Bonita, I have a dear friend on the NAEYC board who was the EC director of my
state for many years, and I'd like to quote her here in answer to your thoughts
and questions. Many times, she was asked another version of the same question
when it came to teachers teaching kindergarten: is it doing the kids a favor
to have this wonderful, developmentally-appropriate "garden of children" when
you know where they're going as first graders? Her answer was always
simple--not easy--but simple: "The best preparation for tomorrow is a good
today. No matter what."
WHAT IF Ellin (and all of us) hadn't had that period in our education and life
where we sought to understand? If we can recall with great clarity those few
brief, shining moments when we were intellectually supported, engaged,
challenged, then I'd say there weren't that many.
Don't take one moment away from any of your children!!!
Bev
This year is a perfect example.These lovely children came into the fifth grade:
well-behaved, polite, do their work, bring all homework...but no deep
thinking--everything was on the surface.I would ask an open-ended question and
hear the crickets in the wall. I would model reading and they would ask if
there is a paper for them to do.If I gave them papers they worked great, but to
get them to talk and think?Pursue an idea?PULLING TEETH.So I worked all year on
it.It took about half the year to get them to enjoy the banter of thinking
aloud.So, the second half of the year I have had some fun with them.Now during
a science lesson they jump out of their seats with curiosity.Now, during
reading, they groan if they cannot choose their own material.They have opinions
galore.Much more fun for me.But have I done them a favor?Next year they will
return to a rather traditional approach of chairs face forward, opinions to a
minimum.Meanwhile, it took so long to get them where I like them (and not all
the way--they still bring up rewards from time to time), I wonder if I would
have done better to stay within the system they are in?Is one year enough?Maybe
I am just a distraction to their K12 learning.
:)Bonita
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