Child Capabilities vs Parents Expectations...

[Josiegirl]

[QUOTE=CalCare;575011]
He just finds it neat and wants to know more!



And THAT right there says it all!! If it's fun, they will want to know more. If it's forced what is fun about it?
It reminds me of simply learning stuff in school so you could pass the test. It was boring so what do you remember? Hardly anything. If it had been fun and absorbing along the way it would have made an impression.

[finsup]

https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog...long-term-harm

http://educationnext.org/much-too-early/

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/answer-sheet/wp/2015/04/12/report-debunks-earlier-is-better-academic-instruction-for-young-children/

Here are some links to articles you can either email DCM or print and hand to her or print and have available for all dc parents to read, but leave at your house.

Worksheets are not considered developmentally appropriate in early care or education.

What I would do in order to keep her happy and so she knows there is learning taking place from play, is to take very specific pictures. Make poster boards with the pics. One could say in large print at the top:

How Do Children Learn MATH through Play?
"Young children are introduced to numbers by exposure to numbers in their environment and through practical uses- with and without adult direction. They are introduced to number operations through sorting, patterning, and grouping, at their own will, while playing. Because children learn and retain new information best if they seek it themselves, learning through play is best. Adults are here to create the environment and materials that best present opportunities for the children to learn through play. Having access to materials such as building blocks let the children experiment with size, shape, weight and balance. Having numbers in the environment in labels, walls, puzzles and books exposes children to the visual representation of the number and when the time comes for formal lessons, children are familiar and comfortable with them. Adults in the environment provide number exposure through conversation and simple practical tasks too, as children are asked to set the table with 4 napkins or to each pick up and put away 5 toys. Occasional adult directed activities such as a cooking project where the children measure, pour and mix, teach children about using numbers in everyday ways."

glue four pictures of children using math in play, teacher led activities, and everyday uses. Then subtitle it for example:

Jennifer and Max sorting little people by height. Jennifer commented "The little boy is small, The daddy is big". Comparing and contrasting heights is early geometry in action!

Max found all the squares in the magnatiles. More geometry, distinguishing shapes.

Jennifer poured the 2 Cups of flour for our bread. She was pleased with the result when the bread was tasted at snack time. We all thanked Jennifer for her careful measuring because it made the bread delicious! Using measuring tools and reading recipes ingrains a sense of real purpose and value in using numbers.

etc!

Make one for Math, Literacy, Creativity and physical development.

Take a lot of pictures, but take them with a plan. Don't bother with doing pics pointlessly and trying to think of what to write with it.

If you don't want to make your home look tacky and center-ish just put them up for a week and then put them away for awhile, or put one up at a time in your parent sign in spot if you have one.

Good Luck.
ps I just randomly wrote all this, don't feel bad saying so to me, if you don't like it at all I know everyone likes to do their own thing

Thank you!! I have done wording like that for pictures before but mostly sporadically. I think this week I'll focus on documenting our week and all the learning that happens during play. Love the links too, I can see a busy Facebook week and handouts going home this week .

[finsup]

What is mom doing with him at home?

Oh they've been too sick to do anything except let him play on his tablet Seriously. At least they were honest with me about what he's done lately? Lol. I suspect that could be part of it, wanting me to do the "work" they think he should be doing so they don't have to.

[finsup]

I would just tell her that he is refusing, and try yet again to explain that worksheets do not show learning. I have a 4 yr old preschooler here, and we only do two worksheets a day. And those are only tracing and writing letters to get him using a writing utensil and hopefully learning his letters (which he doesn't seem to be grasping).

Yup my 4.5 year old does worksheets because he loves them for some odd reason . And hes really proud of himself when he completes thjem so I'm like sure, have at it. As for letters, I've worked with kiddos in the past who really struggled with them and having them use their whole body to do the letter really helped. Think writing an A in the snow with a big stick or having a child lay in the C shape outside while another one traced them with chalk. Not sure if you've tried that but it helped bring a lot of kindergartners up to where the school wanted them to be by the end of the year.

[finsup]

I wonder if she has a fear about his development that she is not vocalizing. Maybe that's why she's suddenly pushing the worksheets.

I think this is definitely part of it too. She's been worried lately, and I'm guessing comparing her child to others. He is on the low end for his age but no major red flags yet. In this area "preschool" is becoming this huge deal. Like if you don't do it your going to ruin your child's education for the rest of their life

[spedmommy4]

I love calcares posts; they are spot on. . Play is a child's work. I found one more article on preschool and worksheets to add to the list: http://www.isbe.net/earlychi/prescho...s-brochure.pdf

[laundrymom]

I would reinforce the "learn through a variety of daily play activities" and encourage them to enrich their own environment and add in worksheets or other "school aged" activities as they see fit. However, you are limited to developmentally appropriate activities and can't force him to memorize facts at childcare.

[mommyneedsadayoff]

Oh they've been too sick to do anything except let him play on his tablet Seriously. At least they were honest with me about what he's done lately? Lol. I suspect that could be part of it, wanting me to do the "work" they think he should be doing so they don't have to.

Sounds like they want you to make up for them having no interaction with them at home. I have no problem working WITH parents, but I am not going to do extra work so they can go home and park him in front of the tablet I would say no to extra work, but would send home the worksheets or color sheets so mom and dad can have some bonding time with him while doing themy together.

