Today, I am here to recommend the entire column of John Rosemond from 8/17/2010 (see at www.rosemond.com). It concerns America's fixation with preschooling, "getting a head start," and other general nonsense. Here's a sample, but the entire column should be mandatory reading for all Americans, not just parents:
"In the 1950s, prior to the onset of one failed education 'reform' initiative after
another, America's literacy rate was at an all-time high. It's interesting to note
that with rare exception we early Boomers were not taught to read until first grade.
Typically, our mothers made no effort whatsoever to teach us any literacy skills
during our preschool years. Rather, they taught us to pay attention to women and
do what women told us to do-the two skills most essential to early academic achievement."
Now, while it is important to teach respect for women, I might have some other things to say about his last statement there, but the overall thought seems golden to me.
While I was fully prepared to have a boy that I didn't attempt to teach to read (home schooling allows refreshing freedom) until late by today's standards I ended up with the opposite and he could spontaneously read shortly after he started to talk (It was kind of creepy) and he could read anything; the Bible, phone book, sports page. Everyone said, "Oh, he's a genius, you should have him tested!" I resisted that idea because I wouldn't have wanted him labeled if he was taking his time about it, either. While it was very odd I suspected it was just a fluke, some part of his brain that sparked early for some reason. I was right. Even though he could read (and did) unabridged Shakespeare in the second "grade" within a couple of years the phenomena faded and he has turned out to be highly creative and a deep thinker, but just a slightly above average student
ReplyDeleteFor all the money thrown into Head Start and other programs like it research shows that most of that effort is a waste as any early progress fades by the fourth or fifth grade.