Recently on twitter I’ve had several conversations about early years education. This would be early years education as takes place in nurseries or schools, rather than the home education version we’re doing.
There was a chat with Mediocre_Mum about IT on the curriculum – I think that was relating to a nursery school. I don’t think I agree it should be part of the curriculum at that stage – I think children should be playing (and therefore learning) with real things rather than virtual when they are very young. There are ways around it of course – even at Montessori we managed to slide IT in, by using a Bee Bot – Programmable Floor Robot
. It’s kind of like a Big Trac but not nearly as much fun. And I know that we have plenty of tech in the house so Smallest is exposed left right and centre – but I wouldn’t want her being taught about it at a nursery/ playgroup.
Then there were homework and testing woes from a bloggy friend, Mirka at All Baby Advice. I can’t imagine why a school feels that a 4 1/2 year old needs homework, or testing on a regular basis, or streaming. And I’m even more (selfishly) glad that we’ve opted out of all of that. Of course, in the Montessori the children went to for a while, the ultimate streaming went on – every child was taught one to one as an individual…there was never any homework, or testing, or pressure though, the whole idea is that the directress observes the child and presents the right material for their stage of development when they are ready.
But the most thought provoking post I’ve read on the whole issue so far, was from Ruth at Lemonade Life. I’ll wait while you read.
Done? Good. So yes, when we outsource our children’s education (and that is precisely what you are doing when you send your children to school, it is *not* the state’s responsibility to educate your child, it is yours. Sending them to school is one way of doing it, but by no means the only way.) it is still up to us to keep an eye on it and make sure that the education provided is suitable. I know of no research that suggests that pressuring a 4 year old is going to be a good idea in the long run. I rather suspect that given a 4 year old is not actually legally required to be in school, the school can’t enforce homework, so if a parent just says no thank you, that’s as far as it can go.
It reminds me that when Big was about 2 1/2 and in nursery 4 days a week, she was sent a homework book back with her from nursery. It was a sounds book, with a letter on each double page, and the instruction that we should work together to fill the pages with appropriate pictures. I went in to nursery and told them in no uncertain terms that I wouldn’t be using the book. “Oh that’s OK,” I was told “you do loads with her. This is for the parents that don’t.” A real headdesk missing the point moment there. It’s not up to a nursery to judge what a parent should or shouldn’t be doing with a child. And they were already aware that I planned to home educate, so it wasn’t about how she would represent them at a future school, something that they were very aware of.
What I’m trying to say is that I think the start of a child’s life is incredibly important. It shouldn’t be marred by pressure over spellings or reading. Many children are not ready to read at 4, or 5 or even 6. And if your child is one of them you can do them the greatest favour by supporting then against the school. Childhood is for playing, for exploring, for enjoying. Not for homework or pressure or testing. Read to your child, with your child. Draw with them. Write love notes to each other. (Did you know in the Montessori system it is common for children to write legibly before they can read what they have written?) But above all else, have fun. You are their first and most important teacher, and what they learn from you about themselves, their abilities and their lives lasts them forever.
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