'We’re not just stealing their childhood, but crushing it'
As I carried around a sobbing kindy child this morning as he cried for his mum (first time ever away from her) wrapped around me like a baby koala and totally overwhelmed by this strange new place called ‘school’ I had to wonder …
Who on earth genuinely believes these precious little ones need rotations, formal structure and ‘academic rigour’ at such a young age?
Have any of those pushing for less play and more structure in kindy actually spent time in a kindy class and actually seen how young and vulnerable our youngest students are?
The push towards more structured learning in WA early years school classrooms, especially in pre-primary, has alarmed teachers and experts who are increasingly banding together to fight changes they say are harming young children.
This social media post from a concerned Perth-based kindy teacher reverberated around the world, shared by those in the education sector and concerned parents alike.
Many teachers believe that the situation in public schools has become critical.
“And yet I read about schools where their rest time is being rolled into their lunch break so they don’t waste ‘educational time’.
“And I see posts where the end of year targets for these children are about phonics, sight words, numbers beyond 20 …..
“And I read opinions stating that they shouldn’t be allowed to ‘just play’, that free play is a ‘waste of valuable learning time’ and even that we need to start them early with formalised literacy and numeracy to maximise their Naplan results.
“And I just want to sob like my little one this morning.”
Kindy should be about protecting, valuing, nurturing and enhancing childhood but in some cases we’re not just stealing their childhood but crushing it. (WA early childhood teacher)
Source
Daile Cross
Sydney Morning Herald
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