Early Childhood Education

Early Childhood Education

2.Why has kindergarten become a universal experience for children in America but preK has not yet become a universal experience?

Over the last few decades, the participation in center based preschool or pre-K programs in different institutions has increased significantly and popularity has been accompanied with the dramatic growth of public support for such programs. Nevertheless, these programs are far from becoming a universal experience in America as is the case with kindergarten programs. Moreover, there are conflicts in policies pertaining to the pre-K programs as these policies vary from state to state. In addition, there is also a difference in the available option such as preschool, private child care, state pre-K and Head Start. According to educationists, the lack of universality in program structure, policies and options, as described earlier is one of the major reasons that is keeping the pre-K from becoming a universal experience in America. The kindergarten, on the other hand, has demonstrated an element of universality in program structure, policies and options across the states and there is no significant conflict or ambiguity regarding any of the underlying components of the overall system. And this has resulted in the kindergarten becoming a universal experience in America.

The pre-K programs, despite producing some positive outcomes regarding the development of child and aiding in learning, have largely been varying in size and persistence. Another important reason that holding the pre-K programs back as compared to the kindergarten, is the difficulties faced by some families accessing such programs. Moreover, it has been observed that not all the children, who have participated in the pre-K and similar preschool programs, perform well when they are enrolled into the school, thereby resulting in negative impression of such preschool programs. Furthermore, present set of policies regarding the pre-K programs in different states does not ensure the majority of American children will participate in such programs. There are children who do not participate in such programs at all, yet perform very well in schools. There are also other children who are enrolled to pre-K programs that are weak in terms of education quality in addition to those students who, mainly due to poverty, do not experience preschool program of any kind. The aforementioned issues concerning the pre-K programs have largely been responsible for preventing the pre-K from becoming a universal experience for child in American as opposed to the kindergarten program.

3.According to Richard Rothstein (Class and Schools), in what ways is the achievement gap connected to racial identity and in what ways is it connected to social class identity? Is race or class the more powerful explanation for the achievement gap and why?

According to Richard Rothstein, achievement gap in school children is connected to their racial identity mainly due to importance different cultures give to the process of learning and education. For instance, African American and Hispanic children are most likely to get mixed messages about the significance of learning from their cultures. These mixed messages, more than often, results ...