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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote]
The studies indicate the opposite - children who are allowed to play are creative thinkers, better prepared to learn, less anxious, and they do a better job navigating socially with peers. Play isn't pointless - it teaches children to create, solve problems, defend oneself, speak up, resolve personal differences, learn normative rules, listen and respect rules. As we strip that away, we are stripping away children's ability to learn and grow and cope. It can't be taught in a classroom lesson. [/quote]

+1000

Plus, in the past, American kids did not learn to read until first grade for the most part.  Reading early does not indicate that you will be a better reader by fourth grade.  (Of course, there have always been those who "picked" up reading early.  But that is a long way from the kids who are being "taught" to read at four.

We need to back off.  Most European countries still wait to teach reading until six or seven.

I taught first grade.  The PP above is correct.  There is nothing sadder than a child who can call out words but is not able to tell you what he just read.  
I also taught K before the big push to teach reading.  Most of my kids could read some by the end of the year.  But, the thing that probably benefited them the most were the creative and critical thinking skills developed by the other experiences.  For example, we had the most wonderful large blocks.  At the beginning of the year the kids would sit in their group and build towers.  By the end of the year, they were constructing cities together.  What did they learn?  Teamwork--and, hopefully, a little physics.  They learned to solve problems and many other things.  The kids also painted in my class.  We taught them how to set up the painting center-put newspaper under the easels and wash up the area when they were finished.  That translates to a good work ethic, following basic directions, and consideration for others.  
These are just a couple of examples that kids are not getting in Kindergarten today.  Sad.  
 
[/quote]

This is what kids do in preschool.  So, basically if you were the teacher and kids have mastered these skills and reading, it would be a holding cell for those kids as teachers are too lazy to teach where the kids are at and based on what they need vs. a teacher's agenda. Its far easier on a teacher to let kids play than it is to teach them to read.[/quote]

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