Research Paper

Preplanning for Long-term Success with Preschool

            In a world where children are expected to read chapter books by the age of seven and know there times tables by the third grade, but preschool is not mandatory, the education we’re striving for can only be acknowledged with much contradictory and misconceptions. Do what’s best for your children’s educations, so they’re capable of working towards what’s best for them: a simple understanding most people have, but seize to entertain when they’re mislead on where that strong base comes from at best. Children develop and thrive off of other children at this age, and experience is important, as we all know, regardless of whether we believe sending a child to preschool early on is the best choice, or that educating them at home is a better alternative. The three domains of development build off of each other and the missing link of one, such as an aspect of psychosocial development, could have long term effects on a child’s complete development. I have researched and found interest in the benefits of preschool through my desire to be a kindergarten teacher. I’m an early childhood education major and find education starting at the preschool age to be the most beneficial option at this age, and I find interest in its long-term effects on the high success rate of previous preschool attenders, that’s been seen in several longitudinal studies. Children are the future; it’s our job to educate them to the best of our abilities, and starting their education young is crucial. Mandatory preschool in all fifty states would allow children to develop in all areas of development; cognitive, physical, and psychosocial, while engaging in activities that encourage a creative side that will, hopefully, follow them through life, and prepare them for the next level of education, but starting with remedial level concepts, and productive, but not overwhelming hours that will all foster development in a healthy manner.  

            There are three domains of child development that accompany the journey into adulthood; cognitive, physical, and psychosocial development, and they’re all vital to the well-being of each and every person. Most people consider school to be a place for mainly cognitive development, the key reason children are there, as for some kids are homeschooled and still flourish cognitively. However, the school setting is a place where children conquer psychosocial endeavors and physical obstacles as they learn from experience, their observations of others, and make intellectual leaps on the way. These leaps, experiences, and obstacles are all manageable at the preschool age and a challenge is fun for children, because the accomplishment is so great and they know they’re likely to meet their goals at this age. Preschool occurs anywhere from three to four years old, at this time they have gained an interest in other children, and they have developed language skills that give them the ability to communicate complete thoughts. They have the ability to absorb information at this age, they’re like sponges, and they are eager to learn. At this age, psychosocial development is so important to take notice of as children’s attachment to their caregivers lessens and can be eased with the part time hours of preschool, and the excitement of kids to play with, as that has become a new interest. The sense of self begins to develop during this stage, and children begin to see that they’re an individual and have their own ideas and they are their own person, which is often emphasized in preschool where they are encouraged to share their seemingly, often very eccentric, at this age, ideas.

            The domains of development cannot be considered individually, they’re all tied together and each greatly affects the others. For example, at three or four years old a child who does not attend preschool might be taught the alphabet, numbers to 50, his colors, shapes, a few sight words, and have a broad vocabulary from the constant attention he receives from his mom who stays at home with him; however, his attachment to her (psychosocial development), come time for kindergarten, will affect his cognitive development. His lack of exposure to other children during the day will have affected his physical development and his desire to be physically active with other children. He may experience some social anxiety and have trouble going back to school after realizing he is far less comfortable than the other children. One year makes a big difference. In kindergarten there’s more exposure to children in the older grades and that can create more anxiety for a child, so it’s best that they start in preschool and become comfortable with the idea of being left in the care of a teacher and with classmates of the same age group, and learn that school is a safe place as early as possible. “Dr. James Heckman, a University of Chicago economist and Nobel Laureate has concluded that the preschool years are the most productive years for new educational investments and that the long-term impacts of early education on social and emotional development may be the most important consequences of preschool education.  Yet these important social-emotional benefits are often ignored” (Heckman). It’s time the importance of preschool and its impact on present and long-term education for those that partake is brought to light and considered to the degree that our futures are considered with, because this is affecting our future. Mandatory preschool would positively affect the future. As children interact with one another in an environment that encourages learning and physical development through scheduled unstructured and structured playtime, children are the most likely to do well.

            Activities that are planned and inspired in a preschool classroom to encourage development often encourage creativity. Creativity gives children a chance to express themselves, which is especially healthy at this stage in their lives. It gives them a chance to understand that they have ideas that differ from others and that it’s okay, an idea that is best for them to grasp when they are young, and hold onto throughout their lives. Preschool age children are impressionable. It’s important that the uniqueness of their ideas and drawings are acknowledged in a positive way, so that they want to express their ideas in the future. Preschool is a place to learn in the most creative of ways; the alphabet traced in shaving cream and noodle art to spell out their name is learning. Fine motor skills improve in preschool because many activities leave room for creativity in order to allow for the fine motor skills to be used and worked on every day. As a child sits in a preschool classroom and learns the material that will allow them to do well in kindergarten, later in their life, and with their peers, they will be growing as an individual and improving their abilities for their next level of education, as well as gaining a better understanding of themselves.

