Preschool

When we use harsh discipline to punish children’s bad behavior, we encourage feelings of failure and start children on  a pipeline to prison from pre-K. Harsh punishments include in-school and out-of-school suspensions and hurtful corporal punishment, that  is still allowable in 18 states. Adults, including parents, caretakers and teachers of Pre-K children should view discipline in terms of positive reinforcement of “good” behavior.  The atmosphere at home and in Pre-K classrooms should be upbeat and child friendly. As adults, we read more…

Pre-K may not improve performance in our public  grade schools. However, quality Pre-K can stimulate the huge early learning potential  from birth to age five. Without quality control being a part of Pre-K programs, children can fall behind in kindergarten and never catch up. This may lead to failure, dropping out of high school and entering the juvenile justice system. A new Peabody study of the Tennessee Voluntary Pre-K program reports that Pre-K works, but the gains are not sustained through the read more…

By Ellie Richardson Anxiety in children usually comes from a sudden turn of events, or a fear of that sudden change happening. This is why it is always important to explain to children what is happening, or better yet, what is going to happen, so that they know what to expect in situations they may not be familiar with. Today, during my volunteer work, two different children in my group had melt-downs due to a lack of this explanation. The read more…

Quality and appropriate pre-k programs should be available to all American Children.

Those who believe in the sanctity of the fetus would be far more convincing if they included the miracle of a baby seeking knowledge. We have understood the importance of pre-k brain development for many years,  but we deny adequate funding for programs that teach parents and caretakers how to encourage this brain development with infants and toddlers. Many of our fellow citizens are bringing infants into the world without the parenting skills that they need, nor the money necessary to pay trained caretakers who read more…

There is a lot to learn between birth and first grade and this does not happen automatically. While parents play a huge role in offering their children learning opportunities, preschool prepares a child for learning in a group in kindergarten. A child poorly prepared for kindergarten may lack the social skills, self-control, and other basic learning so that he or she can develop self-confidence and learn with others in first grade. Without preparation for first grade, a child may never catch up.

The goal of educational programs at any age should be to create an educational environment that fosters a love of learning and the confidence to ask questions and seek answers. If we do not use these early years to their fullest by requiring quality programs to begin the learning process, we have failed our children, and, in turn, our society. We must demand funding for quality early education, and hold schools accountable to provide it, or it will not happen.

While New Orleans provides scarce funding for children with special needs, and few community supports compared to the Boston, MA suburbs, the KIPP schools in New Orleans are doing a great job at creating a calm and caring learning environment in their classrooms. Progressively minded people should take a look at a classroom in session before labeling the KIPP discipline as “harsh.” Charter schools are improving the lives of some very disadvantaged children who might not have learned to read at all in public schools available to them prior to Katrina.

Sequestration will cut the subsidies for 70,000 children attending Head Start. These children are at risk of swelling the pipeline to prison.

Every child is sacred. Their birth is sacred as is their capacity to love and be loved, to grow, and to learn. As youngsters, we have a huge capacity to absorb knowledge. As adults we have a serious responsibility to develop trusting relationships with our children and to give them the opportunity to learn, if not at home then at a licensed preschool.