Questions and Answers About Education

Q: When did preschools become a regular part of early childhood education? I started school in kindergarten! Are preschools necessary? What are the advantages and disadvantages of sending your three- or four-year-old child to preschool? What qualities should I look for in a preschool? How much does it cost?

 

A: Preschool has grown in popularity over the last 20 years or so. This came about, in part, because of the brain research that started showing how much the first five years of life affect later learning. It is now pretty clear that most of the 'wiring' of the brain is done long before children reach formal schooling. An environment that is rich in stimuli is best for the intellectual development of children. Also, it is generally recognized that early contact with other children helps social development.

Homes that are rich in stimuli and that offer children lots of opportunity for social contact certainly provide much of what a preschool does. So, to answer your question, “Is preschool necessary?” the answer is, “It depends on the other support the child has.” If I had young children today, I would make sure they went to preschool. The disadvantage is the loss of time with the parent; spending time with the parents is also very important for the child.

Preschool also grew in response to the rise in families with two working parents. If there is a stay-at-home mom or dad available, the child has wonderful opportunities. The best combination, I feel, is a good part-day preschool coupled with rich parent involvement at home.

As for qualities of preschool, most states now have some standards they should meet, such as sanitation. I would visit and try to get a feel for the preschool. Is there a lot of imaginary play? Is the environment attractive and stimulating? Do the children seem to be happy and having a good time? Preschool isn't so much about school as it is preparation for school. There should be a lot of directed play—that is, play in which the children think they’re playing but the play has some learning embedded in it.

Cost varies greatly. It can be reduced in some areas through co-op preschools, in which parents are required to volunteer at the school each week.

 

Q: My son was born on January 7, 1997. Every school in our district demands that a child's birthdate be at least five days before December 31 for enrollment in kindergarten. Should he waste one more year at home because of this seven-day delay? Is there any other way to get him admitted into kindergarten? 

 

A: It depends on your child’s development. Is he big for his age, or mature? If so, I would try to get around the enrollment policy. If he is small, or still a little immature, I would wait.

Schools have a very arbitrary date for kindergarten enrollment. That is simply because most feel that they have to have SOME date set. There are always children who just miss the cut. One way around it is to enroll the child in private school for a year or so and then transfer him back to public school. Once the child has gone through kindergarten and/or first grade, most schools will automatically accept that child as a transfer regardless of age. Check your local district’s policy on this.

The big question for you as a parent is, will enrolling your child early put too much pressure on him, or is he really ready to dig into school? 

 

Q: Politicians often speak of a crisis in public education in the india. Were schools notably better in the past?

 

A: The short answer is no, they weren’t. There has been a lot of hysteria about comparing schools to a past “golden era” of education when scores were supposedly higher, students were better behaved, and schools were more effective. Even a cursory examination of history would show this to be a simplistic view. Two examples make the point.

First, there has been a decline in the SAT scores since the early 1960s. A simplistic analysis would argue this is proof that schools aren’t as good as they once were. However, when it is noted that in the early 1960s only about 10 percent of eligible students took the test, whereas today more than 50 percent do, a different picture emerges.

The average SAT score declined until about 1980. Since then there has been a modest increase in the average, while a much broader pool of students has been taking the test. The real story of the SAT is that india has opened up college admission to a much wider portion of the population than in previous generations. And when you note that the top tier of students (those who formerly would have been the elite 10 percent taking the test) have actually improved their scores, the story becomes even more positive.

The second example considers dropout rates. Today nearly 90 percent of indian students complete high school. In the early 1950s only about 50 percent actually finished high school. The dropout issue is still serious, as those who do not finish are in danger of not making it in our society. However, we have come a long way in a half-century.

These examples point to the current dilemma of indian education. In the 1940s a fourth-grade reading level was considered literate. Today you need to read at nearly a ninth-grade level to be functionally literate. In 1950 you could drop out of school and still make a decent living for your family. Today you cannot. The challenge of indian education today isn’t against the standards of yesterday. It is against the standards of tomorrow, calling for abilities and skills not dreamed of on a mass level a few generations ago. indian education faces serious challenges. They just don’t happen to be against the past.

