Academics in Kindergarten

Re your Oct. 9 article on the first five days of kindergarten: I have also been teaching kindergarten for 30 years, and yes, it is drastically different than it used to be. With all the emphasis on academics and the state-adopted content standards for math and language (reading), rarely is kindergarten a place for children who have not turned 5.

Politicians and educators have been “discussing” (forever) changing the starting date for entry into kindergarten. Children who are not 5 by Sept. 1 should not be allowed to enter. There is just too much failure. They become the losers.

ANTOINETTE SMITH

Arcadia

*

What are we doing to our kids? Have we forgotten all the collectively accumulated knowledge about stages of child development? Have we now decided that we can change brain development and mandate when kids’ brains are ready to do what?

Learning can’t be mandated. Learning has to be enabled! Kids have to be developmentally ready to absorb what we want them to learn. And what is kindergarten if not a time to learn about learning--to feel loved and welcomed and cared about in a totally new environment. To build readiness about meanings of words and concepts and experiences and socialization. Not a time to build “wrongness.” You’re wrong if you can’t tie your shoes yet? You’re wrong if you don’t know what season or what month it is yet? You’re wrong if you haven’t mastered phonics and math yet? Please! Give these kids a break--at least for a little bit longer.

DOROTHY UNGERLEIDER

Founding President

Assn. of Educational Therapists

Encino