High-Quality Vs. Love of Learning

I recently read this well-written article in the Washington Post that outlines some of the dangers of using the words "high-quality" to promote programs and initiatives that do not support our children on a developmentally appropriate level. If you are a teacher, or a parent who follows education in the news, you are likely all too aware of the intense pressures placed on young children today in our schools. As the article points out, "high-quality" is often being misinterpreted to mean "high-intensity". We are not facilitating young children's learning of content so that they may understand meaningful concepts; in contrast, we are forcing content down their throats so that they will be able to regurgitate facts on standardized tests and data-driven assessments. Please don't hear me arguing against assessment here. Is there a place for assessment in the early childhood classroom? Absolutely; it is essential for teachers to use reliable, formative and summative assessments in any classroom setting. However, I do question the types of assessment and the ridiculous levels of pressure that we place on young children daily in our school settings. "High-Quality" cannot continue to be misinterpreted in this way. Below is an excerpt from the above-mentioned article that I found especially compelling. 

"That doesn’t leave much time for play. But even to the extent we want to promote meaningful learning in young children, the methods are likely to be counterproductive, featuring an emphasis on the direct instruction of skills and rote rehearsal of facts. This is the legacy of behaviorism: Children are treated as passive receptacles of knowledge, with few opportunities to investigate topics and pose questions that they find intriguing. In place of discovery and exploration, tots are trained to sit still and listen, to memorize lists of letters, numbers, and colors. Their success or failure is relentlessly monitored and quantified, and they’re “reinforced” with stickers or praise for producing right answers and being compliant."  

www.instagram.com/thepreppedparent

If you haven't read the original article, you should check it out. What do you think of our "high-quality" standards? Do you think it is affecting our children? Feel free to comment below!