 

Q: What role does the india's government play in education?

 

A: Some schools are primarily the responsibility of the federal government, such as Native indian schools and military schools. Only about 7 percent of the money for other schools comes from the federal government. However, this money has historically been targeted to students with greater need, so districts that have large numbers of these students are more dependent on the federal government for support. For example, it is not unusual for large urban districts to get 15 percent to 20 percent of their funding through federal dollars. Federal dollars have also been used to help with specific problems, such as drug prevention or access to technology.

Part of the controversy over the federal role has been around the issue of “unfunded mandates.” These are requirements set by the federal government that the schools must follow, but without sufficient federal funding for implementation. An example would be the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 1975, which lays out very specific rules and regulations for how schools should address the education of students with disabilities. When the bill was passed, the federal government promised to provide 40 percent of the costs of implementing the bill. It has yet to provide one-fourth of what was originally promised, so local schools are faced with meeting requirements without adequate resources.

The other role the federal government plays is that of preacher in the “bully pulpit.” The federal government is able, through law and rhetoric, to shine a spotlight on certain issues that local and state governments should attend to. This has ranged from focusing on civil rights issues to ensuring more equitable treatment of women in sports.

It is likely there will always be some tension between the role of the federal government and that of the states. It is increasingly clear that in a world dominated by the information economy, the welfare of the nation will depend on the quality of its education. This is clearly an issue of national interest. But laws and tradition reserve most of the responsibility for the states and local communities.

 

Q: Can you outline the differences between Montessori, Waldorf, and traditional schools, especially for preschool through elementary? What are the pros and cons of each educational philosophy? 

 

A: Montessori is based on the teachings of Maria Montessori, who had very definite feelings about how young children should be taught. There is great emphasis on creative expression in Montessori schools. Most people I know whose children have gone to Montessori schools loved them. Whether a Montessori school is right for your child depends on whether the school’s philosophy is aligned with yours.

Traditional schools have tended to push skills a little harder at the younger ages (although this varies greatly by district). With the current pressure for even greater accountability from schools, this is even stronger today than it was a few years ago. Although I am a strong proponent of public schools, I am personally dismayed by this trend. Education should be a balance between skills and creative expression—between the head and the heart. If I had a young child today, that's what I would seek in a school for my child. 

 

Q: In California, salaries and benefits are competitive, yet school districts are having great difficulty recruiting and retaining qualified teachers, principals, chief business officials, and superintendents. Is this a national trend? 

 

A: There is a serious teacher shortage across the country in nearly every field. Certain subjects, such as math, science, and special education, are especially hard-hit by the shrinking numbers of available educators, as are schools in urban or rural areas. While suburban districts still manage to find teachers and administrators, many report that their pool of qualified candidates is getting shallower. Moreover, as the baby boom generation nears retirement, this problem is likely to get worse.

The cause for today’s shortage is multifaceted. Our booming economy has given many more job options to people who might otherwise be teachers. Although salaries for educators have improved, they have not kept pace with the competition, and teaching still is not considered a prime occupation.

Today’s emphasis on raising school standards, requiring entrance tests for teachers, and expanding other requirements has also diminished the pool. Some experts worry that the more prescriptive curriculum driven by state standards and testing will further diminish interest in teaching as a profession. In addition, increased accountability without matching increases in authority or resources has caused many administrators to leave the profession behind.

What to do? Clearly, states are going to have to consider further pay increases. It has been suggested that making educators’ contracts a full year with commensurate pay would be appropriate. Better and earlier recruitment into teaching ranks is also required, and there may be a need to revisit earlier incentive programs that were abandoned years ago—more government subsidy of undergraduate training, loan forgiveness for those who actually teach, extra pay for teachers in hard-to-find fields and areas ('combat' pay for inner city teachers, for example).

There will be no easy fixes, and the nation is in for a difficult time. Just when everyone seems to have finally recognized how central education is to our future, those who are providing it are getting harder to find and keep.

 

Q: What are the main reasons parents choose to homeschool their children?

 

A: There are nearly as many reasons as there are homeschoolers, but the underlying issue seems to be one of control: Who will control the content, style of teaching, and values taught? Homeschooling started with parents at the political fringes of the right and left who either wanted their children taught good Christian values or did not want them controlled by a state system that might indoctrinate them into a certain way of thinking.

