Posted on 11/03/2015 3:15:12 AM PST by Maceman
Kindergarten kids showing up without the capacity to draw.
We’re dooooomed.
Nothing like good old fashioned playing to develop motor skills - the more we protect our kids from the chance of getting a boo-boo, the more we atrophy their lifelong survival skills.
Kids are not playing as much. Everything is so damned structure.
Weird.
I went to school in the 80s and answered the first question.
Then again, I went to elementary in a mostly rural area in conservative west Michigan, so there was no social promotion.
Last year an episode of “Doctor Who” did a bit based on that. The doctors companion was a history teacher who was dating a math teacher at her school. They did a little bit about “find X” with the students and a girl said it’s right there at the top, can’t you see it?
LOL
CC
Math wasn’t my strong point but I agree that the rural schools were considerably better here in MI into the 80s.
It isn’t just kindergartners not being able to draw:
Students Not Ready for College
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/education-july-dec05-sat_8-30/
yes....when I was young all I heard was “get out of the house”, winter, summer, go and play outside, and we did, went swimming in the summer, ice skating in the winter, never a dull moment...
I’m teaching high school this year, and I have 9th graders who can’t seem to cut decently with scissors, or draw a straight line. I am concerned.
Not ready for college, I’ll buy.
But kindergarten is a stretch.
Electronics and common core and “making everything safe” are ruining our kids.
You just described my 11th grade American Lit class. And they aren't even "ghetto," they're in what is considered a relatively decent, stable neighborhood in L.A. It's entirely Hispanic, but it's not ghetto. But yes, they behave the same way. I say, "Take out your composition book and open to the next blank page of your notes, we're going to take some notes summarizing what we've read so far." And more than half of them just sit there. You have to make eye contact, say their name, repeat, insist, ask, say please, say hurry, say let's go, say I'm waiting for you, Josue! It takes 5-10 minutes each time.
They honestly don't think they should have to do anything. Everything should just be given to them. They are gradually making me despise them to the very depths of my being. I'm hoping to maintain a pleasant demeanor for 5 and a half more years and retire without letting them know what I really think.
That of course was an exaggeration of the problem that does exist.
My youngest was born at 35 weeks, after having the water break at 15 weeks.
We have had a battery of testing to make sure Little Bear is ok. She just had a check up yesterday. The only concern? She doesn’t color. My wife told the doctor that the last time we gave a one year old crayons, she tried to color the dog (and he let her!), so that one is on us.
Little Bear will throw a ball, put shapes into slots, and loves legos. All things the occupational therapist told us she shouldn’t be able to do till age 3 or so because of the stressful pregnancy.
I think the difference is we work with her, and don’t just let her lay on the floor watching TV. Same with he older sister, though they did say she had “Fine motor issues”.
The issue was she wanted to go to recess, and the test person said she could go once she was done. So she stopped drawing and ran outside.
Meanwhile the rate of vaccinations goes up and up and up.
Many enter school with no potty skills, table manners, and speaking skills as well. Most children in the poorest homes were taught the basics of civilization during the hard scrabble ‘20s and ‘30s, something sadly lacking in our society today. However, having no moral training is the most dehumanizing lack of all.
Kids are abandoned to play video games, with little else remaining in their "toy kit" and very little outdoor activity.
Other than that, everything is the same.
Hard to imagine how anyone could abandon (yeah, I said it) a tiny baby, dependent on others for it’s sustenance, to a place where maybe they might pick it up 3-4 times in eight hours. Ever been to a baby room at your standard day-care? It’d break your heart.
Mrs.AV
When I started school back in 1952, I did not know letters or numbers. I was straight off an isolated High Plains ranch.
My folks took me to Kindergarten, found that school had no kindergarten and enrolled me in the first grade, under aged. I struggled for 12 years to keep up. Graduated when I was 17.
My grandson won't enter kindergarten until next year, as he's a September baby...he's five now.
I think he does enough at pre-school to develop those fine motor skills. When he's at our house, all he wants to do is play football and a card matching game called Rush Zone.
After all, football is a religion in Texas. lol
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