Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Isn't the damage already done by pre-k? That's Hart and Ridley study concluded that the lack of early vocabulary in children was never made up later on. Haven't they studied Head Start and found that the initial gains wear off when students hit the wall halfway through ES? They have little background knowledge of anything so once they learn how to read, they can't comprehend what they are reading.

This. I work with impoverished 0-5 year olds and the “achievement gap” shows up much, much earlier than pre-k, sadly.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No. There have been recent studies that show any gains made from Head Start type programs are lost by Middle School.

Also, MCPS can barely educate the kids it already has. There is not enough money for the students already IN the system. How will they pay for additional kids? Where will they put all the 4 year olds?

Not a good idea.

There have also been recent studies that show that high-quality pre-K has a lasting positive effect.

Anonymous wrote:Isn't the damage already done by pre-k? That's Hart and Ridley study concluded that the lack of early vocabulary in children was never made up later on. Haven't they studied Head Start and found that the initial gains wear off when students hit the wall halfway through ES? They have little background knowledge of anything so once they learn how to read, they can't comprehend what they are reading.

Anonymous wrote:Isn't the damage already done by pre-k? That's Hart and Ridley study concluded that the lack of early vocabulary in children was never made up later on. Haven't they studied Head Start and found that the initial gains wear off when students hit the wall halfway through ES? They have little background knowledge of anything so once they learn how to read, they can't comprehend what they are reading.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I work in a school in North MoCo where we have Pre-K. The majority of the students go to our Kindergarten and the data is pretty shocking. It's not good. A few come in knowing their numbers and letters but not many. Pre-K is only about 3 hours a day. The morning class eats breakfast, has a little bit of academic time, goes to specials, plays outside and then eats lunch and goes home. The afternoon class comes in, eats lunch, has a little bit of academic time, goes to specials, plays outside and packs up to go home.

Is it better than nothing? Sure, I guess. But I don't see the kids who had Pre-K coming into K with any huge advantage over the kids who didn't have Pre-K, especially since absences aren't counted in Pre-K and parents get in bad habits of arriving late and keeping their kids home whenever they feel like it and then act very surprised when those same habits have consequences the next year.

Thank you for an insightful observation. So Pre-K exists but just doesn't do anything... I guess I was comparing it to my DD's Montessori half day Pre-K - I am completely out of touch.

I work at a focus school. Many of the preschool teachers hate the Big Day curriculum because it's too fast paced for their students.

"Big Day" is what is followed during the "little bit of academic time"?

Yes

Curious to hear more about why it's inappropriate? It seems to be a research-proven program in kids in the New Haven school system. Are MCPS students different in some way? Is the program administered differently? Is the academic time too short?

As a parent who moved to MCPS from DCPS, I think it's important to look at the DCPS experience in terms of offering free preK4 and preK3. IMO, that shift contributed significantly to young parents staying in DC for "free daycare" and once they had committed to the neighborhood, had a decent school experience and kids made friends at school, parents were inclined to stay.

As a parent, even though I am from MoCo, I am NOT happy to have moved back in terms of style of living in the community (too suburban, too car driven). I was not happy to have to pay for preK4. I moved back to MCPS solely for the educational opportunities for my kids (both gifted opportunities and SN support) at a time when these programs were not available in DCPS.

I think MCPS could really benefit economically from free, universal preK3 and preK4 that is all day. Many wealthy parents would still use private nursery schools, but many lower and middle class families would use public. It would really help women go back to work or stay at work, which would be good economically for the county. It also might allow middle class families redirect income to consumption or buying a home, which would also be better for MoCo. Lower class families would have educational opportunity they might not otherwise have, better work opportunities for low SES moms, etc.

That is insanity. How much do you think universal, free preK3 and preK4 would cost?? Plus, full day? Because that's what kids need - to be institutionalized even earlier.

Any K teacher in the county will tell you that the K day is TOO LONG already. And, those kids are 5. An academic full day program for 3 year olds? No thanks.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I work in a school in North MoCo where we have Pre-K. The majority of the students go to our Kindergarten and the data is pretty shocking. It's not good. A few come in knowing their numbers and letters but not many. Pre-K is only about 3 hours a day. The morning class eats breakfast, has a little bit of academic time, goes to specials, plays outside and then eats lunch and goes home. The afternoon class comes in, eats lunch, has a little bit of academic time, goes to specials, plays outside and packs up to go home.

