter N or what it sounds like? needless to say, he doesn't do his homework. i do make pudding and let him write letters or i give him paint (like you write on windows with) and let him write letters on the mirror. i'm just not willing to make and fight with him color what equates to japanese and call that learning the alphabet. i don't know what his "teacher" thinks about his folder being sent back with blank papers in it.
anyhow, i think you're right. "poor parents" which usually equates to uneducated parents wouldn't see a problem with making a pre-schooler do that type of "work." it's probably the ONLY exposure they get to letters, numbers, etc. so of course it would benefit them because the alternative is NO exposure.
i've never been a fan of homeschool because i've never thought
everyone (not no one) with a GED could teach their children the way they need to be taught. i was reading up on homeschooling yesterday because i'm considering doing it when i finish up my BSN and will be able to work 3, maybe 4 days per week. i still haven't changed my
opinion that anyone with a GED shouldn't be able to homeschool though.