What’s the Rush?
Why are parents in such a rush for their kids to learn how to read, write and do calculations? Maybe, because we live in a world where sooner is better. I have been teaching in a public school in New York since 2003. My first year I taught kindergarten and I can tell you that as a green teacher I certainly wanted all my kids to acquire skills as soon as possible. I saw little value in play time and thought the sooner I could get them independent, reading, writing, cutting, gluing, adding the better I was as a teacher.
Now, after 19 years-experience and becoming a mother, I couldn’t disagree with those sentiments more
In fact, when my daughter Chloe was four and parents would ask me what academics we were doing at home to prepare her for kindergarten I didn’t feel the slightest bit of anxiety in saying none at all. I also didn’t feel worried about skipping PreK and kindergarten altogether so Chloe would have more time to play and experience a free childhood.
I now see absolutely no value in children acquiring skills earlier
There is no research to support that when we learn something earlier it has any positive impact on our future. To the contrary, there is plenty of research that shows when we begin to soon we can create fear and anxiety around learning, turn our kids off to school, emphasize rote memorization over true conceptual understanding and that kids who learn skills later surpass their peers quickly.
I see great value in cherishing the years when my daughter is creative and imaginative
When going outdoors means finding something interesting at each turn. Today, the couch was one island, the ottoman another and throw pillows were a path through the river. Yesterday, ice was found inside a shell and held the shell’s shape. As we studied it through a magnifying lens we could see the frozen bubbles as they began to melt.
We read stories every day
Chloe discusses the characters, their problems, and what she thinks will happen next. She gives book reviews of the novels I read and I hear her vocabulary expanding every single day. Chloe “writes” books by doodling words, with some letters strung in and lots of pictures. Chloe finds numbers all around her and marvels at the concept that 2 and 2 and 3 more make 7. You can sense the synapses firing in her brain as connections are being made.
What could be worth stealing away this time from her?
All you need to do is spend some time with your children to see how much they learn each day. Humans are programmed to learn. We don’t need to teach our kids how to do it. Sadly, as our kids start formalized education and are told what and how to learn every step of the way their lights begin to dim. Their creativity, ingenuity and playfulness begin to fade and their genius capabilities continue to reduce each year. If we had only followed their lead and let them learn at their own rates who knows what they would be capable of. Our job as parents is to protect who they are and continue to help inspire them!
Let’s do better for our kids
If you are an adult who:
isn’t quite sure of your talents
didn’t know what your passions were
entered the work force unsure of what to do
feel you settled in your job
Then you know, that your kids deserve better. They will want to read and do math. They will need it eventually. There is no need to require and push. They will probably want it much earlier than they need it because learning is exciting to our little ones. Let’s keep it that way!