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.)
