Letter to the Editor: Kids need pre-K
BY Linda Tunnell, Miami, Okla.
Sunday, April 29, 2012
4/29/12 at 8:31 AM
In regards to recent readers’ comments
about pre-K funding. Yes, it
would be great if Oklahoma did not
have a need for pre-K classes. However,
many children do not have
families who are willing to take the
time to read to them, talk to them,
teach them how to count or give
them learning experiences so that
they will have a knowledge base for
when they do start school.
Children are coming to kindergarten
not even able to identify
the primary colors. They don’t
know how to hold a pencil or cut
things out with scissors. They cannot
count simple groups of objects.
They’ve never been exposed to
nursery rhymes or stories; never
put a puzzle together.
When families begin spending
time with their preschoolers and
exposing them to common, practical,
everyday life experiences, then
schools can continue beginning
a child’s education at the kindergarten
level. But until then, children
need the added exposure they
would have in a pre-K class to prevent
them from falling further behind.
A school cannot make up in
kindergarten or first grade things
parents have failed to teach their
child. There are too many things to
be taught (and accounted for) for a
teacher to have to begin building a
foundation for a child who begins
with no knowledge.
Letters to the editor are encouraged. Send letters to letters@tulsaworld.com.
Associated Images:
Naiyla Fields mixes colored water in a pre-kindergarden class at Lee Elementary School in Tulsa on April 10. MATT BARNARD / Tulsa World file
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