Education — especially K-12 and most especially K — was the top topic in comments by Daily Planet readers last week. Sarah Lahm’s series of interviews and articles on Focused Instruction in Minneapolis Public Schools continues to spark lively community discussion, both critical and supportive.
A piece on Teaching GED by Erin Collins Salinas won favorable comments too, and Maria Gustafson’s Community Voices contribution on Career and tech ed as a gap-closing strategy was “your best written post,” said Patricia Roberts. It will help, Roberts added, “in setting career goals with the single moms I work with.”
Readers responded most often by far to an interview by Lahm with Miinneapolis kindergarten teacher David Boucher, Kindergarten teacher: Too many tests, ‘no time to play’. The inner child spoke up in a dozen different readers. Here are some samples, including additional kindergarten teachers. And remember, reader comments are the lifeblood of community conversation in the Daily Planet. Join in. Agree or disagree. Praise or criticize. Be brief, be civil, be heard!
sudbird• I was worried when I first heard about Focused Instruction. But now I'm outraged! This is just not healthy! 22 tests a year for kindergarteners, plus monthly assessments? 120 minutes of reading instruction a day? Most educators know that younger kids need to move in order to learn. Parents in Minneapolis should be outraged, and Minneapolis should be teaching, not teaching to the test. This is a disaster for Minneapolis kids. Thanks, Mr. Boucher, for speaking up. I wish more media outlets would pay attention to how tests are destroying education!
Dawn-Marie Wetherbee• Unfortunately this article reflects the trends here in the North East as well. It makes me so sad! I used to teach grade three. I needed respite from the high stakes standardized tests in third grade, so when there was an opening in kindergarten, I jumped at the chance. I am so disheartened by the amount of academics and lack of play that makes up the day of my smart, energetic, curious 5- and 6-year olds. They will never get this time back. And how long will they remain energetic and curious, using their "smarts" and learn joyfully moving forward?
Gail Poulin• I told the parents there would be rigor, that kindergarten today is nothing like the one they experienced in their day. They just didn't get it. [Not] until their child leaves kindergarten, moves on up the grades, and the parents send a new child to kindergarten, will they get what I am saying. It is unimaginable! Fourteen years ago, my students had something called "child directed play"… teachers provide the centers and materials but children explore and create while developing language and social skills. Since those areas are not assessed outside of specific content related tools, they are not important.
Andrea Polihronakis Perfetti• I agree with David! As a Kindergarten teacher for the past 20 years, I have seen what has happened to these poor kids. No more time for play … no more time for socialization … just work and testing. It's legalized child abuse. These kids are under so much pressure at such a young age, I predict a lot more school shootings and other heinous crimes in our future!
Education — especially K-12 and most especially K — was the top topic in comments by Daily Planet readers last week. Sarah Lahm’s series of interviews and articles on Focused Instruction in Minneapolis Public Schools continues to spark lively community discussion, both critical and supportive.
A piece on Teaching GED by Erin Collins Salinas won favorable comments too, and Maria Gustafson’s Community Voices contribution on Career and tech ed as a gap-closing strategy was “your best written post,” said Patricia Roberts. It will help, Roberts added, “in setting career goals with the single moms I work with.”
Readers responded most often by far to an interview by Lahm with Miinneapolis kindergarten teacher David Boucher, Kindergarten teacher: Too many tests, ‘no time to play’. The inner child spoke up in a dozen different readers. Here are some samples, including additional kindergarten teachers. And remember, reader comments are the lifeblood of community conversation in the Daily Planet. Join in. Agree or disagree. Praise or criticize. Be brief, be civil, be heard!
sudbird• I was worried when I first heard about Focused Instruction. But now I'm outraged! This is just not healthy! 22 tests a year for kindergarteners, plus monthly assessments? 120 minutes of reading instruction a day? Most educators know that younger kids need to move in order to learn. Parents in Minneapolis should be outraged, and Minneapolis should be teaching, not teaching to the test. This is a disaster for Minneapolis kids. Thanks, Mr. Boucher, for speaking up. I wish more media outlets would pay attention to how tests are destroying education!
Dawn-Marie Wetherbee• Unfortunately this article reflects the trends here in the North East as well. It makes me so sad! I used to teach grade three. I needed respite from the high stakes standardized tests in third grade, so when there was an opening in kindergarten, I jumped at the chance. I am so disheartened by the amount of academics and lack of play that makes up the day of my smart, energetic, curious 5- and 6-year olds. They will never get this time back. And how long will they remain energetic and curious, using their "smarts" and learn joyfully moving forward?
Gail Poulin• I told the parents there would be rigor, that kindergarten today is nothing like the one they experienced in their day. They just didn't get it. [Not] until their child leaves kindergarten, moves on up the grades, and the parents send a new child to kindergarten, will they get what I am saying. It is unimaginable! Fourteen years ago, my students had something called "child directed play"… teachers provide the centers and materials but children explore and create while developing language and social skills. Since those areas are not assessed outside of specific content related tools, they are not important.
Andrea Polihronakis Perfetti• I agree with David! As a Kindergarten teacher for the past 20 years, I have seen what has happened to these poor kids. No more time for play … no more time for socialization … just work and testing. It's legalized child abuse. These kids are under so much pressure at such a young age, I predict a lot more school shootings and other heinous crimes in our future!