Double Terrie's Analysis

The article by Erika Christakis, informs future teachers and parents how preschool today may not be benefiting their children as much as they thought. She talks about how preschool has changed drastically over the years as well as kindergarten. She states that “kindergarten may be the new first grade”. Her statement shows how children today are expected more then they were years ago in all grades, especially preschool and at such a young age. Many think this is helping our children or will benefit them in the future if they know more as a child but this may not be the case. The article talks about multiple studies done throughout America to children are learning and how school curriculum changing affects children. A studied showed that children

Each day school children learn valuable skills and lessons from their teachers as well as through interactions with their peers. Although school, undoubtedly,

Imagine what it would be like to not get to have your first day of school as a child. For a child that is home schooled, they never get to walk through the doors on their first day with a new backpack, new school supplies, and new clothes. As little as this issue may seem, is it important for people to understand the effects that homeschooling can have on the cognitive development of elementary age children because by not being exposed to the resources and relationships children can get out of public school, they lack the benefits that come along with the system. Children cannot develop their emotions and problem solving skills, which could result in them being less successful in the future. The next generation is meaningful to society because they are the ones that will help American progress, so people need to ensure that they are getting the best education for their children. Although many parents believe homeschooling can be beneficial to their children because of the convenience and closeness to home, thoroughly examining the negative effects it has including a lack in the cognitive development, limited exposure to problems associated with the public as well as not having the benefits of a relationship with teachers and other students can prove that homeschooling are harmful to the cognitive development of elementary aged children.

The stereotypical view of this stage of life is that people think all children start to learn new things, as this is the first step to education. This is also the time when they discover how to make new friends and can keep these good relationships until the end of their lives. However, some children do not get a chance to be educated for example; children who live in poverty are not as educated as others.

To start off, many students aren’t ready yet for the basis of kindergarten as they never finished, or even attended preschool. Attending a preschool gives children an early advantage, and stimulates an early mind. When a child starts their educational journey at the age of three, they get a two year “Head Start,” for themselves, compared to kids who have not attended preschool. This early advantage is a physical and significant benefit for them as it helps strengthen the child from early on. According to greatschools.org, “To sustain children’s excitement and motivation for learning, high-quality preschool and child care programs introduce early literacy and math skills

Early years play a significant role in the life of any human being. Recently, there has been a lot of discussions about whether kids should spend their early years in school or not. In this essay, the reasons for students spending time in school until the age of eighteen will be discussed.

As mentioned earlier, approximately eighty-five to ninety percent of the brain has been formed by the age of five (“Early Childhood Education Needs More Attention” 1). It seems as though the education of children should be a top priority during children’s first years of life considering how much they grow and develop. Not surprisingly, studies have shown that children who are able to attend preschool experience many long term benefits later in life . Kids who received a preschool education were found to “repeat fewer grades, be more literate, be more likely to achieve a higher level of education, and [be] more positive...toward their children’s education” (Wilson 2). Preschool helps children to be successful throughout their years in school. It makes sense to spend the time and money on children in preschool, instead of trying to play catch-up once they are already behind. Some of the benefits of preschool are evident, even throughout adulthood. Adults who attended preschool “had lower unemployment rates, earned significantly more money in their lifetimes, had significantly more stable dwelling arrangements, and were involved in less crime” (Wilson 2). Preschool sets children up for success throughout their lives. The increase in income and lowered crime rates stemming from preschool attendance actually lessen the amount of government money that is later spent on public assistance and correctional facilities (Abdul-Alim

In today’s day and age, the key to success is achieving a higher education after high school. The steps in which we take to graduate high school and attend college, where we will be furthering our education, is all about jumping through hoops. We spend 12 years of our lives in school— five years of elementary school, three years of middle school, and four years of high school. During these 12 years of school, we are subjected to many standardized tests to see if we are up to standards and to measure our achievements. Standardized testing doesn’t showcase every student’s potential or intelligence. Not all students test in the same ways, therefore they should not be treated as if they do. To help cater to students variances, the government should administer a new type of testing that varies upon the students abilities.

Ms. Tanis professes that the “one test fits all” concept that is nurtured by the NCLB mandated testing is not fair for all children. Some children with learning disabilities are predestined to failure because of this type testing. Ms. Tanis brings to the forefront that not all assessment is good. Assessment of children in areas which they have no concept of or are not functioning at that level does nothing but frustrate the children and the teachers. This concept is new to me in my education career but is one that I and all educators must sadly be aware

Not only is universal preschool necessary for targeting sensitive periods, research showed it develops skills in preparation for future education and sets students up for success. Children enrolled in programs similar to preschool demonstrated higher achievement or IQ test scores, displayed more motivation for learning, and gain success in later education and adulthood (Heckman). In the study by Skibbe et al., an extra year of preschool had a significant impact on decoding and letter knowledge that was highly predictive of later reading success. While self-regulation and vocabulary was associated with maturity and not additional schooling, these results may only be reflective of the group examined. These children were from middle or upper class,

One main reason behind students not being successful later in school is related to the readiness of the child when they enter school. “Evidence suggests that children’s academic skills at school entry are linked to their later school achievement (Entwisle & Alexander, 1993), and that test scores in the elementary school years are associated with long-run economic outcomes such as employment and earnings (Krueger, 2003)” (Magnuson, Ruhm & Waldfogel, 2005).

Throughout my time at Hope College, I have had many experiences working with children in grades K-3. I currently volunteer in a kindergarten class and tutor a second grade boy as part of an after-school program, and I have had field experiences in kindergarten, first, and second grade. I also have subbed extensively in third grade. Because of all this, I have become familiar with early elementary standards and students, and I have come to love working with students that age! Little ones are so much fun, and they have such a joy for life and learning. These first years of school are so important in shaping students’ futures and opinions – I have heard many college students say that their opinions of a certain subject were cemented in first,

The first eight years of a child’s education is where he learns the basics of everything. This is where a child learns values, how to read and analyze material, how to think critically when solving math problems, use different strategies, take timed tests, write basic five paragraph essays, and so on. Without these first eight years of education which carry a child into his or adolescent phase, a child will not be able to reach his full mental development. As a child grows, his intellect and ability to reason and make educated decisions should reach higher levels.

The years before kindergarten are among the most crucial time in a young child’s life to learn. School readiness, a multidimensional concept, has the ability to convey advantages in academic success in school. Children who enter school with early skills in math and reading tend to have more academic success, attain higher levels of education, and have a higher chance of securing employment (1). Their ability to recognize letters, read words in a book, write their own name, and count numbers are all factors that display early literacy and cognitive development, and in the past years, the number of young children with these qualities has increased over time. During the beginning years of a child's life, whether it’s from socioeconomics, ethnicity, daycare, or all of them combined, multiple factors influence a child’s readiness for school.

Early childhood education is one of the most important policy topics out there. Research has proven that the early years in childhood is a critical period for opportunity to develop a child’s full potential; as well as form academic, social, and cognitive skills that determine not only success in school but also their entire life (The White House). The right to a free, public education is guaranteed to all children in the United States. Early education is voluntary, and therefore some children are not given the opportunity to reach their full potential.