Recently, in American Educator I read an article entitled, “The Promise of Preschool-Why We Need Education for All”. The article discusses the importance of expanding preschools and making quality education programs available to students of the preschool age. With 25 years of research in the early education field, the article argues that the budget cuts in these areas of education are very harmful. Because of the economy, education as a whole has suffered from early education all the way to secondary and into higher levels into college. However, forming a foundation in skills and content from literacy to math skills is imperative to the success of students. By cutting out the programs that focus on these areas at such a delicate time in a child’s life will affect the rest of their educational experience. The article goes on to discuss that there is no argument that early education will prevent high school drop outs or decrease criminal activity but that it has certainly proven to help.
When reading this article I couldn’t help to think about my students. Teaching 11th grade, I see ability levels and reading levels from second grade to post high school. When reading my students’ journals and speaking with their parents, there is a direct correlation between the students who attended pre-school and who had adults read to them at an early age with their high or on grade reading levels. The same goes for my students with lower levels and their lack of attendance to early education classes. I truly feel if we placed an emphasis on the importance of foundational education skills such as literacy, comprehension and fluency at a younger age we would not have the issues of illiteracy and high school dropouts to the degree we have now. This seems, to me, such a simple and necessary fix. Why haven’t we done this? Where is our educational system lacking (aside from “funds”) that we don’t seem the value in giving our children every means possible to be successful?
1 comment:
I think that this article hits the nail on the head when it comes to urban children and the disadvantage that they face once they begin their elementary education. I too can see the affects that the lack of early childhood academics has on my students.
When I began teaching middle school last year, I caught myself placing the blame on elementary teachers, thinking to myself that they must not be doing their job because so many of my students are multiple levels below grade level in reading and math. But that was not the case at all. So many of our students are placed at a disadvantage before they even start school, and that is why placing an importance in pre-schooling needs to be a priority if we are to change this unfortunate cycle that many of our students find themselves in.
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