Comment (6)
Email
Print
del.icio.us
Technorati
diggCoddling kindergartners
Staggered school entry? What next from the bubble-wrap department?
With the start of a new school season, I am faced with the prospect of all four children finally attending elementary school. In the rush to make sure I had purchased four backpacks, four lunch bags, four pencil cases, eight pairs of shoes and so on and so on, I had not taken any time to sit and think about this momentous occasion. For the last four years, my eldest has been in school; two years ago, my second born started, and now, after four years of constantly having them with me, the twins are joining their older brother and sister in going to school. And for the last few months, many people have asked me what I am going to do with myself on that first day, when all four children climb the steps into the yellow bus and head off towards higher education and the rest of their lives.
Well, let's take a step back; because here in Ottawa, starting school is a long, drawn-out process. First, the kids and I have to go in for a little meet-and-greet with the kindergarten teachers, then the following week, they will go in for one morning, and not until the third week of the school year, will all four of my children begin going to school every day. Apparently, the point of this long introduction is so that the children can become accustomed to the idea of spending a morning at school. So that years from now, they are not tragically traumatized from kindergarten, and will not need massive amounts of therapy to cope with every day life because they were forced to start school on the same day as every other child in the school. The fact that more than half of all children now attend daycare facilities from the time they are able to walk and have therefore already been separated from Mum and Dad for years seems to have escaped the common sense of the Ministry of Education.
Ottawa is hardly alone in staggering the start of the school year for its youngest students. The practice is now commonplace across Canada, in Britain, the United States and Australia. While the practice may confound the start of the school year, many teachers seem to love it. On one website in particular, a teacher posted a note to her fellow educators, asking about staggered entry and from the responses she received, her colleagues in the classroom are overwhelmingly in favour of this process. Most of their answers however, all seem to have to do with making things easier for them; where to sit which child, claiming fewer discipline problems, and that staggered entry helps shy children adjust better.
The question is, though, is all of this really necessary? I, and every other adult I have ever met, started school on day one, just like every other child. Thirty-five years after I first went to kindergarten, I have zero memories of my time there. I could not say whether I was a discipline problem for my teacher or if I was too shy to talk to any of the other children. But I do not spend my days whining and complaining about how my life would be so much different today if only I had been able to start kindergarten over a three week period. The claim by educators is that all these changes to school systems have been made to ensure the best start in life for our children.
But wait just one minute here; I would argue that we are doing our children a disservice by bubble wrapping them to keep their feelings intact. In our haste to ensure that everyone is accepted and enjoys their time at school, what about developing our children's characters? Michael Phelps, America's newest hero, is an eight time Olympic gold medal champion and a world record holder. He is also taller than average and physically capable of performing feats in a swimming pool that most of us can only dream about, and he was bullied as a child. He has talked openly about how hard it was for him, but he sums up his experience in one simple sentence, “It made me stronger.”
If bullying helped Michael Phelps develop into the man he is today, surely starting school at the same time as everyone else should not be detrimental to one's self worth? Bullying may not be the best way to develop a strong sense of self, but we are told regularly that children are resilient; that they can handle change easily. This statement generally comes from people trying to argue that divorce does not affect a child; well, if something like the breakup of a marriage does not affect a child's ability to “bounce back”, why should starting school?
The staggered entry policy seems to be up there with the long lists of school supplies that comes home every year; everything is about making things easier for the teachers. My children were not sent to daycare and so, in theory, should have had a harder time than most in adjusting to school. I am about to send my youngest two off to kindergarten and I fully expect that they will have the same experience as their older siblings; they will be thrilled that they are finally “big kids” and will come home full of stories about singing, doing crafts, learning to read and playing with new friends.
As for me, I will enjoy the extra time I have with my children, until that day when I do have to put all four on the bus and wipe away my tears while smiling encouragingly at them as they set off. Even if I still think that the only staggering they should be doing is into bed at the end of a long busy day.
Barbara Lilley is a writer and mother of four living in Ottawa, Canada.
