Originally Posted by Heidi:
okay...this digressed into a discussion about welfare. I'd like to steer it back to the original topic because I thought I felt passionately as many of you do. I DO fear that things are being "pushed down" earlier and earlier.
However, the fact that it would "take away business" from us, admittedly, does affect my feelings.
Many of us are interested in Reggio Emelia. It is world-known as an EXCELLENT program. It is also a "state run" early childhood program.
Here is an article I found about education in the world, and how the US fares:
http://www.oecd.org/education/CN%20-...d%20States.pdf
I have very mixed feelings about this. On the one hand, many other countries have "kindergarten " (the original Kindergarten is preschool, not kindergarten in the 5 year old sense). On the other hand, our schools already do such a crappy job, for the most part, that I don't trust them with the job.
IF something like this was done, then it should be part of a complete overhaul of our education system. More educated, higher paid teachers who are the cream-of-the-crop (like Finland's system, where only 20% of those who apply to teachers schools even get in, and it's a master's program). Creative, talented people who WANT to teach...not just have 9 month out of the year jobs. We have some of those creative, talented people now, but unfortunately, they are rarely respected by their peers or their school boards. Our 4K teacher here worked for her Masters, and then almost got herself fired because now...she costs too much.
This really isn't about Obama or politics. It's about the US staying a major player in the world. We absolutely need to improve education in this country. We need less drop-outs, more engaged students, and more higher education.
Our grandfathers didn't need 4-K...of course not! They were living in a different world. They did "just fine" because they worked their butts off in that world. As much as I like to get all nostalgic about it, longing for the days when "life was simpler", it's just not. Maybe someday, there'll be some sort of fall-of-society, and people will be hunters and gatherers again. For now, though, we are in an electronic age, and our children need to live in that world.
So...still not sure what that means for Universal Kindergarten...
Here is another article I found about Finland, which is world-known for it's educational excellence:
http://www.newamerica.net/blog/early...-children-9029
I am not familiar with Reggio Emilia, what is it?