[Serious] Parents who feel that preschool/pre-k teachers are “just babysitters”: why do you feel that way?

[littlestar777]

@bytehoven I think society teaches us all that teachers are glorified babysitters which is why they complain about teachers so freaking much. The majority of the public does not know what all goes into teaching kids day in and day out.

 

[fullquiver]

@bytehoven When I operated a family child care business I was studying for a master's degree. Lots of reading research and top experts in the field of early childhood. I happened on a group of writers who made the case that we should use the term 'educate' rather than education and care giving. Teachers in infant-toddler rooms do teach, and give loving care. Teachers of high school students teach academics, and of course provide care to those students too. You can't separate the two sides of that coin.

 

[jayy18]

@naomi_sarai Very many preK locations are just socialization and entertainment without any educational curriculum. There are many that advertise that they offer a curriculum, but they do not.

 

[andy90210]

@jayy18 Not true in the UK. All early years provision (including childminders) must follow the statutory framework and are monitored by ofsted!

Also, your idea of curriculum is likely very different from the integrated, holistic, child-led curriculum that contemporary early childhood educators endorse. Socialisation and play are fundamental to development!

 

[jayy18]

@andy90210 I’m not in the UK; I can only speak to parts of America. It’s well accepted that socialization and play are fundamental to development. I disagree think my idea of curriculum is significantly different from the integrated, child led curriculum endorsed by early childhood educators. My concern is with child care centers in parts of America that purport to offering specific preK skills education, but we see few early literacy, math, or problem solving activities in their rooms.

 

[fullquiver]

@jayy18 -or the curriculum is first grade work, while first grade's curriculum expects what used to be second grade work. In Scandinavia, reading is not taught formally until a child is seven. By that time they have naturally interacted with written text so much, and developmentally they're much older, so they can understand the rules of letter-sound, spelling, writing MUCH better than 4 year olds. I'm not saying we should eliminate literacy until second grade in the US, but where will the Push Down curriculum stop? Will we be coaxing a one-year-old to 'sound it out'?

 

[pants]

@naomi_sarai It may vary where you live. I live in a large city and it has always been called “school”. The place we go has infants/toddler on one side of the school, basically daycare. All the people there are called teachers regardless of age of classroom. Then on the other side is preschool and pre k. I appreciate them so much because 1. Kids are crazy and emotional, they deal with so much. 2. They are teaching my kid more than I ever could. Writing his name, how to share, science experiments, art, creative and dramatic play, and math.
However, in the small town I grew up in, they are surrounded by in home daycares up until school starts. They don’t (no offense) have any curriculum. It’s usually 10-15 total kids of varying ages. Due to not even having a pre k, kids go straight to K there and are basically taught pre k stuff (in my mind). Actual preschool there is 2-3 half days a week. I’m not shaming this system at all, but it’s not something I’d choose and it’s one reason why people think it’s an extension of daycare.

My mom is an elementary teacher in that tiny town, calls anything more specifically labeled preschool a daycare and thinks they just color and do art in preschool. When she actually sees the things my kid brings home from school she gets that hit from reality that he really is learning.

Thanks for dealing with everything. Preschool and pre k teachers are honestly so awesome!

 

[dincali]

@naomi_sarai I will state at my kid's coop preschool it sure felt that way, parents or family members had to help with the preschool which was broken into groups by ages. Most of the children did not get the skills needed for even Kindergarten. Several would have meltdowns and throw things on a regular basis (one of them continued on through middle school breaking things that weren't his)

I didn't realize that till I did the peer preschool at my oldest's grade school. A world of difference in manors, behaviors, learning things including counting in Spanish and French.

 

[gharlant]

@naomi_sarai Put my daughter in daycare at 18m. It was mostly to start getting good socialization, but also to expose her to as much as possible. It helped with her talking, helped with her holding a pencil grip way earlier than otherwise. Potty training, empathy, the whole 9 yards

And none of thst would have been possible with out guidance. Her teachers have been amazing from day one and we love our care center.

The parents who feel that way, in my non expert opinion, seem to do so mostly because they simply don't realize how much of everything kids absorb. Everything. They remember it all and it will come up again at some random point in the future. They make intuitive connections that most adults have forgotten how to make. They may be socially children but their capacity to learn is greater than adults because they have no hangups or preconceived notions.