For goodness sakes - I remember my first day of kindergarten very clearly and I couldn’t WAIT to get rid of my mom and enjoy learning. I didn’t go to pre-school - my mother taught me to read. I was excited to make new friends and meet my teacher. I remember naps on the floor with my blanket on the mat, I remember playing in the playground reserved specifically for the 5 year olds. I spent half the day at kindergarten and the other half at home waiting for my elder sister to come home from 2nd grade.
Teachers are teachers mostly because they enjoy and WANT to teach; they know what they are up against, they know what they are to do. While I agree that our teachers are underpaid and under appreciated, they choose to do the work!
Just let the kids go to school! Good grief - we HAVE been moddely coddling our children. My boys are in High School now - one was bullied and one was a bully (boy, talk about night and day). They have grown, they have shared with me their experiences - both are smart and neither one was traumatized by their first day of school (they were like me; go away mom and let me have some fun).
Bubble wrap with a big red bow on it!
I have two kids of my own and one is just now in grade one but the other is going to be starting JK next year! I completely forgot about the staggered entry for beginners!! When I went to school, you didn’t start till age 5, there was no JK then SK, and we started the same day as everyone else...heck, I don’t even remember nap time! I’ve just heard from family back home that BC. is thinking about making Kindergarten full days! Can you imagine!!
I understand from a teachers point of view that staggering it makes sense but three weeks of it...that I don’t agree with! Stagger them the first week, make it every other day that way the teacher does get a bit of knowledge of the way his/her class is going to be, that I can handle! They are trained to take on the task of multiple children...remember, they went to school to learn how to teach because that’s what they chose as a profession! Most of them really love what they are doing and enjoy the challenge!
I know that research shows kids are like sponges at an early age but when they are teased with school on this day then not again for another week, then one more day and not for another week, then you’re finally starting with all the others...I just don’t get it!
My youngest wants to get on that big yellow school bus with her big brother! She’s not gonna like it when the next day he gets to get on it again and she doesn’t! I think that’s gonna get me more than her first day of JK.!! Man I have a lot to explain to her when that day comes!! I think I’ll take a couple of Tylenol before hand...just in case!
To Geoff I would like to say that , I do have respect for teachers. There is no way on this planet that I could ever do the job they do, hence the reason why I am not a teacher. Nor do I feel they are “glorified babysitters” in any way, shape or form. I do, however, think that if you are going into the teaching profession, then you know, going in, that you will be expected to stand in front of a group of 20 -25 (or more) young people. And if you are not ready for that on Day 1, you won’t be any more ready for it by Week 3, when they are all sitting in front of you.
Hi! I live in Ottawa too, but my experience is quite different. My 2nd son started senior kindergarden last week in the French system, he is going for the whole day and only had one day of “staggered” entry. He also didn’t go to daycare and it’s actually a bit difficult for him to adjust. I really prefer the english system of having a staggered entry and only part-time kindergarden. I do remember very well my first day of kindergarden, and it wasn’t a pleasant experience. So I think to make it a bit easier on our kid is a very good idea.
When you went to school nobody was allergic to anything (especially peanut butter), kids were afraid of their teachers and more afraid of their parents if they screwed up. You (like me) probably can’t remember kindergarten because you were too busy eating the glue (who knew to sniff), napping, and getting some occasional physical exercise.
I agree in part with your article. However, I would assist the Kindergarten teacher (break in the teacher gently), especially if I were one. You only had 2,3, or 4 at home full time where the teacher gets 20-25 daily. Facing a classroom full of 5 year old children is a daunting task. Most adults can’t handle a presentation in front of adults. You get in front of a bunch of 5 year olds who lack an “inner monologue” or “internal filter.” I would rather face a whole bunch of other things.
Teachers do not get near the amount of pay or respect they deserve. They are not glorified babysitters… Well, some are, but that is to tarnish everyone with the same brush. It would be like comparing real journalists to those who work for the CBC or the Toronto Star.
Very interesting article. Being a mother of 4 children, 2 of them twins, I can well imagine how heart-rending that day will be when those twins are gone for the whole day, and not just a half day here and there.
Whatever on earth are you going to do with all your free time once all 4 children are in school all day long?
All kidding aside, it behooves to ask the question, why, indeed, such a long, drawn out process of sending children to kindergarten? Some politicans obviously don’t have enough more serious matters to address…
Page 1 of 1 :