The term play-based learning is increasingly used to reference play in school, especially during the past year. Sometimes it’s called purposeful play. Play-based learning is not the same as free play, even though sometimes it is described as such. It also might be used to transform classroom learning to screens. It’s critical to understand the […]
Acceleration: The Meaning Behind the Buzzword
Acceleration is the new pandemic buzzword brought to you by pro-privatization school reformers. Students may have missed some in-person schooling, even though most learned remotely or in person. Still, the frenzy surrounding learning loss is mounting. The pandemic has given rise to a new way to reframe the old learning gap talk, with new terminology, […]
Kindergarten Pandemic Learning Fears Should Not Be Tied to Screen Time and Rigid Drilling
Kindergartners and their parents and teachers struggle with the pandemic. When the focus is on problems with children learning online, whether a child will succeed, it might help to revisit what’s developmentally appropriate for a kindergartner. Many reports are raising concern about learning loss in kindergarten. “What Kindergarten Struggles Could Mean for a Child’s Later […]
Kindergarten Reading Push: Still Problematic During the Pandemic
Parents and educators, convinced that kindergartners must learn to read, might purchase unproven commercial online reading programs during the pandemic. The best solution for kindergartners currently is for school librarians and teachers to get interesting picture books and reading material into the hands of young children. Standardized testing made pushing children to read in kindergarten […]
It’s Time to Erase Harmful, Recycled Education Policy!
Serious education issues in public schools are recycled because the ulterior motive of some is to end public education. Research is repeatedly ignored. Why are school administrators clueless? How is it that legislators repeatedly recreate policy we know is harmful for students? Each heading contains a link to proof. End Retention. Research is clear that […]
Play v. Reading: How Flawed Thinking About Preschool Has Become Accepted Practice
Play is often talked about as if it were a relief from serious learning. But for children play is serious learning. Play is really the work of childhood. ~Fred Rogers One education topic that every politician running for office mentions is preschool for all. What do they mean? What do they think preschool should be […]
Force and Flunk, Tougher Kindergarten Lead to Parental Dissatisfaction with Public Schools
When children aren’t reading according to the corporate time frame set by Jeb Bush and his ilk (non-educators who want to privatize public education), parents become dissatisfied, even angry with public school officials and teachers when their children fail. The goal of many corporations is to end public education. They want privatization. To do this, […]
Leaving Childhood Out in the Rain!
Why do corporate CEOs, foundations, and policymakers want kindergartners to learn more advanced material at a faster rate? Why is this important to them? If children are made to grow up quickly, what happens to childhood? Why are they against play and art for children in public schools? Why do they push children to read […]
Nineteen For 2019: Choose This, NOT That, to Save Public Education in the New Year!
1. Kindergarten NOT The New First Grade Kindergartners should be treated like the four and five-year-old students that they are and not pushed to be first graders. The activities and instruction for this age group are well established. Real educators should take charge and ensure that there’s much free play and age appropriate activities. 2. […]
Demand that Kindergarten Be a Happy Time and Place: A “Garden for Children!”
Welcome to kindergarten! This is the year children are introduced to school. It should be a happy time and place so children will move forward enjoying school. A few years back we learned through a University of Virginia study that kindergarten was the new first grade. Five-year-old children face unjustifiable, draconian reforms that push them […]