Preschool: At What Cost? challenges the notion that young children benefit from early formal academics and out-of-home preschool programs.
For the past decade, parents have been bombarded with research, statistics, and reports that claim children need a formal academic program during the preschool years. The impact of the push for universal preschool has been for parents, especially moms to feel pressure to “teach” their young children. Parents begin to doubt their own instinct to nurture their little ones at home.
Susan K. Stewart challenges this notion in her new book, Preschool: At What Cost? She takes a complete look at the history of the preschool movement, the studies behind the statements, and the unpublicized evidence that your children may benefit from more play and less school. Preschool: At What Cost? gives parents the information needed to feel confident in their decision to keep their preschoolers at home. Parents will learn answers for those who question their choice.
“What curriculum should I use for my preschooler?”
“My child has been diagnosed with a serious mental illness, what next?”
“My child gets lost when doing Internet research. I don’t want to limit the resources available, but I don’t want to see time wasted. What do you do?”
“I’m not sure I can finish this writing project. There’s so much information. What do I use and what do I cast off?”
These are just a few of the questions and comments I’ve heard over the past thirty years as a teacher, speaker, and homeschooler. Increasingly, questions about preschool have outranked “What about socialization?” The real question should be “Is formal preschool necessary?”
For the past decade, parents have been bombarded with research, statistics, and reports that claim children need a formal academic program during the preschool years. The impact of the push for universal preschool has been for parents, especially moms to feel pressure to “teach” their young children. Parents begin to doubt their own instinct to nurture their little ones at home.
Susan K. Stewart challenges this notion in her new book, Preschool: At What Cost? She takes a complete look at the history of the preschool movement, the studies behind the statements, and the unpublicized evidence that your children may benefit from more play and less school. Preschool: At What Cost? gives parents the information needed to feel confident in their decision to keep their preschoolers at home. Parents will learn answers for those who question their choice.
Chapters include
- History of Preschool
- The Real Numbers
- Politics of Preschool
- Let Them Play
