What Happened to letting kids be kids?

I was talking to my good friend on the phone a few days ago and she was telling me about her son's first day of kindergarten. Then I started to reminesce about my kindergarten days.(some of my happiest ever). I asked her how the play areas were.

She told me they had no play areas! I was like "what?!!" and she replied that kindergarten these days isnt like how our generation's were. Kindergarten is now what our first grade was.they expect all kids to have attended preschool and to know everything from tying shoelaces to knowing the entire alphabet(including random order)and counting to atleast 10(in random order) and they have to be able to read many one syllable words. They are expected to know everything we were taught in kindergarten. I hadnt planned on sending either of my kids to preschool..I didnt need it..I dont think they should have to spend their entire childhood in school for christ's sake! Now I find out that I might have to so they wont be behind in kindergarten.

and now they are giving first-graders proficiency tests!! what they fuckola???!!

the drop-out rate is the highest it's ever been. does these morons that run our education system ever stop to think..that this nonsence might be the reason???

kids can no longer have fun. they have to spend 9 months of the year in school and then worry about the next year during their summer vacations with summer reading and summer reports and tests at the beginning of the year.

what the hell is up with this???

 

Aww poor babes.

Over here it is pretty much the same. My mother used to work in a pre school, even there the children had to be assesed and whatever. Even had a curiculum (planned story time, crafts etc)
They were only about three years old.

 

A friend's daughter just turned 4 and has started Headstart in AZ. They also seem to think that kids should know colors, the alphabet, numbers, their address, know how to use a computer, and be able to help out with household chores like doing dishes & vaccuming.
What happened to 4 yr olds being a kid? She is an only child.

 

It's Bush's "No Child Left Behind" plan.

Head Start is threatened with funding restrictions or even shutting down if the toddlers do not pass standardized proficiency tests. Head Start leaders are furious, as Head Start was begun as a nutrition and socialization program for low-income or at-risk pre-schoolers. Bush wants it to be a prep school for kindergarten, and they have to comply with Bush's reform bill, or lose funding and get shut down.
Public school funding depends on how well the students perform on standardized tests, even the ESE students are expected to perform at level with their grade. Low scores mean less funding. Who suffers are inner city schools, where psychosocial and socio-economic factors play a large role in school performance.
Just another Bush plot to keep the poor in their places and ensure future generations of low-skilled, minimum wage earners.

 

My daughter just started kindergarten this year, and I can tell they are being pushed more. For instance, tonight her homework is to write all the letters from A-O...capital and lower case. She gets dictation tests every day...the teacher calls out letters/numbers and they have to write down what she says.

They DO have play areas (centers) in her class. a little kitchen area, blocks, puzzles, and coloring center, toy cars, etc.
The only problem I have is that she has homework. I don't remember having homework until I was in the 4th grade!

 

exactly!

homework for kindergartners??!!! it's insanity. we are sending our oldest to preschool...but it's a church-funded school and they dont kowtow to any of Bush's NCLB crap. It's a strictly sociolization program..the kids go from noon-3 pm monday through Thursday and most of their time is spent learning how to play,cooperate with each other, and other important social skills. It's just a nice 3 hours for my daughter to interact in a school-like environment.

the only problem is how to handle pushy teachers in grammer school. we cant afford to homeschool because I have to go back to work.

how do you handle these teachers?

 

god I get anxiety just thinking about all the crap my kids will have to go through in this world. Its scary! I don't think I'll be letting them go to school unless they make the descision to later on. Dumbass Bush is not taking my childern's childhoods away from them thats all I'm going to say. Kids need to be kids to become well rounded adults. I wouldn't be surprised if the generation who is being forced to go to school this early in life have major problems...who knows, maybe not. I just don't like the idea of my kids being rushed into things.

 

Otter you should attend good stuff for kids . Yeah I agree what the fuckola! I would never send my kid to a school like that. Those exams are nothing but numbers. Kids should not do so much bussywork..they should be hands on learning and playing and learning from play and action. Ohh it discusts me the direction we are headed for our future adults.

 

my homework in kindergarten was fun stuff! like finding a bunch of red stuff to make a collage! oh everyone had their own color, mine was red as i recall, it was lots of fun going around the house with my mom finding red pens and spoons.. actually i think it was blue.. ah well, we also had a big colored paper caterpillar that went all the way across the room, on all four walls, whenever someone finished a book from our library we added a piece to him! well it was fun for me, but then we weren't getting tests. i do remember at the end of the year i had to count from 1-20, then i think 30,40,50, etc. to hundred, i had to recite my abc's know my phone number and my address and how to spell my name, which i did

 

(Heavy Sigh.) I guess they arent interested in teaching Social Values anymore.

How to interact with people?

 

This discussion makes homeschooling sound better and better. Although even with homeschooling in some states the kids have to take standardized tests.

Kathi

 

I have no problem with Tests. Standardized on the other hand...

Damned. Kids no matter WHAT age need to take a break! From what I knew as Naptime in Kindergarten, to Graham Crakers & Milk in the first grade, Recess from there to High School. Then we kept Snaktime! As well as LUNCH break!
The US educational system has gone to hell.

