Starting school at kindergarten. One teacher for an age-graded classroom. Teacher-led learning: “Repeat after me.”
For nearly 100 years, these have been the traditions, routines, and expectations of American primary schools. Over that time, much has changed in children’s lives — there is now greater demographic diversity, to say nothing of the relentlessly changing technology, globalization, and growing recognition that education requires much more than rote learning — yet little has changed in how most children experience their crucial first years of schooling.
This status quo would be fine if children were thriving in these traditionally organized schools. But they are not, and, in fact, the opposite is true: a mere third of all American children are reading at proficient levels by the end of the third grade. Many students, especially those from low-income families, enter kindergarten with huge gaps in knowledge and experiences. From day one, many teachers I know struggle to individualize their instruction to tackle such a wide range of needs. They often feel they have no choice but to resort to mind-numbing routines that keep children under control. And so, nearly 100 years later, it is time for us to admit that we have constructed this American primary education system, and we can change it.
[For more of this story, written by Ruby Takanashi, go to https://psmag.com/get-educatio...f00aa6ab1#.y42u86iif]
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