...A new University of Chicago study reveals. While much policy engineering and effort has gone to restructuring the school day, study co-author Amy Claessens says that changing the focus of the content could be a better alternative:
“At a time when education programs are facing budget constraints, this is a more viable option,” Claessens said. “Teachers could increase their time on advanced content while reducing time on basic content, without the need to increase overall instructional time, and do so in a developmentally appropriate way for young kids.”
We’re no policy experts, but our personal experience as educators certainly confirms this as true. From the moment they’re born, kids devour information. In a few short years, they manage to learn how to crawl, walk, and communicate (not to mention absorbing all the nuances of human interaction along the way). There is no other time in life when the learning curve is as steep.
But then children are abruptly thrown into kindergartens that introduce material fall below their capability, stalling their development and eagerness to learn. By keeping concepts just beyond students’ comfort-levels, teachers can develop work ethic and a fervor for knowledge.
Children are born to learn. And it’s our obligation to deliver.