 

god damn bush.poor children having to do that and never being able to play. what kind of childhood is that? theyll grow up to be psychos!

 

My kindergartner has about 2 hours of homework every night. My second grader has 3 hours, my 3rd grader has about that. Every night.

My 3rd grader plays football, and has practice every afternoon from 4-6, home by 6:30, and the 3 hours of homework. He has to do homework WHILE he eats dinner. He doesn't get to bed until 10 at night. And I am not willing to withdraw him from football, which he loves more than life itself. I know of plenty of children who had to stop playing sports or taking music lessons because of time constraints with homework. (Tell me why we have so many fat little kids walking around?)
I don't see where it's doing the kids any good, either. They whine and fuss and get miserable, because they have sat at a desk for 6 hours, and are now expected to sit for another 3 or 4 hours doing more schoolwork. They have no opportunity to run and play, and that is not healthy, not physically, mentally, or emotionally.

 

well lets do something about it. I can't stand it anymore. It's going to ruin an lot of good things for kids. I won't tollerate bussywork taking over my childs childhood. There are other ways of learning.

 

Otter, I bet your going to be a great advocate for your kids!!! I so agree with everyone on this topic and I really feel for Otter because I would love to homeschool, but work and money just won't allow for that.

It really does help though to confront the teacher or principal with your concerns. You can arrange to meet with them or put it down in a letter. Another thing that helps is if you can take one morning or afternoon once a week to volunteer in the class. For me, I really find that I get to know the kids teachers very well because I'm there every week and I feel that it makes it easier to talk about my concerns because of this. And one more thing that can open up communication with the school is to join the PTA or School Council. These groups really let the school know what you as a parent expect from the school. You know, one thing I've learned through volunteering and involvement in school council is that often the teachers agree with the parents. Many of them are just as discouraged at having to follow these harsh, strict new curriculums that are set by the government. I was surprised how many teachers were on my side!

I still think it's crazy that any child from kindergarten to grade three should have any homework not to mention hours of homework!?! In my own experience, I decided to let my children start school a bit later then their peers. I took my daughter right out of junior kindergarten when she started showing signs of stress. She didn't go back until grade 1 and although she was a bit behind at first, especially in reading, she is now in grade 5 and doing really well. She is the top reader in her class and reads years beyond her age level. Lots of kids have this ability when you let them develope at their own rate rather than the rate set by provincial (or state) standards. I wish the system would be more relaxed in that regard!

I agree! Let's do something about this so kids can be kids!

Kathy

 

The fucking NCLB "initiative." As if ONE test, given one ONE day can detail everything a child learned in an entire year? I went to Moon's curriculum night at the HS, and all the teachers were basically talking about having to "teach for the test." Instead of teaching our kids what they need to know, they are just trying to get the highest test scores so the schools get more money (which they should be regardless) and the teachers can keep their jobs.

An other thing. Moon isn't being given Constitution test or learning the Constitution this year. WTF? It has just occured to me, the smart kids, in the Honors classes, are not being taught the Constitution this year. Why them? They are more likely to question, I think! The other kids have a class called "American Studies" which combines American History and English, but the Honors kids take Honors English and Honors Am His, and NO Constitution test! I was told they will take it next year, in their "government" class, but no one can tell me how they are going to separate the kids who already took the Constitution Class as Juniors, and how they willl only take out the Honors kids for the test and learning next year. They are also going to make American History no longer mandatory! WTF? I think it is planned to keep the kids who are most likely to question authority in the dark. Maybe they don't want the kids to KNOW what the Constitution IS, that way it will be easier to take away Constitutional rights. RIGHT?

When I asked how the parents can get involved in these decisions, the womyn in the History office said "Oh, we'll inform you." "No," I said, "HOW do I get to get involved in this stuff?" "Oh" She said, "By the time the change is complete you dd will no longer be in this school, so I don't know why you are so concerned." "Duh, I have OTHER kids!" I am talking to the head of the department (again) tomorrow to find out just WTF is going on.

We are headed for Fascism, and they are starting with our kids.

FIRE BUSH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

im in the process of moving so my daughter will be late for kindergarden.. now im scared! homework for 5 year olds thats insane!i remember playing house and painting in kindergarden. Im so afird for my child, shes very smart but not in that way, more artistic. i think she'll be behind and that really scares me. Damn the school system.

 

we need to start a list of networks of schools that don't fallow the"norm" now in education...or public schooling rather....so people can find these places and send their children there.

 

EEEEEEEEEk I am now scared silly. I was hoping to homeschool but I don't know if I will be able to afford it, already have to put him in institutionalized day-care because it's the only thing I can afford. Its scary- homework for kindergartners? Does Bush realize what the implications are of the bs that comes out of his mouth? Does he understand that is counterproductive to say that the health of the nations children is of tantamount importance and then cut medicaid AND make it so that kids don't have time to get any exercise because they are too busy cramming so that their school won't be shut down? This is ridiculous.