Equality in education for students should be a main focus for administrators, teachers and parents. And is the ‘hot topic’ in the first four chapters of the readings. Equality though, is not going to become a reality unless early intervention is found important and essential.
The book states that somewhere between 30-40% of students enter kindergarten unprepared. This is not just academically but socially and emotionally as well. As a kindergarten teacher I see kids come into my class not even able to hold a pencil, write their name or state any letters of the alphabet. Not to add all of the structure, routine and social skills one has to teach them so they can function within the classroom. When students come into kindergarten already leaps and bounds behind their peers they have a tough road ahead of them to catch up and perform at the level that the state expects of them. A great teacher will make an abundance of progress with these students, but one year is not enough to catch them up.
So where should we start? We need to first intervene with parents. I have found a lot of parents want to help their kids but they don’t know how. We need to take the time to show and teach them skills, activities and games they could do with their children at home. This way the kids will have a strong supportive base. Next we can focus on early intervention within a school system. Resources need to be put into finding a way that pre-school can be an option for all who want it. Right now in Idaho only those who can afford it and those who fall below a poverty level have access. We are leaving out a huge gap in the middle. I have talked with parents whose children fell into this gap and they want to have the option of pre-school but can’t afford it. How is this fair to their children, should they be punished because their parents don’t make enough but at the same time make too much? I don’t have an answer to where these resources are going to come from but they need to be found.
Right now in the state of Idaho we don’t require kindergarten and have politicians trying to get rid of it. I have even heard older grade teachers speak out that getting rid of kindergarten would solve our money issues. Are we really headed in the direction of getting rid of the main early intervention program we have? We need to support and beef up our early intervention rather than go against the grain and get rid of it.
Good Post!
ReplyDeleteI have always viewed the role of a school as a supportive one for parents and the family. A school should not replace parents and family, rather it should accent and improve them. Some kids are born into families that do not provide adequate resources from day one. It is not our job to force resources on the family, rather it is our job to provide those resources to those who need and want them. The primary educator in a child's life should be the parent. But if the parent needs and wants assistance we should be there for support.