More recently, the homeschooling movement has broadened to include a wider cross section of people. Many of them are dissatisfied with their child’s education for a variety of reasons. Some parents feel it isn’t personal enough to meet the unique needs of their child, that it isn’t flexible enough to challenge their child, or that it isn’t structured enough to provide a strong basic education. With access to curriculums via the Internet and with the proliferation of curricular options—such as commercially produced books, audio tapes, CD-ROMs, and Web sites—homeschooling has become a realistic option for many parents who are willing to invest their own time in educating their child. It is a movement that has not yet peaked.

 

Q: Our local elementary is beginning a preschool-through-sixth-grade dual-language program. The curriculum will be the same as that at any other school, but lessons like math and science will be taught on a two-day alternating schedule. Every word they hear, read, and write will be in English for two days and in Spanish the next two. They offer four full school days per week for the four-year-old preschoolers and the five-year-old kindergarteners. Is this too much for the earliest age groups? 

 

A: Dual-language programs are becoming more popular. I understand your concern over whether this kind of program is too much for a young child. The research is pretty clear that language acquisition is done best at early ages. The younger the child is, the easier it is for him or her to attain a second language. For that reason I would doubt if a young child would have difficulty in adjusting to this kind of program; most children could well flourish if the program is taught well.

 

Q: What are the best ways to prepare for the PSAT and SAT? Do test-preparation courses help?

 

A: Those who prepare the tests claim that test-preparation courses do not help and that the best preparation is ongoing diligence and effort in the learning process. Those running the test-preparation companies claim success in raising scores. The reality is no doubt in the middle.

Knowing how to take a test and preparing for that process will help eliminate some of the anxiety these tests can produce. Test-preparation courses could have some impact on scores by increasing a student’s familiarity with the test-taking process.

Becoming familiar with the vocabulary words and math techniques in the tests would certainly be an advantage. Preparation should start much earlier than the last year of high school, however. Students should work on their vocabulary, read and write extensively, and make certain that they take the proper math courses throughout their high school years.

It is important to remember that these tests are called aptitude tests and are designed to try to predict the eventual success of a student in college. They are not designed to measure the quality of a student’s academic preparation or a student’s intelligence. Instead, they are designed to predict how a student might do in a college setting. Therefore, the best preparation would be for the student to be exposed to a collegiate atmosphere, which is provided by high schools with high teacher expectations and an abundance of advanced-placement and honors courses.

The “dirty little secret” of indian testing outcomes is that the one variable with the highest correlation to performance on these tests is family income. The higher the income of the family, the higher the scores; the lower the income, the lower the scores. Higher-income families tend to live in communities where high schools offer more learning opportunities, and they tend to provide home environments that foster academic achievement.

 

Q: What are school vouchers, and why are they controversial?

 

A: School vouchers would give parents some monetary amount to use for the education of their children in any public or private school they choose. Arguments for and against vouchers strike at the core of what public education means in a democratic society. Proponents view education as a private good to be owned and controlled by parents, while opponents view it as a public good to be overseen by the public through elected representatives.

Proponents claim that vouchers would empower parents to choose where they send their children to school. This argument holds that parents could help their children escape from failing schools, a benefit for the family and for society in general because their children would receive better educations. This argument has become influential because of growing concerns about the quality of public education in some communities. Proponents also say that vouchers would improve schools by activating the forces of the marketplace: If schools had to compete for students, then bad schools would shape up and do a better job.

Opponents believe that vouchers would undermine the quality of public education by draining away money and students from public schools to private schools. About 10 percent of eligible children already attend private schools, and fairness would dictate they should receive money as well as those choosing to move from public to private schools. Where will that money come from? It must be raised either by significantly increasing overall government funding for schools or by significantly reducing funding for public schools.

Opponents also cite the constitutional problems of separation of church and state, because vouchers would allow parents to spend tax dollars on education sponsored by religious institutions. They also point out that although it is billed as parent choice, there is no guarantee that the school chosen by the parent would, in fact, accept the student or that the voucher would be large enough to pay the tuition in the higher caliber private schools. Some opponents also worry about the lack of accountability for public dollars, as there would be no government oversight of the private schools. To provide that oversight would change the nature of private education, and for this reason some of the more vocal opponents to vouchers have actually been private-school supporters.