People tend to conflate not being able to understand something a child has never encountered before that an adult encounters all the time as not being smart. Or the fact thar children, when they feel safe (with mom and dad) will be deliberately disobedient to push boundaries. To discover where the line in the sand is (and can it be moved?)

I'm extremely intelligent. My wife is as well. We always expected our kids to be smart and able to solve problems but my goodness we are constantly amazed at how much our daughter can figure out. And a lot of that comes from structured (or at least guided) interaction with her peers at preschool

 

[katrina2017]

@naomi_sarai Because a lot of parents are not educated on the basics of early years, child development or education in their area. There may genuinely be some local communities that used to have "nannys" that were not really trained in the governmental framework of taking care of a child - but now things have changed, at least here, where you have to be properly educated. It demonstrates a full lack of understanding of the basics of parenting and especially men who think child-care practitioners are just randomly assigned people who supervise their child as their child goes to "play".

With that said, a lot of people do not hold these feelings and there are plenty of informed parents and people on this matter.

 

[johneneinc]

@naomi_sarai I used to think that before my own child when to pre-K. What can the teacher teach that I couldn't teach myself? But I was wrong! My son's pre-K teacher is wonderful. Thanks to her, my son will start kindergarten next year knowing how to read, how to write, how to listen and be a good classmate. Could I have taught all of this? Maybe, but I now think that pre-K teachers have a way to connect with children that makes it much much easier for children to understand these things. They have the training and experience to teach that us, parents do not have. They know all the tricks when a child fails to understand something. Pre-K teachers are just wonderful.

 

[holacbz5]

@naomi_sarai I homeschooled my eldest, and due to life circumstances am putting my youngest into kindergarten this year. I do equate it to babysitting.

Why? Because whether she spends her time at school learning to read or in free play doesn't matter to me. Actually I'd prefer she spend her day on free or possibly even loosely structured play.

Partially because I'm/was a homeschooler, I don't see any need to start academics until 6yo. But, at the same time, I provide a learning-rich environment at home. We talk about everything, explore the world, and read lots of books. Pre-covid, we spent a lot of time at museums and nature centers. Math and reading and all of the subjects get covered mostly just from daily conversation/play.

I'm not trying to demean your place as a preschool teacher. I went to preschool and loved my preschool teacher. Still remember her 30 years later.

And I think in certain areas in particular, preschool provides a lot of that nurturing that the kids don't get at home, and that's important in building the foundation for the children's future education to build off of.

I think the most important part of that foundation is in creating a love for school and discovery and learning though, not in any sort of academic teaching (eg. reading, writing, arithmetic)

 

[francisco41]

@naomi_sarai Pre k is certainly not daycare!! Not in my opinion. It teaches necessary skills and basics for kindergarten as well as important social skills. My daughter could not attend this year and I’m worried about how she will do when she starts kindergarten next year.

 

[alexandru]

@naomi_sarai I don't understand how you consider yourself anything but a baby sitter. I mean no disrespect, but really, as a parent that has been thru the school system, & currently have a son attending elementary school, teachers are glorified baby sitters. Particularly elementary school. Theres no accountability. Kid fails because you didn't do your job, oh well. No repercussions.
Your only expectation is don't touch the kids inappropriately.

Elementary school does provide essential social interaction, but that's where the value ends.

 

[katrina2017]

@alexandru who hurt you?

 

[alexandru]

@katrina2017 Lmao who corrupted you?

 

[katrina2017]

@alexandru that doesn't make sense, oops better blame your teachers for your incompetence!

 

[alexandru]

@katrina2017 Lemme guess, your a teacher. It's unfortunate your struggling with this. Lemme help.
I've never known a more entitled, whiney group of people. They are the first to cry mistreatment, but the last to take accountability. If you feel this behavior is ok, you've been corrupted.
Seems to make perfect sense. Hopefully you can grasp that.

 

[katrina2017]

@alexandru You’re *

 

[alexandru]

@katrina2017 If that's the only correction you've got, it tells me you're insecure & need to point out obvious but irrelevant mistakes. It also tells me you don't dispute anything else.
Poor kids