[Blackcat31]

Sounds like they want you to make up for them having no interaction with them at home. I have no problem working WITH parents, but I am not going to do extra work so they can go home and park him in front of the tablet I would say no to extra work, but would send home the worksheets or color sheets so mom and dad can have some bonding time with him while doing themy together.

This ^^

I TOTALLY understand and support the info posted about learning through play but it really doesn't answer OP's issue which is that the parents expect her to do ALL the work while child plays at home. So NOT okay in my book...

If they are paying her to be a child CARE provider then she is only obligated to provide care. The learning happens naturally through the play she offers.

If they want brick and mortar preschool with work sheets and report cards then they need to pay for that or do it on THEIR time if that is what they truly think early childhood education is.

[daycare]

This ^^

I TOTALLY understand and support the info posted about learning through play but it really doesn't answer OP's issue which is that the parents expect her to do ALL the work while child plays at home. So NOT okay in my book...

If they are paying her to be a child CARE provider then she is only obligated to provide care. The learning happens naturally through the play she offers.

If they want brick and mortar preschool with work sheets and report cards then they need to pay for that or do it on THEIR time if that is what they truly think early childhood education is.

I like this idea. Then the dcm can see just how much JR. is NOT interested in doing those work sheets.

[CalCare]

I think a lot of it is confusion about what all these various types of programs do. I mean if you call yourself a teacher or say you have educational activities or mention child development or anything about preschool, some parents think that means worksheets. The parents just don't know. And, really how could they? When two fcc programs can be so very different, as we all know very well! Some who commented here do worksheets, some think its absurd. How would a parent magically know which way you run your program- without asking? And when they are answered and they don't agree and continue to ask and request it, its not their fault that a provider goes back and forth on it. Provider makes them think it should be done and for some reason it just isn't being done.

And, then in their defense, why would they do any of it at home? It doesn't make sense from the perspective of them thinking its what you do. They see you as a professional and its your job. Like if i took my car to get painted and they are all, 'well did you prime it at least at home!?' And i'd be like 'What the hell are you talking about!? I dont know the first thing about painting a car! Why would i have done it at home!?' Lol and yes, you are thinking, this isn't a car, this is their child calcare! But I truely believe these parents make these requests out if concern for what is best for their kids and simply are not childcare pros so they don't know what is best, what to expect from a program, what to expect that their child should be able to do, etc.

And parents, how would they know you only intend to be a safe place to care for the child but no intentions of providing any education. Well, you say, 'no, I don't claim to provide NO education, just not worksheets'. Well, since the parents don't know that there is education that is not worksheets', we just have to let them know. One way could be these posters I recommended. Or provide them the articles that I gave links to. Or just straight up tell them to their faces! I am providing excellent educational experiences here- through play. Play is how they learn... The parents just don't know.

[Blackcat31]

I think a lot of it is confusion about what all these various types of programs do. I mean if you call yourself a teacher or say you have educational activities or mention child development or anything about preschool, some parents think that means worksheets. The parents just don't know. And, really how could they? When two fcc programs can be so very different, as we all know very well! Some who commented here do worksheets, some think its absurd. How would a parent magically know which way you run your program- without asking? And when they are answered and they don't agree and continue to ask and request it, its not their fault that a provider goes back and forth on it. Provider makes them think it should be done and for some reason it just isn't being done.

And, then in their defense, why would they do any of it at home? It doesn't make sense from the perspective of them thinking its what you do. They see you as a professional and its your job. Like if i took my car to get painted and they are all, 'well did you prime it at least at home!?' And i'd be like 'What the hell are you talking about!? I dont know the first thing about painting a car! Why would i have done it at home!?' Lol and yes, you are thinking, this isn't a car, this is their child calcare! But I truely believe these parents make these requests out if concern for what is best for their kids and simply are not childcare pros so they don't know what is best, what to expect from a program, what to expect that their child should be able to do, etc.

And parents, how would they know you only intend to be a safe place to care for the child but no intentions of providing any education. Well, you say, 'no, I don't claim to provide NO education, just not worksheets'. Well, since the parents don't know that there is education that is not worksheets', we just have to let them know. One way could be these posters I recommended. Or provide them the articles that I gave links to. Or just straight up tell them to their faces! I am providing excellent educational experiences here- through play. Play is how they learn... The parents just don't know.

Because all of that should be covered in the interview BEFORE enrollment.

Parents and providers should never sign a contract for anything unless BOTH parties understand what the other will or wont be responsible for doing and how.

[CalCare]

For sure

[Unregistered]

What is mom doing with him at home?

Yeah.... if you want to offer worksheets and he refuses then send home the worksheets.

[MunchkinWrangler]

This one is a hard issue for me as well. It's society that's the problem, really. I had a parent who was a teacher who expected me to do circle time with her 10 month old. Like go over the alphabet, teach him songs, colors, shapes, etc. I had infants only at the time and my DS. I told her that a 10 month old is more interested in climbing on things and crawling all over the house and could care less if I was teaching that or not. She was shocked and mentioned that I said I offered a preschool time. I don't think she understood PRESCHOOL. I laughed and said it wasn't age appropriate, I wasn't surprised when she termed. Good luck with that!