I read a recent article about IQ tests for 4 yr olds and parents in New York City prepping their kids with study materials to get into kindergarten.
Crazy.
See NYMag:
The Junior MeritocracyBut it was balanced with comments about how much IQ can change. And an interview with the headmaster from a school that does not use test scores until the kids are freshman.
“I want a school full of kids who daydream,” he says. “I want kids who are occasionally impulsive. I want kids who are fun to be with. I want kids who don’t want to answer the questions on those tests in the way the adult wants them to be answered, because that kid is already seeing the world differently. In fact,” he adds, after thinking it over for a moment, “I want kids who are cynical enough at age 4 to know that there’s really something wrong with someone asking them these things and think, ‘I’m going to screw with them in the process!’ ”
At least there are some people who have some sense.
This NYMag article reminded me of a parent's comment at a recent Montessori meeting. This parent was concerned about the realism of the Montessori environment. At Montessori the kids use materials that are real world analogs and this parent wondered about when was there time for imagination. It seemed like a valid question to me; the way I have been handling the development of my child's imagination is I see my role as a parent to help her be creative and wacky as a balance to the realism of Montessori.
Another parent also recently expressed guilt that their 3 and 5 year olds had not been downhill skiing yet. And it does seem like many other kids are skiing or swimming or ice skating, et cetera. And all these kids are taking lessons when 3 and 4 for these activities. But from my standpoint, the only lessons I think a toddler and pre-K child needs are swim lessons for their own safety. Other than that, I want my children to experience childhood without the structure of lessons. Yes, we go ice skating and snowshoeing and she has a keyboard and other instruments to play on, but I will not be signing her up for summer soccer even though she's old enough.
But now is the time for her to have fun and to play and to imagine anything she wants. Once she is 5 we'll start trying more organized sports and activities and she'll be fine. And I will know she's old enough to make some choices for herself.
