To think kids don't actually learn anything at preschool

[AnonBCofHate]

It seems like my kid learns a hell of alot more by staying home having a "nothing" rainy day than spending a week at preschool. I don't understand why they don't try more. Now they've sent home a letter saying they are no longer going to teach children to write their names! Which I think is the least they should be doing surely. AIBU to want them to actually teach my child!?

Mine learned masses! Arts and crafts stuff I didn't have the resources to do at home, getting along with other children in the group, adapting to rules and a communal setting, trying out games and outdoor equipment they wouldn't have at home.

They aren't meant to be learning at preschool, at least not in that way. They are going to have 14 years at school to do all that.

Play is the work of the child! YABVU.

I disagree actually pre school is all about learning ! Social skills especially!

Ybvvvu
They will learn through play
Their learning will also consist of making relationships. How to share. How to interact with other people. Naking friends. Getting some independence confidence.

They will also be working on science maths english with out even knowing or having to be "taught"

They teach your child how to listen to an adult other than a family member, how to interact with kids they don't know, how to be a good friend, how to follow instructions, how to behave in a group situation where they aren't always the centre of attention, how to deal with being away from the family home, how to be responsible for themselves to a certain degree, how to sit on the carpet and listen at story time, how to share, how to deal with other children being nasty to them, how to ask for help.

Having said that it's not compulsory if you don't want them to go don't send them. Simple.

They are learning social skills and independence

I agree with you. My DS knew all of his letters, numbers up to ten, colours and, shapes by the age of three and we didn't even try to teach him. Not teaching them at that age is a missed opportunity.

Social skills
Fine motor skills
Executive function
YABU

Preschool isn't about learning to read and write!

It's about learning how to make friends and to cope in a communal setting away from parents/siblings. They learn through play at that age - colouring, playing catch or football, hide and seek, story-books, how to eat at the table with other people, how to share.

It's not about literacy! They're barely three years old, they have 15 years of school to come - why rush it?

My DS learned so much stuff! It's hard to get them to tell you anything they did that day but then you notice them saying little things like 'look mummy, the clouds make rain and did you know there are different types of cloud'. And 'mummy some lizards change colour to look like their environment' or whatever and you just know you haven't taught them this. They also learn to sit down when told, to tidy up, to listen to stories and ask questions, to interact appropriately with other children, to share etc. Olsysvhool teachers work hard!

Heh, I remember when mine were at pre-school (so 13 years ago when they were 2/3) and a mother saying 'but what are they actually Learning? I thought she was crazy. Like she wanted them to be taught Mandarin or some such.

They are learning to share. To wait their turn. To put their hand up. To say 'please' and 'thank you'. To resolve disputes. To rub along with others, and to tolerate. To wash their hands after using the toilet and before eating. To be kind.

They are learning SO much.

My DS knew all of his letters, numbers up to ten, colours and, shapes by the age of three and we didn't even try to teach him.

Okay, that's great, but all kids learn it eventually. What difference does it make if they can do it at 3 or not? It's not going to affect their future careers because they can tell you the grass is green when they're three.

School's don't like preschools teaching name writing because they teach a specific way and that way might be different to preschool. If you don't feel your child learns anything don't send them. I'm not sure what you're expecting aside from socialising, sharing etc in a semi structured environment.

I agree with OP. I have a September born so maybe biased, but my child was completely bored at preschool for the last 2 terms. Moaned about going. She has a few peers born in July/ Aug of same year who all started school so we're reading and writing so she was desperate to try. Even the Mother's Day card they made at preschool has no little scribbles or marks from her. They didn't want to encourage her to write as she should just be playing. Whilst I agree play is the most important thing. Surely play is practice of real life and some loose kind guidance around things to learn is fine. Our seems to just let the kids run around and occasionally refer the millions of arguing. Funnily enough she loves school and there have been no fallingsvout as they are all so busy (appreciate it's only 2 weeks in). Maybe I would feel differently if she was much younger and starting school too soon. 12 months ago she would have struggled at school so o can see how the blanket approach doesn't fit all

You might have misunderstood the purpose of pre-school. Toddlers are not supposed to be "taught" anything at pre school, they are just supposed to learn through play. Even then, the main things they're learning are social skills, routine etc. And even then pre school is more for childcare than for education.

There was a thread on here just the other day about how kids start school so early in this country compared to the Scandinavian model and elsewhere. Supposedly it's not that beneficial for them to be learning to read and write before the age of 5, let alone age 3!

They will be learning about how to interact with others, pay attention, resolve conflicts. They will be strengthening their hands by using tools and play dough to prepare them for writing. They will be listening to stories and working on their comprehension of language through discussion. And they will be beginning to understand mathematical ideas like capacity while playing in the water tray among many, many other things. And they will be learning them at an alarming rate and be extremely motivated because to them they are just playing.
Developing social, communicative and physical skills in nursery prepares them for academics a whole lot better than forced name writing before a child is ready.

Yabu. They learn how to share and listen nicely. Construct from a huge variety of materials. Express themselves in art. Learn how to balance and climb. I could go on for pages .....

Mine made lots of friends (... for life), they learned to be independent, they learned to share, my DS loved to play with the water tray, they learned to take care of their things and about dinosaurs and farm animals, they learned to be mindful of others, ... A lot of these things are impossible to "teach" at home and yet so important right into adulthood.

In my opinion it's the best way to prepare them for school. They are learning to share, how to form relationships, how to sit and listen and follow instructions from other adults. It gave my painfully shy daughter confidence to share things in front of a group. She did loads at preschool that we couldn't have done at home. They specifically asked me not to try and teach her to write, as the schools were finding it more difficult trying to 'unteach' children when they were not forming letters correctly. They taught her how to dress herself for PE, to fold her clothes in a pile with her shoes on top. How to find her own lunchbox/coat/wellies in a sea of other small children.

I actually worry for the children who enter reception being able to count to 100, do simple sums, write the alphabet etc. They are going to be seriously bored! Childhood (at that age) is all about learning through play.

A little confused by this- OP are you someone whose child was at home with you until 3 then went to pre School for their 30 free hours? What do you expect them to learn in such a short time?

I agree with you. My DS knew all of his letters, numbers up to ten, colours and, shapes by the age of three and we didn't even try to teach him. Not teaching them at that age is a missed opportunity.

My DS knew the full alphabet by the age of 20 months, numbers and shapes not long after that (all before 2). He could sight-read over 200 words before he started school. (I didn't make any special effort to teach him either.)

And now that he's actually at school, it's incredible how fast all the other kids are "catching up", simply because they are developmentally ready to learn it and the teachers are really focussed on it. There's no "missed opportunity" in not teaching this stuff earlier. Some kids will pick it up earlier because they have some kind of aptitude for it, but it really doesn't make a lot of difference once they get to school age.

You're focussing far too much on the academic. As PPs have said preschool is great for their social skills, listening, building up their independence little by little.

Iily I'm how is did your child know his alphabet, numbers and shapes before 2 without being taught?

What do you want them to learn? I'm sure the pre school are following the early years programme.