In the wake of the Common Core academic push 
down on America's kindergartners, a new report by Lilian G. Katz argues that excessive and early formal instruction can be damaging to our youngest children in the long term. Today, Defending the Early Years is proud to release Lively Minds: Distinctions between academic versus intellectual goals for young children.
Lillian G. Katz, Professor Emerita of Early Childhood Education at the University of Illinois, argues that the common sense notion that "earlier is better" is not supported by longitudinal studies of the effects of different kinds of preschool curriculum models. Furthermore, her report maintains that a narrow academic curriculum does not recognize the innate inquisitiveness of young children and ultimately fails to address the way they learn.
"Young children enter the classroom with lively minds--with innate intellectual dispositions toward making sense of their own experience, toward reasoning, predicting, analyzing, questioning and learning," says Dr. Katz.
"But in our attempt to quantify and verify children's learning, we impose premature formal instruction on kids at the expense of cultivating their true intellectual capabilities - and ultimately their optimal learning."
Watch and share this video about this new report:
Help us spread the word about the importance of intellectual pursuits for young children using social media!
Consider tweeting:
#CCSS replaces wonder with worksheets, investigation with memorization. Preserve the lively minds of children https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e53S8dnh0IM
Premature academic instruction comes at a cost for youngest students @dey_project https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e53S8dnh0IM #2much2soon
