Why Kindergarten Matters.
And Why Good Kindergarten Teachers are Essential.
“At school, even in kindergarten, you teach us how to behave in the world. You teach us to not fight with others, to work things out, to respect others, to clean up our mess, not to hurt other creatures, to share - not be greedy: then why do you go out and do the things you tell us not to do? ”
Severn, the daughter of David, Vancouver’s renowned scientist and advocate for Nature, hits the nail right on the head! Kindergarten really matters far more than we may imagine and if we ( the ‘you’ to whom she refers) want our current five-year-olds to nurture and enjoy a peaceful, fulfilling world, we had better choose well the Kindergarten to which we entrust them.
How to know which Kindergarten to choose?
Well, meet the teacher! For all the elements of Kindergarten that researchers have examined, from class-sizes to socio-economic mix and everything between, one element always proves to be the defining difference in outcomes. The teacher.
And know, too, that what children learn in Kindergarten lasts forever: it does not, as once was believed, fade away as time passes. So vital, indeed, is the Kindergarten teacher, that a Harvard economist (Chetty) having participated in recent research into the economic benefits gained over time by students who had terrific K teachers, inspired the New York Times to quote as follows:
“Mr. Chetty and his colleagues, one of whom, Emmanuel Saez, recently won the prize for the top research economist under the age of 40, estimate that a standout kindergarten teacher is worth about $320,000 a year. That’s the present value of the additional money that a full class of students can expect to earn over their careers. This estimate doesn’t take into account social gains, like better health and less crime.”
So, when choosing a Kindergarten, ensure that your child will have a standout teacher, working in a school with clear values that align with yours. We have such teachers at The Westside School, but please, if you wish to be able to afford our future fees, do not mention the above paragraph to them during your exploratory chat!