Is it better than nothing? Sure, I guess. But I don't see the kids who had Pre-K coming into K with any huge advantage over the kids who didn't have Pre-K, especially since absences aren't counted in Pre-K and parents get in bad habits of arriving late and keeping their kids home whenever they feel like it and then act very surprised when those same habits have consequences the next year.

Thank you for an insightful observation. So Pre-K exists but just doesn't do anything... I guess I was comparing it to my DD's Montessori half day Pre-K - I am completely out of touch.

I work at a focus school. Many of the preschool teachers hate the Big Day curriculum because it's too fast paced for their students.

"Big Day" is what is followed during the "little bit of academic time"?

Yes

Curious to hear more about why it's inappropriate? It seems to be a research-proven program in kids in the New Haven school system. Are MCPS students different in some way? Is the program administered differently? Is the academic time too short?

As a parent who moved to MCPS from DCPS, I think it's important to look at the DCPS experience in terms of offering free preK4 and preK3. IMO, that shift contributed significantly to young parents staying in DC for "free daycare" and once they had committed to the neighborhood, had a decent school experience and kids made friends at school, parents were inclined to stay.

As a parent, even though I am from MoCo, I am NOT happy to have moved back in terms of style of living in the community (too suburban, too car driven). I was not happy to have to pay for preK4. I moved back to MCPS solely for the educational opportunities for my kids (both gifted opportunities and SN support) at a time when these programs were not available in DCPS.

I think MCPS could really benefit economically from free, universal preK3 and preK4 that is all day. Many wealthy parents would still use private nursery schools, but many lower and middle class families would use public. It would really help women go back to work or stay at work, which would be good economically for the county. It also might allow middle class families redirect income to consumption or buying a home, which would also be better for MoCo. Lower class families would have educational opportunity they might not otherwise have, better work opportunities for low SES moms, etc.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I work in a school in North MoCo where we have Pre-K. The majority of the students go to our Kindergarten and the data is pretty shocking. It's not good. A few come in knowing their numbers and letters but not many. Pre-K is only about 3 hours a day. The morning class eats breakfast, has a little bit of academic time, goes to specials, plays outside and then eats lunch and goes home. The afternoon class comes in, eats lunch, has a little bit of academic time, goes to specials, plays outside and packs up to go home.

Is it better than nothing? Sure, I guess. But I don't see the kids who had Pre-K coming into K with any huge advantage over the kids who didn't have Pre-K, especially since absences aren't counted in Pre-K and parents get in bad habits of arriving late and keeping their kids home whenever they feel like it and then act very surprised when those same habits have consequences the next year.

Thank you for an insightful observation. So Pre-K exists but just doesn't do anything... I guess I was comparing it to my DD's Montessori half day Pre-K - I am completely out of touch.

I work at a focus school. Many of the preschool teachers hate the Big Day curriculum because it's too fast paced for their students.

"Big Day" is what is followed during the "little bit of academic time"?

Yes

Curious to hear more about why it's inappropriate? It seems to be a research-proven program in kids in the New Haven school system. Are MCPS students different in some way? Is the program administered differently? Is the academic time too short?

As a parent who moved to MCPS from DCPS, I think it's important to look at the DCPS experience in terms of offering free preK4 and preK3. IMO, that shift contributed significantly to young parents staying in DC for "free daycare" and once they had committed to the neighborhood, had a decent school experience and kids made friends at school, parents were inclined to stay.

As a parent, even though I am from MoCo, I am NOT happy to have moved back in terms of style of living in the community (too suburban, too car driven). I was not happy to have to pay for preK4. I moved back to MCPS solely for the educational opportunities for my kids (both gifted opportunities and SN support) at a time when these programs were not available in DCPS.

I think MCPS could really benefit economically from free, universal preK3 and preK4 that is all day. Many wealthy parents would still use private nursery schools, but many lower and middle class families would use public. It would really help women go back to work or stay at work, which would be good economically for the county. It also might allow middle class families redirect income to consumption or buying a home, which would also be better for MoCo. Lower class families would have educational opportunity they might not otherwise have, better work opportunities for low SES moms, etc.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I work in a school in North MoCo where we have Pre-K. The majority of the students go to our Kindergarten and the data is pretty shocking. It's not good. A few come in knowing their numbers and letters but not many. Pre-K is only about 3 hours a day. The morning class eats breakfast, has a little bit of academic time, goes to specials, plays outside and then eats lunch and goes home. The afternoon class comes in, eats lunch, has a little bit of academic time, goes to specials, plays outside and packs up to go home.

