IPM’s Indepth Report! When You Can’t wait for Kindergarten Why Asian-Indians prefer private pre-schooling
By Jo Ann Daugherty From IPMs previous issues
as telivision and peer pressure, enforc- ing good study habits can be difficult. But Indian parents have always had very strong feeligns about passing on cultural heritage, and an important as- pect of this heritage is academic excel- lence. Not all Indian parents are as intent on a strong academic emphasis during the preschool years. Dr Sudha Kahl professor of Childhood Education at San Jose State University, sent her 4- year-old son to a preschool that has very relaxed academic standards, though she admits that the rigorous standards in other preschools can be a big draw to Indians. “The parents themselves were in a system where there was competition and achievement was emphasized,” she says. “It’s bound to have an effect on their expec- tations for their own children.” Many parents claim that at three years of age their child is already out- growing the education he/she may be receiving at home, and enjoys the en- richment that a preschool can bring to him. Tanya Lai, whose five-year old son attended Milpitas Montessori, says, “He learned his alphabet all by himself at two. He kept asking, “What does this mean?’” Tamara Nagley, Director of Little Scholars Elementary school in San Jose, says, “It’s important to present the academics and motivate the children, because some are ready. It would be a shame no to give them the opportu- nity.” For a parent who considers their child ready, the choices available can be disorienting. The Bay Area offers a
speaker. Kim Vu of San Jose compared the experiences of her two children, on of whom attended preschool while the other did not; the difference in compre- hension once the children started kindergarten was enormous. Also parents seek reinforcement in lessons of decorum. Most preschools teach basic manners such as saying “please” and “thank you”, picking up your toys, and getting along with oth- ers. Dr. Robert Schiirrmacher, a Pro- gram Director of Early Childhood Education at University of California, Santa Cruz, observes about Indian par- enting that in general “being well-man- nered is part of their value system.” Carinda Henares agrees that in her ex- periences as a preschool teacher at Little Scholars, “Good behavior is very im- portant to Indian parents.” By and large the motivation for pre- schooling a child seems to be academic. There is a widespread perception of American schools as being too lenient. Manjit Mahendran, teacher and mother of 5-year old Anureet, remembers hav- ing to get up in front of her first grade class in Punjab to recite multiplication tables up to 20 X 20, a feat that is nor re- quired of American students until 3rd grade. Apreschool that reminds Indian parents of their own shcooling can be highly attractive. And in a culture where marriage prospecs ats well as fu- ture career depends on academic suc- cess, the threat of an inadequate education can be a strong motivator to start young. In America, where children have so many distractionsto contend with, such
Formal schooling in the United States begins at the age of five. But maybe you have a bright, inquisitive child who seems ready for schooling well before kindergarten. Or maybe you’re concerned about the level of ac- ademics your child will be receiving in this country. For a variety of reasons, immigrant parents such as Indians and Asians are increasingly interested in starting their children’s education in preschool. Starting your child early on his road to academic success does not have universal support, and can engender mixed feelings in parents. Viswanth Rao of Auburn, California says he was undecided about the benefits of send- ing his daughter to preschool. On the one hand, “You can get a jump on edu- cation, since they’re young, and being young it’s easier to learn,” he says. “But then, they’re going to get it all eventually anyway, so why not start at five?” Other parents may worry, if their child is extremely shy, that the group activity could be overwhelming to them. On the other hand, many times a child’s shyness is exactly the motiva- tion for preschool. If the child is cared for in a family setting, there is limited acces to other children, and the lack of socialization can be a concern. In a pre- school, a child will learn how to take turns, share toys, eat, and perhaps nap in a group setting. If a family has re- cently immigrated to the United States and is still learning the language, pre- school can be an excellent way for a child to become a proficient English
24 indiaparentmagazine.org
School Special 2017
Made with FlippingBook - Online Brochure Maker