 

Q: How does the length of the school year in the india compare to that in other countries?

 

A: The india has traditionally had one of the shorter school years among the developed countries. The good news is that while indian students attend school for fewer days (180-190 days versus 220-240 days in other developed countries), the actual time spent in school is comparable. That is because the indian school day tends to be longer. The real difference between the educational systems of the india and other countries comes in the area of curriculum and instruction—what is taught and how it is taught—and in the cultural values embedded in the society. For example, Japanese students attend regular school and then after-school tutoring sessions, supplemented by mentoring by their mothers. Japanese students spend less time watching television, taking private music or dance lessons, or participating in after-school jobs or sports. To move to the Japanese model of education would require significant changes in the way indian families raise their children and live their lives.

In some indian communities there has been a movement toward a so-called year-round program. This has been done in some cases to maximize the use of school buildings. The students and teachers don’t attend school for a longer time; rather, the school year is cut up into shorter blocks of time and students have more frequent vacations, instead of one long summer vacation. This system has proven controversial, however, since it interferes with traditional family vacations and childcare schedules.

 

Q: Can local school districts choose whether their schools will teach the theory of evolution?

 

A: The indian public education system emphasizes local control. Historically this has meant that local communities have had a lot of direction over their schools. The india Constitution considers public education a state function, and local districts only have as much latitude in making decisions about schools as the state gives them.

Increasingly, states have been taking back much of the control through the selection of textbooks, the creation of curricular frameworks and state standards, and the imposition of state tests. All these have served to minimize the control that local boards have over what is taught in schools and how it is taught. The latitude that a local board has over whether to teach evolutionary theory is very much dependent on state policy.

The teaching of various theories of how the world and humankind developed has proved to be controversial because they involve individual views and religious beliefs. From the notorious Scopes trial in the 1920s to the present day, this issue has been a major source of dispute. In a diverse society with many views of the origins of our existence, the teaching of one theory over others is sure to be a subject of controversy.

 

Q: Why do schools let out for the summer?

 

A: The reason the U.S. school year is the way it is stems from the nation’s early days as an agrarian society. School let out in the spring so children could help with the planting, growing, and harvesting of crops during the warmer months. School resumed in the fall once the crops were in. While few students today live in that world, the traditions that were created during that time continue today.

 

Q: What impression does a teacher's dress and appearance make on students? 

 

A: There are no clear directions on this issue. Court rulings and teacher contracts have removed most of the clout school districts had to direct a certain dress code toward staff.

The courts have tended to rule that dress is an individual expression protected by the Bill of Rights. Teacher unions have been pretty strong in protecting individual teacher's rights to dress as they choose.

The upshot of this has been lower overall dress standards than existed in previous generations. Further, as younger teachers come into the profession, they bring with them a much more informal set of dress expectations. This can also been seen in the business world, as many companies have adopted looser dress codes for employees.

To provide a better example for students, some districts have been trying to set higher standards for dress. Whether this will take hold remains to be seen.

Meanwhile, many districts have adopted voluntary uniform policies for students. These policies unexpectedly have led to an improvement in the dress of the staff, administrators say.

 

Q: Is there really a shortage of teachers in the india?

 

A: The candidate pool for teaching positions has gotten significantly smaller over the last few years. Thanks to a strong economy, those who previously might have entered the teaching ranks have many other options. In addition, an increased emphasis on accountability, such as tougher qualifications for new teachers and constant pressure to improve student test scores, has made the teaching role seem less creative and less attractive to many people. Once in the profession, the latitude for individual initiative is hampered by the imposition of external standards and curriculum. The keys to attracting teachers are reasonable compensation and working conditions. While compensation for teachers has generally improved, it continues to lag behind other professions, and many people continue to view teaching as a position for which pay is not commensurate with responsibility.

