A letter sent to the Hon. Marilyn More, Nova Scotia’s minister of education.
Dear Ms. More,
In 2008 the Department of Education extended the birthdate for entry to public school to the end of December. The first years of learning, observing and free play are invaluable for attaining success in his future formal education. It is a time for exploration, for experimentation, for social interaction within his own small world and, most of all, the freedom to learn at his own will and on his own time. In my opinion, to confine a child to space defined by four walls, with rules and procedures beyond that of his own home, is detrimental to his development. It is difficult enough to put five- and six-year-olds in that position – but must we take away the inherent rights of a four-year-old child by doing so?
All learning is developmental, i.e. each step must be taken in sequence based upon some degree of mastering of the previous step, and then one builds upon that step in order to proceed successfully to the next one. Why are we putting four-year-old youngsters in school before we know if they are ready for structured academic programs in a structured classroom setting? What feedback has the department received from teachers regarding this new initiative? (It is interesting to note that in at least four countries in Europe, children do not enter the public school system until the age of six.)
Perhaps it is simply a lack of knowledge on the part of parents – many of who may not be aware of the demands of a first year program and/or the readiness skills required. In asking primary teachers to set up structured play centres and other programs to accommodate the four-year-old child within the busy primary or “first year” classroom, are we defeating the reason they have been included in the first place? Are we turning our primary or first year programs into pre-school programs?
Perhaps this new policy was designed so as to increase student population. We all know the effects of decreased enrolment and the threat or reality of school closures on a community, and we also know that school funding is based on enrolment and budgets are crucial to the effective operation of a school.
Some parents may welcome the opportunity to forego the cost of a babysitter or daycare. Other parents may feel that if their child is cognitively “ready” to begin a formal education, then he should be given the opportunity to do so, despite his young age. One has only to observe the young four-year-old child in the classroom situation to realize that an extra year at home will better prepare him for all aspects of school i.e. if a four-year-old child is doing well in school now, he most probably would be doing even better had he waited a year! Some researchers call it ‘the gift of time” – which refers to allowing a child the time they need to become developmentally mature before entering school, for children develop at their own rate and cannot be hurried.
Finally, are we considering the length of the school day for a child who leaves home before 8 a.m. and will not return home until well after 4 a.m. due to second (double) bus runs? We all realize the huge growth difference three months, six months or one whole year, can make in the cognitive, emotional, physical and social growth of a small child. The decision to place a four-year-old child with children who are possibly 10-15 months older (some parents choose to keep their child home until he is six years of age) will have direct consequences. Are we considering the self-esteem of a child who is thrust into a formal learning environment and may be unable to play, interact, communicate or learn at the same rate as his older classmates, simply because he is not yet at that stage of development? Are we considering the 16-year-old youth, who in future years will be graduating, leaving for university and living on his own at such an impressionable age?
The big question is: Is extending the birthdate for school entry to the end of December in the best interests of the individual child, or most important of all, is it fair to a little four-year-old child?
Mona MacDonald of RR3 Pictou is a retired teacher with 30 years of experience. She received the Prime Ministers Award for Excellence in Teaching in 2000.
