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They deserve to reach their full potential as individuals. This allows each child to master knowledge at his/her own pace. We must allow appropriate, guided activities that will gently stretch children intelligently, spiritually, physically, socially, creatively and emotionally---this will allow them to achieve AND enjoy their educational experience in ways that will support them for the rest of their lives. They deserve to have teachers that are trusted. The profession of education and being a teacher is at risk. Giving a teacher a script to read and work by is disrespectful and demeaning. If as a teacher I am passionate and loving, and am guiding the children in my care through PROPER facilitation and developmental activities ALLOW me to DO; no, ACHIEVE my career duties and responsibilities---this will allow my feelings of empowerment, trust and worthwhile to spill over and overflow onto the children. They deserve to have parents who are valued. This allows for a REAL circle of relationship to strengthen, grow and flourish. We must tell parents the truth about their children, their development and the process of learning. Additionally, we must believe that parents do KNOW their children and are guiding facilitators in their lives along with us. They are not the enemy nor are they ignorant, uncaring or lazy. I, too, want the best for my child. As a Child Development Professional I must believe that about every parent that I come into contact with. Parents will be the key to stopping the abuse of a joyful learning experience, the dumping down of our children, the drill-and-kill testing methods and the eradication of life-long learning---this will be A MOST important step to ensuring childhood. Okay. Now you. . .
Education is an arena of hope and struggle--hope for a better life and struggle over how to understand and enact and achieve a better world. We come to believe that we can become makers of history, not merely the passive objects of the great human drama. William Ayers A good friend, colleague and defender of childhood wrote this manifesto. |
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The question we NOW must ask ourselves is not what do our children need---It’s what do they deserve! In this climate of standards, testing, leave no child behind, benchmarks and on and on, I feel as if childhood is getting plunged into the abyss of politics, money and competitiveness. I am near tears at the stories told to me of teachers being lead to, or choosing to use flashcards on infants, scripted curriculum verbatim, adopting and purchasing curriculum with great claims of fame which in-fact have very little or no research outside their company or test studies or empirical research in populations close to what we serve. I’m hearing of observing children ONLY for testing and assessment purposes, resorting to just filling in what looks good for the program or agency to ensure funding for the next year and the NOW overt attempt to push down academic development to a lower level---If I hear one more person say, “Kindergarten is the NEW first grade.” (with an agreeing voice) I WILL RESORT TO. . . What are we doing to OUR children? WHAT HAPPENED TO ENSURING AND PROVIDING A LOVE OF LIFE-LONG LEARNING? WHAT HAPPENED TO TRUSTING OUR CHILDREN, THEIR FAMILIES AND OUR TEACHERS? Who will be courageous and take the risk to STAND for what OUR children DESERVE? They deserve to have relationships. This allows opportunities to build lasting commitments with their teachers, peers and the world around them. We must allow ourselves to go DEEPER than observing for skill---go to a place of feeling that observations are treasure hunts with a wealth of discoveries. |
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