Here's Your Opportunity To Comment On "Universal Preschool" Proposed By Pres. Obama

[LaLa1923]

Key words are "spend the days with"

Of course they have licensed teachers but the teachers aren't the ones taking care of the kids.

It's like nursing homes... there are nurses there but they aren't the ones doing the hands on care of the residents. The vast majority of the cares are being done by low level workers.

ouch that hurt!
Lol I know you didn't mean it exactly that way. I am a licensed CNA/GNA and often times I knew more than my nurses. They may have gone to school longer but I had the hands on experience. I could chew up a first year and spit them out. I could always spot one.


I think kids need more time to play and be kids. happyface

[Scout]

"He was elected a second term because the MAJORITY do support him."


The majority of WHO?

If you break down who actually voted for him it wasn't the majority of people in this country who are working and paying taxes to pay for all of the agendas he pushes.

That's not me being a meanie, that's statistic and fact.

Sure everyone counts as an individual on some level, but is it fair that people who AREN'T paying for these programs should be able to cast a vote that forces *other* people to??

I guess that can be debated but I personally think it's ridiculous.

Add to that, he may have won the electoral college votes but the popular vote was split literally right down the middle. HALF of this country's people did not believe he was fit to run this country..

HALF.

In the grand scheme of all the elections ever held that is a doozy of a number and shows a severe lack of confidence on a vast amount of American's parts.



And yes, everyone knows everything was George Bush's fault, that's why this country is further in debt than it ever has been 4+ years AFTER Obama came in to fix everything

What about the people that voted for Gore but, Bush won? Gore had THE POPULAR VOTE but, the electoral college elected Bush...now you tell me that's fair. Not so much IMHO. The Electoral College also gave Obama his administration so what is the difference in that?

[Scout]

Because it costs money that we DON'T have!! We are BROKE and in DEBT up to our eyeballs. There is NO MONEY to SPEND on more programs!

Spending on education is the most important program to spend on!

[Scout]

I disagree i went to pre-k. Actually i was in the first pre-k class that my school offered. I don't know what the regular kids learned beacuse they were at a different table from them. But our table was advanced there were only 5 of us. But we did 1st grade work i remember reading a book that was for 4th graders in pre-k. Nobody in my class had trouble sitting still. Im not sure what pre-k classes you have sat in on but they sound bad, unlike any i have ever looked in. Pre-k helps some kids and some it doesn't. I think it depends on the teacher

I agree. My son will be a terror at home but, you put him in his pre k class and he gets full CHARTS of stickers for listening, being a good helper, friend, and is LEARNING what he needs to be prepared for next year. I wouldn't want to deprive him of these lessons his teacher gives him. THOSE ARE PRICELESS.

[Scout]

But why do you think that's necessary?

Why do you think taxpayers should fork over millions of dollars they don't have to accomplish such a thing?

What's wrong with doing 1st grade work in 1st grade? And reading 4th grade level books in 4th grade?

Where does the opinion come from that younger children being able to perform as an older student is somehow better??


If parents want to instill that level of education at a toddler level then fine, but I don't think the government should be sending the bill for it to taxpayers.

Maybe one of those kids will come up with a way to stop a nuclear bomb from hitting us because of that early education. Just sayin.

[nannyde]

ouch that hurt!
Lol I know you didn't mean it exactly that way. I am a licensed CNA/GNA and often times I knew more than my nurses. They may have gone to school longer but I had the hands on experience. I could chew up a first year and spit them out. I could always spot one.


I think kids need more time to play and be kids. happyface

Low level wasn't a slam. I meant lowest level in the hierarchy from top to bottom. Nurses aide is a very very hard job and I respect anyone who can do it well.

[Scout]

Low level wasn't a slam. I meant lowest level in the hierarchy from top to bottom. Nurses aide is a very very hard job and I respect anyone who can do it well.

Thanks Nannyde! My dh is one and they are highly underpaid and underappreciated!!-sorry to veer off topic op!

[sammie]

Oh good grief! I can't understand how everything that is wrong with this country - the worst it has been in my lifetime - is the fault of Bush. Obama, God help us, is the POTUS now, and he is making things progressively worse, each day he is in office.

Trying to stanardize preschool and child care is just one more step towards the socialist government he is trying to sneak by the uninformed members of society. Everything in this country is NOT equal. That is why it is important to WORK for what you want in life. We were not founded on the principles that everything will be equal and government mandated.

Parents have the right to choose what type of early childhood program they want their child to attend. If I want my child learning to read at age one, that is my choice. If I want him to carry around a blanket and bake cookies until he is in kindergarten - also my choice. It is important to have the variety of program styles available, so parents can exercise their own free will in determining how they want their chld educated.

Much like universal healthcare, this is just another program that will help the "I don't need to work to live a great life" members of our society keep right on living that way. Once again, when it is all said and done, the quality of care will be sacrificed to make things "equal".

I work hard for my money, so my children can have the best that our country has to offer. I don't work hard so everyone in the country's children can have access to the fruits of my labor. If they want a better life or opportunity - WORK FOR IT!

This preschool plan is just another way for the government to control how we live our lives. I am not interested in that lifestyle. Please let these four years end before this man can do any more damage to the country. And, without a doubt, when the country is a mess after his term ~ it will STILL be Bush's fault.

[sammie]

Spending on education is the most important program to spend on!

