Questions & Answers

Elaine Bartkowiak is associate director of the Early Childhood Research Center. She was assisted in her responses by Alison Caputy, principal of Pine Hill Elementary School in the Cheektowaga Central School District, and other Cheektowaga teachers.

The emphasis on academics seems to be starting at a younger and younger age. How is kindergarten different now than, say 20, 30 or 40 years ago?

Early childhood educational practices have continued to develop and change since the first half of the 20th century. John Dewey was one of the first Americans whose theories had a major impact on American education. His "child-centered curriculum" continues to influence educational practice. The major points: the realities of everyday life should be the basis for all classroom activities; children's interests should be tapped by providing opportunities to engage in daily living activities or occupations; children's social interest and interactions with others should be incorporated into daily classroom life; participation in play activity contributes to children's intellectual and social development, and the teacher's role is that of a facilitator who encourages social skills by providing opportunities to practice them. In the early '60s, every kindergarten classroom had a piano, paint easels, unit blocks, housekeeping areas and other props that facilitated social and dramatic play. The launching of the Russian satellite Sputnik was key in focusing public attention on the importance of science and mathematics in education. Many classrooms went to teacher-centered activities involving math books and worksheets instead of exposing children to personal science- and math-related interests and hands-on activities. Theorists such as B.F. Skinner focused on the shaping of behavior through operant conditioning. Programmed instruction became visible in our kindergarten classrooms during the '70s. Kindergartens began to address the high incidence of poverty and the problems of disadvantaged children's lack of school success. The Ready to Learn Act of 1992 and the Goals 2000 Bill of 1993 laid the framework for academic achievement expected of all American students and schools through voluntary national standards, tests and goals. All of these things have influenced the kindergartens of 2000

In your opinion, what skills should children possess before they go off to school for the first time?

All children are born able to learn. It is up to the individuals responsible for children's growth and development to provide the healthy learning environments that promote school success. Primary to a child's success in school is the child having a positive self-image. School should be regarded by children and their families as a place where they can learn to be successful in life. Children should be in good health and be able to see, hear and speak. If their senses are impaired, resources to assist them in the communicative processes need to be identified early and provided to assist them in the learning process.

Will children be playing catch-up if they don't know their "ABCs" or can't tie their shoes?

There are many more activities relevant to children's learning and school success than rote memory of ABCs and tying shoes. Children need many experiences with books, such as being read to, library experiences and an awareness of the letter-to-word association. Manual dexterity is important to the writing process and many school and life experiences are better developed through stringing beads, puzzle play and clay or play dough experiences than drill practice in shoe tying.

How can you encourage young kids to develop an adventuresome spirit?

By encouraging children to think about and interact with the world around them. Provide concrete experiences that require the use of the senses. This process begins early in a child's life since children from their birth are interested in the world around them. Placing interesting mobiles over cribs and toddler play areas extends their natural behaviors and lets them playfully interact with their environment. Hands-on experience, together with conversations about what is occurring, is the best method of fostering science processing skills.

Generally, do you find that children who have been in a day-care/preschool setting are better prepared to go to school, either socially and/or academically?

If you define an organized day-care/preschool setting as one that has National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) accreditation, then my answer is "yes." The developmentally appropriate guidelines for curriculum are based on the belief that high-quality, early-childhood programs provide a safe and nurturing environment that promotes the physical, social, emotional and cognitive development of young children while considering a child's gender, cultural background, ability and family. Research involving children who attend developmentally appropriate preschools have documented long-term school success. Children attending academic, teacher-centered preschool programs may experience only short-term success in school.

Are orientation sessions helpful for children who are entering a group setting-preschool or kindergarten-for the first time?

Yes, well-organized, child-centered orientations are very helpful for children. First experiences in strange places and with large numbers of adults and children are intimidating and often frightful for children. Trial runs-be they on the school bus or a visit to their new school-help prepare the child for the real first day.

How can parents prepare their children for the first day of school?

Parents can prepare their children by talking about school in a positive fashion. Telling a child "Wait until you get to school, you'll see what the teacher will do" when your child is misbehaving is counterproductive. Saying things like "I can't wait until you go to school" when you have been emotionally drained can result in your child having separation anxiety. There are some definite things parents can do, including beginning a bedtime routine, such as washing up, brushing teeth and reading a bedtime story starting closer to the time that will allow young children at least 10 hours of sleep. Sleep deprivation has considerable negative effects on school performance. Computer use should stop at least two hours before bedtime. The brightness of the screen and the intensity of the concentration have been shown to affect the rest and relaxation needed to fall into a deep sleep. Television viewing should be better monitored so as to decrease the amount of violence witnessed before bedtime. Become involved with reading to your child, tell him or her stories and listen to their concerns. Parents play an important role in getting their children ready for school.

Any tips on transitioning older children back to school?

Teens often have sleep habits that do not coincide with school schedules. If scientific reports are correct about the brain of teenagers not being awake until around 10 a.m. and not going into the sleep cycle until later in the evening, parents may need to encourage a change in the teens' activities. Sleep deprivation has severe effects on concentration and learning. Encourage teens to modify their activity levels at least two weeks before the beginning of school. Just as sports practice begins before the first game, so should preparation for learning activity. Sensible eating habits also may be needed. Hopefully, teens respect their parents' sound advice. Actions do speak louder than words. We adults should practice what we preach to our children, especially to our teens.