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Sunday, November 17, 2013

NAEYC AND CCSS


Hmm!  This policy statement from the National Association for the Education of Young Children is very insightful!

Have you ever considered the variance in length of the school day and the enrollment age and how that impacts CCSS.   How can children be judged by the same standards??  "That's not fair!" as our children would say.

This well-researched article reaffirmed that children in full day programs did have better learning outcomes.  Children from high-risk groups and those that are English language learners seemed to have the greatest benefit from a full day.

The age of enrollment also seemed to vary from state to state.  Not surprisingly, the older children seem to score higher on achievement tests, but the effects seem to fade over time.
Note!  These tests focus on cognitive abilities, while most teachers would argue that social, emotional, and physical factors are still significant.

One more area addressed in this paper was the variance in teacher preparation.  Licenses vary from K-3, to K-6, to K-8.

In 2010 only 43 states required districts to offer kindergarten.  How can Common Standards be reached from such "uncommon" kindergarten experiences???

The article concludes with CONSIDERATIONS for POLICYMAKERS.  So, your job is to make sure that your administrators, school board, and others read this and open their eyes!!

My dear teachers, I am in the trenches with you!  We have little impact on what our leaders tell us to do, but we must keep on trying and fighting the battle for the sake of children!   As always, my best advice is to SHUT YOUR DOOR!  Sing like no one can hear you...dance like no one is watching...and love those children!!

If you are attending the NAEYC National Conference in DC this week I hope you'll stop by my session Wednesday afternoon where I will show you how to "Sing and Dance with the Standards."  I'll also be doing a session on 21st Century Skills Thursday morning.  (Just look in the program for room numbers and details.)