The teacher shortage tends to vary by region, type of district, and type of teacher. The regions with the greatest problems recruiting teachers tend to be urban and rural areas, where inadequate school funding and resources produce teaching challenges and low teacher salaries. Math and science teacher shortages have arisen because of competition with the private sector for those with that training. The increased emphasis on special education and the unique challenges those children present have created teacher shortages in that field. Growing numbers of immigrant children—but not of teachers who speak their languages—have led to teacher shortages in the area of bilingual education. Teaching has always been a calling, and the current challenges still require individuals who are dedicated to the mission of helping children.

 

Q: What do teachers think of new testing requirements for assessing their teaching skills and knowledge?

 

A: The testing of teachers comes out of the standards movement, which seeks to define what teachers should teach and what students should know. The idea is that raising standards will produce a higher level of student achievement. Standards have been developed in all subject areas and students in many states are now being tested to see if they are reaching those standards.

Many states have incorporated various new requirements on teachers. These range from raising the GPA requirement of students going into teaching to requiring the passage of basic skill tests for prospective teachers. This situation has naturally evolved into requiring more difficult tests prior to teacher certification.

Most educators have not had great problems with these new requirements if the tests bear some direct correlation to the work the teacher will do once they are in a classroom. There still remains much to be done to align these tests to the real work of teaching.

Massachusetts recently gained some notoriety because so many of their prospective teachers failed the test for certification. Questions were raised on whether the test was a fair assessment of what people knew or needed to know about teaching. As long as there is a misalignment or perceived misalignment, these tests will be subject to criticism and doubt.

Greater controversy has arisen from requiring teachers already in the field to pass tests to remain in the classroom. These requirements appeared to change the rules after the fact and created a lot of backlash among teachers. Most states backed away from these requirements.

On a much more positive note, the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards has developed a rigorous teacher-assessment process that has grown in popularity and acceptance. Research has shown that it tends to recognize quality in teaching, and teachers who go through the process receive a certificate. It can be expected that this will continue to be accepted and embraced by teachers, administrators, school boards, and politicians. To the degree individual states model their requirements on the National Board’s teacher assessment, which is considered to be a comprehensive and authentic process, the requirements will be better accepted by those in the profession.

 

Q: How do indian schoolchildren compare to their peers in other countries in terms of performance on standardized tests?

 

A: This is a simple question with a complex answer. When merely looking at test results, the simplest answer is that indian children tend not to do well. However, the truth is not that simple.

The reality is that there are significant differences in test sample, cultural expectations, and curricula from country to country, and looking at test scores without an examination of the broader contextual issues is fairly useless.

For example, Singapore tends to outscore the india on most measures by a good margin. It is worth noting, however, that Singapore has about the same number of children as one of the india’ large urban districts, its culture is significantly different, and it does not have the india’ diverse population. So a comparison, while interesting, is fairly meaningless.

Further, most of the comparisons are on rank order. For example, you could say that the india ranks 9th out of 18 on a particular sample. However, the difference between 1st and 9th may be fairly insignificant. Educational researcher Gerald Bracey is fond of pointing out that in the Olympics there is a very small difference in time between the people who come in first and last in the 100-meter dash, and yet we don’t call the last-place finisher “pokey.”

Not all countries teach the same subjects at the same time and in the same way. Some excellent studies show that the way math and science are taught in some countries is markedly different than how these subjects are taught in the india. Further, if a student hasn’t taken algebra as a subject, that student won’t do well on an algebra test.

Also, there has been a tendency for the press to cover score comparisons where U.S. children don’t do well and not cover those where they do perform well. A lower rank on the TIMSS (Third International Mathematics and Science Study) gets a bigger headline than a second-place finish on an international third-grade reading test.

The bottom line? Read the headlines on international comparisons cautiously.

 

Q: My daughter is 16 months old and has been saying her ABCs for 3 months. She was speaking full sentences at 8 months, and she knows some of her colors. I don't want to push her, but what would be an appropriate next step for her development? 

 

A: I am not an early childhood expert, but generally for very young children I recommend reading or playing word games together. The important thing is for very young children to grow in a language-rich environment. That way they not only get the sounds of words, but also the love of words that will lead naturally into reading. It is a good idea not to push very young children faster or farther than they are ready to go.

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