The time has come to do away with preschools and turn them into Early Childhood Centres. Integrating preschool education with training for pregnant mothers on child birth, rearing, brain development and child development can do wonders argues.
Toddlers as young as two years are made to hold pencils and go over dotted lines in worksheets. Three year olds are made to recite rhymes in front of a class and then graded and marked on their ‘performance’. Children are taught number 1 and then number 7, skipping the rest in between reason given: standing line numbers should be taught together! Completely overlooking the fact that letters need not be taught in the A to Z format but numbers need to be taught in the order of counting else children will not have a foundational base of what number comes before, after. This is the confused state of preschool curriculum.
Examples given above are just a few examples of the atrocious way in which children are taught in preschools. If you ask the preschools they blame it on parents, it’s the parents that want their child to read and write at an early age. To what gain? What do we achieve when we push children towards this senseless method of ‘education’ when they should be learning with play? Are we scoring on the PISA results? Not at all.
Sample this: Finland that has no formal learning for children up to the age of 7 is scoring better than all countries. So we have school heads flocking to visit schools in Helsinki, but is there any change in the way we teach our preschoolers? Absolutely not, it is the heads of schools that feel that preschoolers should be given more reading and writing!
It is time to give up our traditional mindsets on how preschoolers should be taught. What is to be taught and how much is something that needs immediate attention. Exploration through play is needed. The malaise that is all around is the craze to get kids behind desks and teachers who can ‘discipline’ them. As a result, preschools have turned into ‘entrance exam centres’ for primary schools, where the kids are only ‘prepared’ to learn how to cope in standard one.
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Denne historien er fra December 2016-utgaven av Brainfeed.
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Spend on Education an Investment for Future
I am fortunate that I am 18 and still not married,” said Malala Yousafzai the youngest ever Nobel Peace Prize winner. Not many in India could say so as parents force children to quit school, especially in the hinterland. It is not just girls but even boys drop out for various reasons. So much is spoken about the demographic dividend and the power of youth in India. However, this ‘power’ can only be harnessed if the children go to school.
One size does not FIT ALL
Desks in straight rows, teacher standing at the head of the class and deciding what would be taught that day, students learning with the same resources and moving at the same pace whether they are struggling or gifted is something we see. No wonder, many of our students see schools as a chore.
Enquiry Based Learning: A Student - Centric Learning Approach
The spirit of enquiry is intrinsic to human nature.Bewildered by a falling apple perpendicularly on the ground, Isaac Newton’s spirit of enquiry led him to discover the law of gravity.
Correlate Subjects for Better Understanding
Correlating subjects can be fun and at the same time enhance one’s knowledge.
Wonder Years Regained
Give a child free time to wonder and to explore and to ask questions. Revathi Balakrishnan did just that and shares how she is reaping benefits
Spend More Time With Children
Spending quality time with children and getting them involved in the daily life activities not only breaks the ice but makes them responsible, feel wanted and prepares them for life.
Its Time to Change the Way Preschools Teach
The time has come to do away with preschools and turn them into Early Childhood Centres. Integrating preschool education with training for pregnant mothers on child birth, rearing, brain development and child development can do wonders argues.
Mentor's Role in Moulding a Student
Mentoring is a professional relationship in which an ‘experienced person’ assists an ‘inexperienced person’ in developing specific skills and knowledge that will enhance the latter’s professional and personal growth.
Sports for Sport Sale!
As per our research and understanding, all this happens because the purpose of games has always been perceived as winning or losing.
The Agony of Peer Pressure
Peer pressure is best illustrated during the adolescent years which is noticed when youngsters follow a trend more so to ‘fall in line’. Daring not to risk defying the majority, teenagers go with the crowd- a herd mentality is what I would like to put it.
