Empowered by Play » “Kindergarten Cram” http://www.empoweredbyplay.org Helping families and teachers protect and promote imaginative play in our way-too-busy, consumer-driven, media-filled world. Fri, 13 Jan 2012 17:26:35 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 What do we want? Free play! When do we want it? Now! http://www.empoweredbyplay.org/2009/05/what-do-we-want-free-play-when-do-we-want-it-now-2/ http://www.empoweredbyplay.org/2009/05/what-do-we-want-free-play-when-do-we-want-it-now-2/#comments Sat, 09 May 2009 14:51:00 +0000 Geralyn http://www.empoweredbyplay.com/2009/05/what-do-we-want-free-play-when-do-we-want-it-now-2/ I’ve been thinking about a mom I know whose oldest child (now in second grade) had a terrible time in kindergarten. The child came home from school everyday miserable and stressed. Eventually, her mom realized that the academic focus of the class was not a good match for her child. There were “tons and tons [...]]]> I’ve been thinking about a mom I know whose oldest child (now in second grade) had a terrible time in kindergarten. The child came home from school everyday miserable and stressed. Eventually, her mom realized that the academic focus of the class was not a good match for her child. There were “tons and tons of worksheets” and a huge “star chart” that indicated each child’s proficiency at learning sight words. Some students had three or four stars, other students had row of stars that stretched clear across to the other side of the room. Two years later, her child is a reluctant reader.

This family is not alone, as reported by the Alliance for Childhood’s recent release, The Crisis in the Kindergarten: A Report on the Disappearance of Play. http://www.allianceforchildhood.org/ The report includes research revealing kindergartners in New York and Los Angeles are spending two or three hours being tested or instructed in literacy and math each day, and less than 30 minutes at “free play”. Some kindergartners get no time at all for play during the school day! It’s doubly bad news for young children because what they need most of all, play, has been replaced with ill-advised instruction that is simply inappropriate for such young children.

The Alliance for Childhood’s report is getting mainstream attention, such as the New York Times Magazine story Kindergarten Cram by Peggy Orenstein published May 3, 2009. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/03/magazine/03wwln-lede-t.html?scp=1&sq=Kindergarten%20Cram&st=cse
Check it out. If you have a young child who is struggling, or are getting ready to send your child to kindergarten, you can use this story to jump start a conversation with your child’s teacher or principal. My twin boys start kindergarten in the fall, and that’s what I plan to do!

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