Week Three
Rethinking ECE talked about creating Universal Prekindergarten. From what I read it is a program created by the government to make low income families have the opportunity to send their child to preschool. I have mixed feeling about these programs. I do believe that all children deserve the right to attend a preschool or some type of institution where they have the chance to nurture their development before attending school. I have noticed how stressful it is on the child and the family about getting everyone “kindergarten ready.” During parent teacher conferences the number one concern parents have is if their child will be ready for kindergarten. I always think about how much pressure the children in our center have to get ready for kindergarten but I could not even imagine children just starting school in Kindergarten. I know there must be children that are so far behind already on the first day of school. If we had UPK that would help those children know what is expected and they could get that solid foundation for the rest of their academic career.
On the other hand, I don’t like the idea of UPK because it only reaches a small portion of the population. There are a lot of resources for low-income families and it seems, which has become more prevalent these past months, that the only children that can attend preschool are the high income and low-income families. The middle class families are having the hardest time adjusting to the high cost of childcare. The other thing that I don’t like is the fact that the government would create UPK. This past year has proved that the government (at least our current government) doesn’t hold education to a high value. I would hate to see a UPK created and then shut down because of funding, or shut down every Friday. I feel that a UPK wouldn’t be allowed to have the creativity or the tools to fully benefit the children.
In the New possibilities for ECE the chapter was a reflection on how much influence a teacher has to their class. I have to remember that each class is different and every year what worked for the last class doesn’t work for the next. I have a habit of reading examples of other preschools and getting really motivated and trying it in my own class and not getting the same results. I have to remember that children are different and I have to adjust my teaching to achieve the most out of them and to build them up.
that's true when you said that a teacher has to adjust to their classroom. Every child brings some unique characteristic into the room and it feeds off from their peers and also workers in the room. The teacher has a responsibility to blend all the different characteristics in each child and make it work in the room. This way the children will benefit and learn something about one another. Teachers have so much pressure to make sure that every child and their families are included without offending everyone. Sometimes you can't make everyone happy and it's bound to happen in any preschool. I knew of one teacher who made a curriculum one year and used the same one the next year after! She had a few problems because it didn't workout for the children, they were less developed and she was bringing out activities that older 3-4 year olds do (this was only late 2's- early 3's). She didn't want to change the curriculum around so it was no wonder why the children didn't want to do certain activities because it was so hard or they "thought" they couldnt do it. So I believe that if teachers just put the time and effort into making good curriculum plans for their children, the children and their families will be happy and the school year will be a success!!!
ReplyDeleteHi Sarah,
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading your honest feelings about UPK. UPK is an interesting concept that still has a ways to go. I agree with you that the middle class families are again being forgot about and in this tough economic time, it's even harder to make ends meet. With the recent cuts in subsidies for preschool tuition, many children will be forced to go without a preschool education. I work for Head Start which provides free (half-day)preschool for low-income and special needs children. We do have full-day programs that charge a very low fee for parents that work and go to school. Almost all of these parents receive tuition subsidies and pay near to nothing at all. With the cut, these parents will have to decide whether or not to either a)find a way to come up with the money b)figure out a way for a half-day program to fit their schedule. c)take their child out of preschool completely or d)quit their job and or school. It's a sad reality but this is the world we are living in.
Hi Sarah,
ReplyDeleteYour discussion on UPK brings up different perspectives. If UPK is federally funded, what might be the consequences for early childhood classrooms? Should preschool exist to offer a preparation for the next grade/future? Should our work as teachers be influenced by the implementation of a UPK system? Is there a place in this discussion for advocacy and activism?
Jeanne
Hi Sarah!
ReplyDeleteI agree with you, I also have mixed feeling about these programs. I feel that government shouldn’t get involved. “But!” I also feel that low income families should have the opportunity to send their child to preschool (ECE) before enrolling them into elementary education. Like you said, “I do believe that all children deserve the right to attend a preschool or some type of institution where they have the chance to nurture their development before attending school.”
Here’s a question for you: “What if the child can’t attend preschool? Or The institution are you thinking about?” What can the parents do in this case?
Gary