What's the big idea?

School is commonly divided into subjects, and educators try to teach each subject in a systematic way. But it might be wise to look at the core ideas (and perhaps assumptions) we have about each subject area before deciding when and how to pursue knowledge.

Here's a draft of the Big Ideas at WHA.

English language arts and foreign language: Words are how we connect with others.What we say matters; how we say it matters, too. Books are awesome, and new ones are being written all the time.

Math: Numbers, as labels of quantity and measurement, help us to understand the world around us. Solving problems with numbers is fun and useful.

Science: The universe is driven by natural laws and processes; it has a history, and that history is still happening. We can learn about the universe using the scientific method. It's our responsibility to work safely and to use our knowledge ethically.

Social studies: Humanity has a history, and that history is still happening--we are part of it. History is affected not just by individuals, but by places and by groups and their cultures.

Arts: Beauty comes in many forms. We can seek it out, and we can create our own.

Character and life skills: Image is nothing; vision is everything. We value doing what's right. We value being competent.

Preschool Pitfalls

Whether you run a preschool or your own child is enrolled in one, here are six common issues to be aware of in preschools.

1) Too much emphasis on academics in the name of school readiness. A person who cannot share three dolls with two friends does not need to practice counting to 100. A person who cannot wipe his own bottom does not need to be pushed to write his name. And for pity's sake, do not try to teach your 3's class the Pledge of Allegiance--that's conceptually appropriate for second grade. Organizing a game of Duck Duck Goose is a far better use of your time!

2) Too many children per adult. NAEYC is trying to be realistic with regard to money. If you come at it from the viewpoint of child development, there should be a cap (with two adults) of 6 children in the 1's class, 8 children in the 2's class, 10 in the 3's and 12 in the 4's.

3) Lack of modeling and direct instruction in social interactions. Children who can barely talk cannot "use their words" effectively without support. Do not wait until two children are in tears and tell them to stop! Think out loud and invite them to think with you. ("It looks like you two are having trouble agreeing. What could we do next?")

4) Crafts mislabeled as art. First, if the goal is that everyone is making the same thing in the same way, that is by definition not art. Call it fine motor practice if that's the reason you're doing it. But do we have to make something every day or week that matches the theme? Children know the difference between something that will be used because it's functional or loved because it's beautiful--something with an authentic value--and decorative trash.

5) Excessive dependence on, and presumptions about, holiday or seasonal themes. Let me tell you, I was none too happy to spend the beginning of December trying to explain Christmas as a joyful celebration of Jesus' birthday to my son, only to have him come home from his church-based preschool singing "Santa Claus is Coming to Town." If you are having Valentine's Day exchanges among children who can't recognize their own names, having to explain how spiders and bats are related to pumpkins, or trying to explain the winter Olympics to children who have never seen a real snowflake, put down the activity book and ask yourself what would be truly interesting and valuable to the kids and their families. Early childhood education is not about filling the schedule.

6) A regimented, fragmented day. If children's free play is in blocks of only fifteen or twenty minutes, why is that? Are some kids objecting to moving on to the next activity? Really engaging materials absorb children, especially the older ones, for longer stretches of time.