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Home Where They Belong ~ Early Kindergarten is for the Birds

1:51 AM, Apr. 2, 2008

I love it when I come across an article that helps to prove our point here on Home Where They Belong. While the author is in favor of public school, he sees the danger of early kindergarten.

The push to get children ready for the next level up is absolutely insane. You don't put your child through 5th grade just so their little head can be crammed with information they don't really need now but they'll need it in 6th grade because in 6th grade their heads will be crammed with information they will need in order to make it through 7th grade. That's part of the reason for the push for early kindergarten. Really that's just kindergarten because 1st grade is now second grade and so on. It's all about what's next instead of what's now.

Of course skills progress from grade to grade, but why not just relax and learn what you need to know now? Corrie Ten Boom's father said it best - When Corrie had asked her father what a certain word had meant and her father knew that it was something she was not ready to fully understand he asked her to pick up his traveling case. Corrie attempted to but could not.

"It's too heavy," I said.
"Yes," he said. "And it would be a pretty poor father who would ask a little girl to carry such a load. It's the same way, Corrie, with knowledge. Some knowledge is too heavy for children. When you are older and stronger you can bear it. For now you must trust me to carry it for you." (From The Hiding Place by Corrie ten Boom.)

Tia Linschied
Senior Editor of HSB

Comments

Mar. 26, 2008 - Untitled Comment

What a profound quote!!!

I couldn't imagine starting kids in school even earlier. It's one thing when *I* decide to make an effort to teach my child to read when I *know* they are ready, even if it is way before Kindergarten.... but to assume that we should start getting *every* 3yo ready for K is completely absurd! Little children do not need that much pressure! Next thing you know, the latest med issue for the under 5 set will be migraines.

- Home Where They Belong

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Comments
I'll carry the heavy knowledge for you!

8:07 AM, Apr. 2, 2008, posted by SchoolinRhome

I love the quote from Corrie Ten Boom's father! That is so true! Kids do need to learn appropriate - grade level information but they also need to be able to just be kids! They need to have time to be outside and have time to play and use their imagination! Society doesn't see this as too important but it is in my book! A kid needs to have their childhood!
SchoolinRHome

Understandable...however...

1:20 AM, Apr. 3, 2008, posted by gabalot

I do think that you need to allow for each individual child the freedom to move ahead. I can honestly say that I held off as long as possible with my last, my son, but at four years old, I had to start "doing school" with him. He was coming out of his skin just having to watch his two sisters, get to "do school". One of the greatest treasures of homeschooling is that we as parents can wait if need be or follow or children's leading.

Jennifer

Hi Jennifer

1:47 AM, Apr. 3, 2008, posted by sagerats

I agree with you! However that's what homeschooling allows, it is not what mandatory education allows. It says you must know this by this date or you will FAIL. In their effort to keep the students from failing they push them with subjects and at levels that they don't need to know now. It doesn't allow freedom to learn at your own pace and it dictates what must be taught at a given time all in the name of "preparing them for what is to come." They act like they are doing the children a big favor.

Yes, of course we are preparing our children for what is to come but you don't teach a five year old how to make an entire meal and serve it all by herself because someday she will do it as an adult. You give her this piece, and that piece as she is ready for it. You don't burden her with pressure and stress by saying, "When you are older you must know how to do this," either. You just do it, have fun with it, and make it a part of your life now.

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