Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums General Discussion Why does pre-school exist?

I've heard (from friends working in education) that you can really tell the difference between kids entering KG who've been to preschool vs. those who haven't (the ones who haven't being the kids who have more separation anxiety and other issues adjusting to KG).

My two only went to PS for 4 hours per week (2 x 2 hour sessions). This exposed them to a group of kids with adult leaders (ie students and teachers) as well as structure and rules. I think it helped them prepare for KG which was only half a day long when they started (now KG is a full 6 hours, which is a whole other can of worms... let's just say the school went through some growing pains re: curriculum adjustments and different end of year levels, etc.)

Anyway. I'm in the "preschool gets them ready for KG" camp.

I just think that, especially since school starts with Kindergarten and not 1st grade like elsewhere in the world (in many cases that is), kids shouldn't have to start school knowing how school works. They should learn all that once they start school. Plus the older they are the easier it is for them to understand how it all works. While DS4.9 is in preschool, I am in the "not really needed" camp.

Glitter.

I have heard that half day is K without the fun stuff. They do literacy and numbers, but no free play, no art, no recess, no science.

I just rechecked the curriculum in our district. There's pretty much everything including science, arts, PE, music but I don't believe there is recess and not sure about free play.

Lol! Yes.

We just did some fun classes like drama and dance. Worked on skills like poise and physical health and got in the listening to teacher, etc. it was still a tough adjustment to school (but we had a young sub at first!) but not worth changing what we did

It depends on the degree of parental choice involved in the decision. I'd say it falls somewhere between the following ends of a spectrum:

1. Where parents decide-- Daycare
2. Where preschool is legislated-- Indoctrination to conformity

Though I do like the "glitter" answer!

I didn't use preschool as daycare. As a SAHM I would have been crazy to pay someone to look after my kid for me when I could just as easily have had alone time on the weekends.

Have you ever sat through a whole preschool class? My god, but it's fun! You get to play on a playground, sing songs, play with paint in crazy new ways, have a different massive set of toys constantly (our mini pack of magna blocks is no competition with the preschool's and don't even get me started on their playmobil!), all with multiple friends. Compared to sitting at home with your mother and a crayon...

Our K is half day (9 AM - 11:30 AM). They have 30 minute specials (library, gym, art, music, computer lab, and PE) every day, with 2 (computer lab & library) on one day. They do have snack and recess every day, and also circle time. They manage to squeeze in some fun art projects, and one of my twins' classes even has one child do show and tell every day. The classes are extremely busy. My twins both knew how to read going into K, but the main thing that they spend time teaching in K here is reading and handwriting (mainly reading). Most kids do not start K knowing how to read more than a few words. They are expected to be able to read level 1 readers coming out of K, and to write simple sentences. They also teach a little math, and now at the end of the year have just started simple addition and subtraction, which is boring my twins to tears, as they want more difficult math.

I don't know many kids here who are not gifted who would have been ready for K without preschool, as they definitely don't have time built into the schedule to teach the kids how to act in school, sit still in circle time, or how to hold a pencil, etc.

Edited to add - one of my children has learned nothing in K - literally nothing at all, and at one point I was told it was fine that he was "maintaining his level." It is because of this attitude that we had to seek out the gifted program at our school. The other child benefited from working on handwriting, and flew through the reading levels at a very fast pace, but once they finished the handwriting curriculum, he hit a wall of frustration as it was apparently the only thing that he needed from the curriculum. He is also gifted, and we are working to create gifted IEPs that will make 1st grade better for both, and hopefully not so terribly boring.

Of course not.

You're all wrong. Preschool is about teaching children unquestioning obedience to authority.

And to desensitize mom and dad to all of the sugary junk that they'll be fed by schools and other parents for the next 7 or so years. Also to desensitize mom and dad to the fact that the SCHOOL is in charge; don't think that you, as a parent, have any say in what goes on there...

So expect that they'll be learning about letter sounds with marshmallows, about science with ice cream, soda and cookies, and about social skills with cupcakes and chocolate-dipped, nut-encrusted pretzels. Who can possibly celebrate children's literature without green-tinted breakfast foods??
Holidays are all about the proper sweets.
Math calls for m&m's and chocolate bars, doesn't it?

Smarties for test prep... better get them conditioned early for those all important test days!

And who can forget FOOD-based play clay?? Preschool wouldn't be the same without that...

I guess they should squeeze in a few things about obesity and anaphylaxis, but what do I know?

(Yes, I'm being snarky. I just had my fill during these years of being "waitlisted" once people found out that my child had-- no, really had-- life-threatening food allergies. Funny how OTHER parents were apparently much higher on those "waitlists" than us, even when they called to inquire months after we did...)



My MIL was appalled that we opted out of preschool. Even if we truly tried to do it right (as noted above) and were actually forced to reluctantly accept that our princess wasn't welcome at local preschools.

We clearly erred tremendously, by the way, as DD was too well prepared for school by the time kindergarten rolled around 2y down the line. She has an unfortunate and persistent habit of quietly ignoring dumb or dangerous directives from adults, too.

Fair warning, that. The moral is clear: if you don't want that to happen to you, better send junior to preschool. LOL.



Okay, okay. Serious answer. It's twofold.

Firstly, to learn the academic skills that entering Kindergarten students are now expected to possess-- namely some letter and number identification, colors, shapes, and such. Basically, "readiness" for phonics instruction and basic numeracy.

Secondly, to learn/master the soft skills for school: sitting on carpet squares, waiting your turn, sharing, listening and following directions, etc.

Some preschools also work on large and fine motor skills-- using writing implements, a paintbrush, scissors, hopping/jumping, climbing, etc.