In a community near us is a kindergarten for four-year-olds that has attracted quite a few compliments. There are enough four-year-olds to warrant two teachers, and the community was lucky enough to attract two well-qualified individuals. Both teachers also have that enviable talent for establishing rapport with four-year-olds.
The community specified two somewhat overlapping but different curricula for the two classes. The intent, it appears, is to address as wide a range of needs as these first time students might need. A novel technique, established to assign the children to one or the other class, has also had its share of positive press.
On the first day of school, all the four-year-olds are assembled in one room. Each of the teachers makes an introductory presentation, describing the environment and curriculum of each class. Ms. Jones, the senior teacher, emphasizes the growing and learning aspects of her class. She covers the major expectations for each student: learning the Arabic numerals, learning the English alphabet, recognizing colors and knowing their names, and so forth. She closes with the overall goal: students fully prepared to enter five-year-old kindergarten next year.
Mr. Smith, the more junior teacher, then presents a picture of his class. He describes a relaxed, low stress environment designed to help these new students fit in and feel good about school. He emphasizes that a selection of candy will be available at all times, a very large variety of toys will be provided, and within narrow limits the children can make their own decisions on what they want to do. He summarizes the class year in terms of the fun the children will have.
At this point these first-time students are presented with their first election: each is allowed to select the class of his or her choice. Following the election the two kindergarten classes are begun, each in its own facility. As might be expected, more children opt for fun and games and candy than for academics. But it all seems to work out in the long run.
A notable absence of complaints, from parents and teachers alike, indicates some level of satisfaction. It is believed that the teachers union is also well pleased. In fact, only one minor annoyance has been pointed out.
In the period that this kindergarten for four-year-olds has been offered, neither Ms. Jones nor Mr. Smith has actually ever been able to teach. Ms. Jones has yet to have enough children choose her class to reach the minimum class size. Therefore her students have been folded into Mr. Smith’s class. Because Mr. Smith’s class would then be over the allowable student / teacher ratio, Ms. Jones is assigned to be Mr. Smith’s teaching assistant, with the pair working as a team.
Mr. Smith, the resultant “head kindergarten teacher”, has also not been able to teach because his curriculum effectively precludes teaching. A few cynics have reportedly snickered that the class doesn’t have team teaching, but team babysitting. However, this negativity has yet to percolate up to widespread levels.
Life goes on, and this kindergarten continues to attract positive media attention from time to time. So far no media commentator has asked about objective measures of effectiveness or what the five-year-old kindergarten teachers think about it. The attitude of the media seems to be that this is the way the kindergarten should have been run all along, and it champions the expansion of this winning strategy to the next grade level.
So long as the public passively accepts this kindergarten strategy, it most likely will be expanded to the whole school.
Tags: accountability, caveat emptor, collectivism, gullibility, responsibility
