The Sept. 28 editorial on the Fort Worth schools audit report showed a number of questions raised. (See: "FW schools audit recommends more rigor") The answers, however, seem elusive.
The district's increasing "emphasis on early childhood education" is promising, but only if it's developmentally appropriate. "Rigor?" Not for kindergartners, please! Expecting 5-year-olds to begin reading lessons before they know the alphabet is absurd -- a cause for misbehavior, and discouraging to students and teachers alike. Likewise in math: pushing too much, too soon.Ideally, there should be an aide in each pre-K and kindergarten classroom for more one-on-one interaction, lower student-teacher ratios, much less testing, less lecture and more hands-on exploration, and a look at dietary factors that affect behavior and learning. Children really do want to learn and will with the right curriculum and environment.Maybe the answers aren't so elusive after all. Ways just need to be found to implement them.-- Carolyn Allen, BenbrookHave more to add? News tip? Tell us
