Sometimes you have to go against the grain. Especially when those who follow the trend go too far, literally and metaphorically speaking. Whether they’re doctors, psychologists, or educators. No one is safe, nor should they be.
A few days ago, I came across a “scientific” study on the benefits of early stimulation for babies. The article wouldn’t have caught my attention if it hadn’t been about an intrauterine device whose purpose was to ensure that music reached the fetus almost without interference. In short, a kind of intrauterine iPod for babies to listen to music. The main objective of this curious device is to stimulate neural connections and, above all, vocalization in babies.
It’s true that early stimulation is very beneficial (no psychologist will deny this) because during the first years of life, neural connections are formed that will remain in our brains. But the race to stimulate children more and more sometimes seems simply crazy to me. Letting nature take its course and not pressuring little ones is also beneficial.
In fact, there are also many teachers, especially preschool and kindergarten teachers, who are concerned about parents’ desire to teach young children academic skills that are meant for later stages of their development. These teachers believe that trying to turn forward the biological clock will only lead to unhappiness in children, who can learn far more valuable lessons through play, exploration, and socialization. Their suspicions (and mine) are validated by various research projects.
Several studies have compared the effects of academically oriented early childhood education classrooms with those of play-based classrooms. It has been concluded that early academic instruction increases children’s immediate scores on specific tests, but that this initial gain disappears within one to three years. In fact, in some cases, the results have even been reversed, showing that in the long term, early academic instruction can cause social and emotional damage.
The German study that changed education policy
In the 1970s, the German government commissioned a large-scale comparative study comparing children who had graduated from 50 play-based kindergartens with those who had attended more academically oriented kindergartens.
Thus, it was observed that children who received an academic education obtained better grades during the early years of primary school, but this advantage disappeared by fourth grade. In fact, by that point, their grades were worse than those of children who had attended a play-based kindergarten.
The curious thing was that they were not only behind in subjects like reading and math, but they were also less well-adjusted socially and emotionally.
At the time of the study, Germany was implementing a shift from traditional play-based daycare centers to academically oriented kindergartens. However, children returned to play because the government decided to reverse this trend.
The study of poor US children that revealed emotional and social damage
A similar study was conducted in the United States in 1967. This time, the study involved 78 poor children in Michigan. They were assigned to three types of preschools: play-based, with direct academic instruction (teaching reading, math, and writing), and play-based with adult guidance.
The experimenters also visited homes to instruct parents on how to help their children, using the same methods used in the respective kindergartens. The initial results of this experiment were similar to those of other studies. Children in the direct instruction group showed early academic gains, but these soon disappeared.
However, the interesting thing about this study is that these children were followed until they were 23 years old. At that point in life, no significant differences were observed between the groups in terms of academic performance, but significant differences were evident in their social functioning and emotional patterns.
By age 15, adolescents who had received an early formal education had committed more than twice as many acts of misconduct. By age 23, the differences were even more dramatic. Young people who had received an academic education showed more social friction, were more likely to commit crimes, showed emotional deterioration, and were less stable in their relationships. In fact, by age 23, 39% of these young people had been arrested for committing serious crimes, compared to an average of 13.5% for young people who received a more gambling-focused education.
Why can early academic teaching be so harmful?
There are many hypotheses; referring to a single cause would be reductionist. However, there is no doubt that the initial kindergarten experience prepares children for the future, both in school and socially.
Childhood is a crucial stage for children to develop their social skills and demonstrate a secure attachment. A lack of affection, freedom, or understanding can mark their lives forever. In fact, children are not born empathetic; it’s a skill they develop throughout their early years, just as they must learn to resolve conflicts with their peers to test their social skills.
It is through play and interaction with other children and adults that children develop their worldview. A classroom environment, which is typically cold and focused on learning academic skills, does not contribute to prosocial behavior and emotional development; quite the opposite. Thus, a valuable opportunity for children is lost.
Undoubtedly, the parents’ attitude also influences these outcomes. If parents encourage play, free expression, and socialization, these will be the values the child will acquire. That child will grow up believing the world is a safe place, one that welcomes them and makes them feel good. Therefore, they will feel more self-confident, trust their abilities, and be able to express themselves emotionally.
However, parents who focus on early academic training often think of the world as a hostile place where you have to fight and be prepared to earn your place. These people aren’t as concerned with their child’s happiness as they are with “giving them the best,” which may seem like the same thing, but I assure you it’s not.
The good news is that the decision is in the hands of the parents.
References:
Marcon, R. A. (2002) Moving up the grades: Relationship between preschool model and later school success. Early Childhood Research & Practice; 4(1).
Schweinhart, L. J. & Weikart, D. P. (1997) The High/Scope Pre- school Curriculum Comparison Study through age 23. Early Childhood Research Quarterly; 12: 117-143.
Darling-Hammond, L. & Snyder, J. (1992) Curriculum Studies and the Traditions of Inquiry: The Scientific Tradition. Handbook of Research on Curriculum. MacMillan: 41-78.
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