September 6, 2016 Do Our Expectations of Kids Aim Too High or Too Low? By Alfie Kohn “Old-school” parenting and teaching are often distinguished by a failure to understand what children are capable of doing or understanding, or to provide the support they need and the respect they deserve. But does that mean kids are being underestimated — or overestimated? … Read More
The Trouble With Calls For Universal “High-Quality” Pre-K (##)
February 1, 2014 The Trouble With Calls For Universal “High-Quality” Pre-K By Alfie Kohn Universal pre-kindergarten education finally seems to be gathering momentum. President Obama highlighted the issue in his 2013 State of the Union address and then mentioned it again in this year’s. Numerous states and cities are launching or expanding early-education initiatives, and New York City Mayor Bill … Read More
Early Childhood Education: The Case Against Direct Instruction of Academic Skills (#)
From Appendix A: “The Hard Evidence” in The Schools Our Children Deserve (Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1999) Early Childhood Education: The Case Against Direct Instruction of Academic Skills By Alfie Kohn “The earlier [that schools try] to inculcate so-called ‘academic’ skills, the deeper the damage and the more permanent the ‘achievement’ gap.” — Deborah Meier Some of the most ambitious and expensive educational … Read More