Preschool education in the United States has long been associated with bringing social, emotional and cognitive benefits to a child’s development. In most instances, the preschool experience correlates with a smoother transition into kindergarten and the academics that accompany it. However, the essence of the preschool experience is to render age-homogenous social interaction among children — a level of exposure that students can obtain without actually attending.
More often than not, preschool is identified as a childcare service rather than a scholarly establishment, suggesting its lack of necessity in the education system. According to a study conducted by the U.S. Department of Education, “research confirms what every parent knows: that the first five years of a child’s life matter greatly in determining what sort of adult he is likely to become.” It is proven that the early years of a child’s lifespan are the building blocks to their future success or failure. And while this period is the mental window within which developments in reasoning, language acquisition and problem solving occur, the benefits of the experience can be extracted without an institutional structure.
There is a plethora of options that could help teach children the skill sets and socialization needed in the long run: visits to local establishments, playdates and sports, to name a few. Parents can possibly plan local visits to libraries, museums and craft stores, giving children the opportunity to observe human interaction. Parents can also schedule playdates, helping children build relationships outside of the family or involve them in sports, teaching discipline. Either way, through this non-traditional approach, children will still be surrounded by positive support and engaged in stimulating activities.
Unfortunately, despite this fact, some parents choose to see the advantages of this expensive new entitlement but fail to see how society is in danger of over-institutionalizing millennials. By attempting to shove academics down the throat of a toddler, early schooling opportunities have the potential to thwart a student’s enthusiasm toward learning, hinder any possible natural talents and are detrimental to a child’s self-esteem.
Therefore, research problematizes society’s notion of preschool as educational due to the mediocre amount of substance it provides children. It makes no sense for parents at any income level to spend money on preschool when students can undergo the same experience without it. While I don’t agree with the fact that students should attend preschool, I would argue that a balance is needed — students should be around their parents during this age period, and they should also be exposed to the world outside of their home. But this change only stems from their parents and how they go about providing the child with external interaction. What matters, though, is that children are being taught the importance of collaboration, instruction and creativity during this time frame.
Perhaps the solution need not be to alter the structure of preschool to fit the standard curriculum in America, but rather the Department of Education should eradicate this method of early schooling from the education system.
Chelsea Strong is an undeclared freshman.