            It’s been proven that children who go to preschool do better in kindergarten than those whom do not, and that preschool does give children a strong base for their next step of learning. Those who attend preschool also tend to continue to be more successful in life compared to those who do not attend, which has proven those wrong with the uneducated assumption that "At the very least, it can be argued that preschool does no harm to long-term academic achievement and socioeconomic standing (although one study found it can negatively affect a child's social skills). Because preschool is most beneficial to poorer students, increasing access to it could only help close the stubbornly persistent achievement gap between whites and minorities. Nevertheless, it will be a tough sell to Republicans who may think the upfront cost of the plan is too much to justify benefits that won't be seen for decades” (Brian Resnick, National Journal). The Perry Preschool Study and the Abecedarian Study both conducted a longitudinal experiment of children who attended preschool that followed them into adulthood and found that the preschool group was holding jobs paying around $20,000 more than the non-preschool study group, they were less likely to be committing crimes, and were found to be more likely to complete a higher degree of education (Loop).  Mandatory preschool would give more children the opportunity to do well in school and succeed in life. The head start on their education that some children may need to prepare for kindergarten and what is to follow has been proven to be that extra year. Mandatory preschool is not to say that children cannot cognitively flourish at home; however, in order to truly flourish in all areas that will eventually lead to these long-term effects that have been seen in The Perry Preschool Study and Abecedarian Study, preschool is necessary for peak success. Also, the confidence that comes along with education is vital for children, and entering kindergarten with a feeling of accomplishment is important and beneficiary to a child’s motivation to learn. The remedial level concepts that are introduced and understood in preschool help children to grow inside and outside of the classroom, and suggest to them that their capabilities are limitless, as they’re often able to conquer every struggle with some help.  

            Many people question if sending their children to preschool is sending them too young and if they’re ready, but sending them to preschool will help ease them into the preparedness that’ll be essential when they begin going to all day school the following year, or two years later. Children are tired at three and four years old, many still nap, so the shock of all day school is likely to be too much, but preschool can help prepare them for an altered schedule, and allow them to remain in a nurturing environment during this transitional period. The preschool environment is set up and structured to be welcoming, as well as nurturing. Karen Diamond, Director of the Child Development Laboratory preschool at Purdue University, suggests that spending a little extra time in the class room, the week before school starts or in the first few weeks it has begun, can make the transition easier on the caregiver and child, but she says “Both parents and children feel better about the transition when it’s gradual” (Diamond). In many cases it’s the parents who are not ready to send their children off to school yet; however, the children are eager to learn. 

            Preschool in all fifty states is a way to change the generations to come; it’s a way to change the future. Young minds are receptive to new ideas and the thought of others ideas’. Mandatory preschool would allow there to be a change, and allow positive impressions of school and education to be made on children today. Take initiative and push for mandatory preschool for the developmental impact it could have on the next child to walk through the doors of a preschool that would have been held back in kindergarten had it not been for the creative way he wrote his name in macaroni letters, in preschool, that stuck with him. Push for it because you’re tired of hearing that “no child is left behind”, but kids are entering kindergarten afraid of other kids and it’s brushed off as “they’re shy” when that extra year for their psychosocial development to come into its own with the help of social interaction with other children may have done wonders. Push for a change because you know it will make an impact. Mandatory preschool in all fifty states is a way to better young minds, better our futures, and better this country.

 

                                                         Works Cited

Bowker, Sharon. “Letting Your Child Go –To Preschool, That Is.” Purdue University Preschool, 1998. Web. 4 Nov. 2014.

Heckman, James. & Kruger, Alan (2003). “Inequality in America: What role for human capital policies?” MIT Press (2003): 22. Web. 4 Nov. 2014.

Loop, Erica. “Kids Who Went to Preschool vs. Those Who Didn’t.” Globalpost. Global Post - International News, n.d. Web. 6 Nov. 2014. 

Martorell, Gabriela. Papalia, Diane. Feldman, Ruth. A Child’s World. 13 th ed. “Infancy Through Adolescence,” 2014. Print.

Resnick, Brian. “Preschool Closes Achievement Gap.” USA Today 21 Feb. 2013: 08a. EBSCO Host. Web. 20 Nov. 2014.