I agree...education is important. My point is where is the money going to come from?????.....what program(s) do you think should be cut to balance the budget, get us out of debt and fund education? We can not continue as a country down the road of spend, spend, spend.....it needs to stop! JMO

[sammie]

Maybe one of those kids will come up with a way to stop a nuclear bomb from hitting us because of that early education. Just sayin.

Oh brother.........

[sammie]

I am sure it is different everywhere, but I can attest to the Head Start programs here being high quality. Over the past three years I have conducted ECERS on the same 20 headstart programs. Each year they have significantly improved on their scores and last year were very close to achieving the highest score - 7. They LISTENED to my feedback and took it seriously. They implemented changes neccessary to improve their programs, although they scored well the first time. They, beginning this year, require ALL teachers to have a Bachelor's Degree. These children are leaps and bounds ahead of children who have not had the opportunity to attend quality programs.

A child doesn't necessarly need to attend one of these "programs" to be ready for kindergarten. Where are the parents in all of this?? My 7 yo did not attend preschool. He learned things from his home childcare provider and then I, as his parent, would spend time teaching him things to get him ready for school. During this time I worked outside the home 60+ hours per week but still made it a priority to get my own child ready for school because it was MY responsibility. He is now in 1st grade....he is in a 1st/2nd grade class this year and is doing exceptionally well. He is leaps and bounds ahead of other children who attended one of those "quality programs".

[Starburst]

We wouldn't even be having this conversation if the government would wise up and realize:
"You know something? Most of the people who are out of a job right now do not have a college education and most of the jobs out there now require a degree. Maybe we should consider putting more effort in retraining people who are on welfare or governement assistance and requiring them to go to school to get funds instead of paying them more money than they would make working full time at McDonald's for watching tv. Maybe that way they can eventually pay for their own child care and health care instead of the government having to pay for it. Who knows? Maybe their kids would be more likely to go to college if they go to college."

Fact: Children are more likely to go to college if their parent's when to college. There are a few exeptions because there are lots of people who are first generation college students and some people who decide not to go to college when their parents went to college, but it does increase the likelihood of them being able to afford it or be motivated to go.

[mom2many]

I realize I'm "old school" but since when did having a college degree become the criteria for whether you are smart enough to do a job successfully! It seems that WAY too much emphasis is placed on how much schooling an individual has.

I can ONLY speak from my own personal experience and I feel that all of this "formal" education is absolute nonsense...ESPECIALLY when we are talking about preschoolers! YIKES!!!!!!

My grandfather ran a very successful air conditioning/refrigeration business that he started from ABSOLUTELY nothing with ONLY a 7th grade education. He was forced to drop out of school at age 13 to help out with the family farm. He read books & self taught himself and was worth millions when he sold his business. It was hard work, but he truly lived the American dream!

My oldest son just got hired at Apple computer making over 100 grand a year at age 26 with NO college degree! Their criteria is "how do you think & problem solve & get along with others", which is something that no amount of classroom instruction will ever guarantee teaching an individual! I can proudly say he NEVER attended a preschool or pre k and my father who was a 6th grade teacher, advised me that the BEST thing I could do is to teach him how to play in the "sand box". He went on to public school and was in AP classes from the get go. He took college courses in high school and got straight A's. In college he dappled in music, simply because he loved it.

Interestingly enough this job he just got was not based on any of his college education! Through the interview process, they truly analyzed how he problem solved & MOST importantly "HOW HE GOT ALONG WITH PEOPLE"! Gee, what a novel idea especially coming from the leader in computer technology... Apple Corp.

Glad to get that off my chest... So done with people saying you are not smart without having a professor decide you are! Oh and BTW...I do have a college degree, NOT in ECE, but I have been very successful for 26+ years and LOVE what I do!!!!

[nannyde]

http://www.heritage.org/research/reports/2013/01/head-start-impact-evaluation-report-finally-released

Since 1965, taxpayers have spent more than $180 billion on Head Start.[1] Yet, over the decades, this Great Society relic has failed to improve academic outcomes for the children it was designed to help. The third-grade follow-up evaluation is the latest in a growing body of evidence that should urge policymakers to seriously consider Head Start’s future.

Impacts on Cognitive Development. For cognitive development, the third-grade study assessed 11 outcomes for the original three- and four-year-old cohorts. Access to Head Start for each group had no statistically measurable effects on all measures of cognitive ability, including numerous measures of reading, language, and math ability.[6]


Here is the final report: http://www.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default...mary_final.pdf

These impacts on children’s experiences translated into favorable impacts at the end of one year in the domains of children’s cognitive development and health, as well as in parenting practices. There were more significant findings across the measures within these domains for 3-year-olds in that first year (and only the 3-year-old cohort experienced improvements in the social-emotional domain.) Yet, by the end of 1st grade, there were few significant differences between the Head Start group as a whole and the control group as a whole for either cohort.

[Snapdragon]

I realize I'm "old school" but since when did having a college degree become the criteria for whether you are smart enough to do a job successfully! It seems that WAY too much emphasis is placed on how much schooling an individual has.

Totally agree with your sentiments, and I, too, have a college degree. I can see this might take us in another direction -- with the cost of college being so high and the amount of students who now graduate with debt, perhaps we will return to a more balanced view of the necessity of a college education. There will always be professions that require a degree, of course, but there are many jobs that require plain common sense -- and like your son, problem-solving skills and the ability to work well with others.