Active listening Does Not Just Happen.  It Takes Courage and Time In Order To Make A Difference

Maybe it just takes time for our Superintendent to get around to acknowledging the comments from the public related to suggestions on school improvement. Well, the listening sessions have come and gone and I wonder how many other public spirited citizens have had the same experience I had when I submitted several questions designed to gain some insight into the rational for following certain procedures which govern the enrollment of incoming kindergarten students.
I hand delivered an envelope to the superintendent which included a number of topics I thought worthy of public discussion.

       

She apparently felt differently and for all I know, may have felt they were more like cans of worms. I will list my main problem with current KEP (Kindergarten Enrollment Policies). I will do this by asking a few questions which I will not attempt to answer at this time. The concept is simple and when you think about it you will wonder why this insanity continues to undermine the whole school system, not just here in Vallejo, but through out most of our Country.

Preface to Questions: What makes these questions somewhat provocative is the fact that throughout our country we have dropout rates of anywhere from twenty to forty percent. (many of these children could be saved with a program which would put an emphasis on home/school coordination). How that might work will be a future topic.

Questions:
1. Would it be best to enter children in kindergarten at a certain weight?
2. Well, how about entry into school when they reach a certain height?
3. Maybe it might be best to just continue with a method which has only failed
and hope for better outcomes. Of course that would be a certain age requirement.

4. WHAT IF?
What if we entered children in school when they were ready? What if we had schools designed to take into consideration how each child learns. What if we were more
interested in the children than $$ADA $$$. They will respond that we
can’t afford it. Well
we cannot afford not to. Who is protecting the status quo?
What if we could start children out in school and the schools
were structured in such a way as to do such an improved job in the early years that the dropout rate would be lessened by only 20%, the savings would be enormous. The savings in human misery alone would be worth the price not to mention the savings that would be reaped by less strain on our law enforcement budgets, both state and national.

What if we continue down the same narrow path our leaders have chosen. Well, every year you will find this in many Kindergartens across the nation. A class of 27 to 30+ children in a classroom with a curriculum which might fit forty per cent of the class. It won’t come close for the bottom twenty%. As far as the top twentyfive% goes, good luck.
These children already know most of what is going to be taught during the year.

Anyone who wants to exchange ideas on the subject can contact me at, 1. moses125@comcast.net 2.YouTube) Tubelocity1 3. Website:: ready4nextstep (type in browser)
Good Luck Myron Moses
It might be about time to put together a group to oversee what is going on in the VUSD both positive and negative. The members and leaders would come first from those in the community who have concerns many might feel are not being addressed by the school district with its present level of transparency.
All meetings would be open to the public, press, radio and TV and any local administrators would be welcome to join us.

 

MLM

For Greater Depth Related To Various Aspects of School Readiness (Click Here)  

Ed. Kdg. enrollment and common core

 http://youtu.be/NqHedGUoQ4c

Ready4NextStep On YouTube

If you stay with this site you will learn how to enhance your home as a learning center.  

Two examples shown here demonstrate the way your walls might serve as a most valuable teaching aid.  A friend of mine, Dr. Robert Shore, emphasized this valuable use of wall space in his often repeated statement, “children ‘ learn ‘ what they bump into”.  Try it with your children.  Maps, calendars, as well as dimensional objects are appropriate for  this use

You will also come away with questions related to the advisability of following present day Kindergarten Enrollment policies which, in my opinion, have been in vogue far to many decades.  This will be the core of the site.  On ocassion I do tend to spread my wings beyond their capability to keep me aloft.  Hopefully I will find a soft landing and a great deal of understanding, deserved or not.