Is it better than nothing? Sure, I guess. But I don't see the kids who had Pre-K coming into K with any huge advantage over the kids who didn't have Pre-K, especially since absences aren't counted in Pre-K and parents get in bad habits of arriving late and keeping their kids home whenever they feel like it and then act very surprised when those same habits have consequences the next year.

Thank you for an insightful observation. So Pre-K exists but just doesn't do anything... I guess I was comparing it to my DD's Montessori half day Pre-K - I am completely out of touch.

I work at a focus school. Many of the preschool teachers hate the Big Day curriculum because it's too fast paced for their students.

"Big Day" is what is followed during the "little bit of academic time"?

Yes

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I work in a school in North MoCo where we have Pre-K. The majority of the students go to our Kindergarten and the data is pretty shocking. It's not good. A few come in knowing their numbers and letters but not many. Pre-K is only about 3 hours a day. The morning class eats breakfast, has a little bit of academic time, goes to specials, plays outside and then eats lunch and goes home. The afternoon class comes in, eats lunch, has a little bit of academic time, goes to specials, plays outside and packs up to go home.

Is it better than nothing? Sure, I guess. But I don't see the kids who had Pre-K coming into K with any huge advantage over the kids who didn't have Pre-K, especially since absences aren't counted in Pre-K and parents get in bad habits of arriving late and keeping their kids home whenever they feel like it and then act very surprised when those same habits have consequences the next year.

Thank you for an insightful observation. So Pre-K exists but just doesn't do anything... I guess I was comparing it to my DD's Montessori half day Pre-K - I am completely out of touch.

I work at a focus school. Many of the preschool teachers hate the Big Day curriculum because it's too fast paced for their students.

"Big Day" is what is followed during the "little bit of academic time"?

Anonymous wrote:I think its interesting how many people here bash immigrants and spanish speaking families. Most of our relatives were immigrants at one point. Many forget that.

I also find it interesting on here how many people push play based preschools with no academics and they are the same ones complaining about the other kids being behind when their kids are equally behind if they don't know the basics and are pre-reading or reading before going to K.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I work in a school in North MoCo where we have Pre-K. The majority of the students go to our Kindergarten and the data is pretty shocking. It's not good. A few come in knowing their numbers and letters but not many. Pre-K is only about 3 hours a day. The morning class eats breakfast, has a little bit of academic time, goes to specials, plays outside and then eats lunch and goes home. The afternoon class comes in, eats lunch, has a little bit of academic time, goes to specials, plays outside and packs up to go home.

Is it better than nothing? Sure, I guess. But I don't see the kids who had Pre-K coming into K with any huge advantage over the kids who didn't have Pre-K, especially since absences aren't counted in Pre-K and parents get in bad habits of arriving late and keeping their kids home whenever they feel like it and then act very surprised when those same habits have consequences the next year.

Thank you for an insightful observation. So Pre-K exists but just doesn't do anything... I guess I was comparing it to my DD's Montessori half day Pre-K - I am completely out of touch.

I work at a focus school. Many of the preschool teachers hate the Big Day curriculum because it's too fast paced for their students.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I work in a school in North MoCo where we have Pre-K. The majority of the students go to our Kindergarten and the data is pretty shocking. It's not good. A few come in knowing their numbers and letters but not many. Pre-K is only about 3 hours a day. The morning class eats breakfast, has a little bit of academic time, goes to specials, plays outside and then eats lunch and goes home. The afternoon class comes in, eats lunch, has a little bit of academic time, goes to specials, plays outside and packs up to go home.

Is it better than nothing? Sure, I guess. But I don't see the kids who had Pre-K coming into K with any huge advantage over the kids who didn't have Pre-K, especially since absences aren't counted in Pre-K and parents get in bad habits of arriving late and keeping their kids home whenever they feel like it and then act very surprised when those same habits have consequences the next year.

Thank you for an insightful observation. So Pre-K exists but just doesn't do anything... I guess I was comparing it to my DD's Montessori half day Pre-K - I am completely out of touch.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:[/b]I think its interesting how many people here bash immigrants and spanish speaking families. Most of our relatives were immigrants at one point. Many forget that. [b]

I also find it interesting on here how many people push play based preschools with no academics and they are the same ones complaining about the other kids being behind when their kids are equally behind if they don't know the basics and are pre-reading or reading before going to K.

Yes, you’re right. And I’m going to guess that when most of our relatives immigrated here there was no free breakfast and lunch, no universal PreK, no “kindergarten readiness programs” or free school supplies or anything like that. Parents were just expected to you know, do their job.