March 12, 2018
As my younger son embarks on his kindergarten journey this year, I can’t help but feel a twinge of concern about one recurring comment he makes: “There’s so much WORK!”
When I dig a little deeper, he expresses frustration over sitting at his desk, working on worksheets, and feeling increasingly bored. It’s heartbreaking to hear.
Let me clarify—his teacher is fantastic, a genuinely caring individual who incorporates plenty of creativity and play into the daily routine. Yet, despite this, I know they only spend about 20% of their day actively engaged at their desks. The reality is, she is simply adhering to the guidelines she’s been given.
Why the rush to prepare these five-year-olds for standardized tests that are still years away? It seems a bit excessive, doesn’t it?
Many educators share my concern. Over the past decade, there’s been a noticeable shift toward more academic demands at younger ages, and I worry this approach is doing more harm than good. Research suggests that children learn best through play, rather than being handed a stack of worksheets.
Recognizing this need for change, Boston Public Schools, one of the largest school districts in the United States, has announced a new focus on play-based learning in its early childhood programs. In February, they shared this initiative through a Facebook post and an article on WBUR.org, aiming to strike a balance between nurturing kids’ natural inclination to play and meeting academic expectations.
“We’ve reevaluated our curriculum to better support what we understand about young children,” says Mark Johnson, Boston Public Schools’ director of early childhood education, in his interview with WBUR. “We want to prepare them for third-grade assessments like the MCAS while also allowing them to be kids.”
What Does This New Approach Look Like?
According to WBUR, in classrooms like those of Miss Sarah Roberts in East Boston, students engage in small groups with various “learning stations.” There are no worksheets; instead, the kids participate in hands-on activities.
One example involves students building a wolf statue with blocks and then collaborating to label its body parts, like “ear,” “nose,” and “eye.” How incredible that children can play, exercise their imaginations, and develop literacy skills simultaneously!
Miss Roberts admits that transitioning from a structured format to this more dynamic approach took some adjustment. However, she now recognizes the positive changes in her students’ social and academic skills.
“I’ve seen remarkable improvements in their oral language development,” she shares with WBUR.
While it may be too early to assess the overall impact of these district-wide changes, researchers from institutions like Harvard and the University of Michigan are conducting a three-year study on kindergarteners to evaluate the outcomes. I’m eager to see their findings, as I believe the emphasis on play-based learning could profoundly benefit these children—something we should all pay attention to.
Ultimately, most parents instinctively understand that young children thrive when they have the freedom to play and be active. It’s what they naturally do and what we fondly recall from our own childhood education experiences.
Children have one chance to experience childhood, and it’s crucial that we preserve their creativity and joy as much as possible.
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In summary, Boston Public Schools’ transition to play-based learning represents a significant shift in early childhood education, prioritizing children’s natural learning styles over strict academic demands. With ongoing research, the effects of this approach could pave the way for a more enriching educational experience, crucial for young learners.