CAPIRO XIV

READING

Pre-school education is changing. Once, elementary
school was the place to learn 1-2-3 and A-B-C. But today,
highly motivated parents have begun teaching these
basics to their children before they start school.
Kindergarten has now become a mini-college, where
geography, history, and even mathematics are taught.

Small children are even given homework assignments.
Professor David Shift, who is the Director of Early
Childhood Education at the University of Highville,
says, "We must simply accept the fact that children
today know more than children did years ago."
Eleanor Idle, of the New School Institute, doesn't agree.

"Children need to be children. They learn as they
play. They don't need formal education this early.
It just isn't normal. Soon they'll be given entrance
exams for kindergarten. Very young children shouldn't
spend their time worrying about grades and diplomas!"

Dr. Idle believes that if there is already so much
competition in kindergarten, there is no limit to how much
there will be in high school. "We don't need to make it
any harder on students than it already is," she says.

"After all, there were still many college graduates
when playing was all children did in kindergarten."
Many people who agree with Idle say that early
childhood programs should offer subjects that children
enjoy and do well in naturally, like art, music, science,and gym.
After all, learning should be child's play.