A recent economic study has some people excited about the value of early childhood education:
The Case for $320,000 Kindergarten Teachers
Students who had learned much more in kindergarten were more likely to go to college than students with otherwise similar backgrounds. Students who learned more were also less likely to become single parents. As adults, they were more likely to be saving for retirement. Perhaps most striking, they were earning more.
All else equal, they were making about an extra $100 a year at age 27 for every percentile they had moved up the test-score distribution over the course of kindergarten. A student who went from average to the 60th percentile — a typical jump for a 5-year-old with a good teacher — could expect to make about $1,000 more a year at age 27 than a student who remained at the average. Over time, the effect seems to grow, too.
The economists don’t pretend to know the exact causes. But it’s not hard to come up with plausible guesses. Good early education can impart skills that last a lifetime — patience, discipline, manners, perseverance. The tests that 5-year-olds take may pick up these skills, even if later multiple-choice tests do not.
As the wife of a school teacher, I am all for appreciating the value of education and even increased pay for our most effective teachers. When I read about this study, though, I couldn’t help but wonder: What kinds of skills are these “most effective” kindergarten teachers giving children that moms at home can’t give their children, even doing a better job of it in most cases?
Specifically, the study cites the skills of “patience, discipline, manners, and perseverance.” These are exactly the kinds of life skills young children readily learn in a healthy home environment with a full-time parent. There might be some early phonics or math facts going in a classroom full of 5-ear-olds, but there’s an awful lot of basic childcare going on too—and it’s not academic learning that the study indicates is most effective in producing successful adults.
Instead of increasing kindergarten teacher pay, perhaps a better use of money would be to offer tax breaks and other incentives to make it possible for more moms to stay home with their young children. Shouldn’t we make it easier for more parents to be home with their own children full-time in order to give them the kind of hands-on, day-to-day attention, affection, instruction, and guidance that fosters the all-important life skills of “patience, discipline, manners, and perseverance”?
Unfortunately, as my fellow blogger Matthew Archbold noted earlier this week, our culture seems aimed in the opposite direction.
I value kindergarten teachers and I think many of them should be paid more for what they do. But let’s be honest about what exactly it is that the best kindergarten teachers do. At least according to this study, the very best early childhood educators are the ones that most closely mimic a mother’s role. They teach children basic life skills in small-sized classrooms that mimic family life. Let’s put the focus on and support for early childhood education where it belongs—in the heart of the family.
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I read the article. Perhaps they did control for this, but I did not see them mention a control for whether the mother was at home the first 4 years before kindergarten, and remained there. Also, whether the parents were still together or had separated. The article left too many questions in my mind.
The fact that the paper had not yet been peer reviewed also would make me pause.
In many studies I have seen a big indicator of success is if the parents stayed together. Not always the case, I know, but it can be a factor.
I think the money is better spent giving tax breaks to families so mom can stay home. Children can learn as much or more from mom before kindergarten. I would like to see this study held up against a study of similar socioeconomically placed home schooled children. Would be interesting.
Just for the record, Danielle, there are some of us dad’s who’ve stayed at home and raised our kids. Mine are doing just fine, thank you! Our oldest is discerning the priesthood right now.
The New York Times article reporter on the $320,000 number and noted that teachers won’t be making that kind of money soon.
But it is a bit disconcerting to see all these teachers and administrators saying that teachers really don’t work that hard but if we paid them more, they would produce better results. Apparently they just coast when they get to work.
Well, I know one teacher and I know she works very hard in her special education class.
I don’t know that she could work that much harder.
But I’d bet if she had 1/4 of the students that she now has, she’d be much more effective. Since most parents don’t help her much at all, especially during the school breaks, she would be much more effective if she taught the students year
round. If she had more assistants, she’d be more effective.
But where will the money come from?
People have been complaining about education for at least 60 years, ever since Sputnik and the fear that we were losing the Space Race. And it really doesn’t seem to get much better no matter what we pay teachers.
Maybe the problems is that we try to mainstream everybody in classes geared for potential PhD’s So the potential PhD’s sit and wait while the slower students try to catch up. That 30$ or more of them will not graduate with the potential PhD’s, let alone catch. They don’t have the ability and we do not want to admit that.
The Parents are the first and principal educators of their children - per the Catechism of the Catholic Church.
With today’s helps on the internet, homeschooling books etc., educational materials are available for all ages.
I’m not suggesting that children should be only home schooled. I am pointing to the academic and religious responsibility of Parents - which too many abdicate to others. This is sinful, and so is laziness.
It is not wise to depend so heavily on the Government (yes, schools are government agencies) to do the job of Parents.
You need more than just good and easily accessed information and a loving heart to be a good “teacher.” Teachers are trained and certified in college. There are some naturally gifted parents who instinctively know how to teach their children academics and social skills, but, generally, I’d rather trust something so important to a professional. And shouldn’t a ‘professional’ receive a professional’s salary? Smaller class sizes would definitely help, since a professional salary for teachers will never happen, ever. We here in America don’t honor our teachers the way other cultures do.
“Apparently they just coast when they get to work?” Ray, you’ve never even stepped into a classroom, have you? Try being a teacher for just a day. The thing that will drive you crazy first is the bureacracy, especially if you’re in special ed. Teachers will never get the respect they deserve, but you would not be where you’re at right now if it wasn’t for teachers.
Dean Maszai: “Ray, you’ve never even stepped into a classroom, have you?”
I have been in a classroom (as a tutor) and I wouldn’t want to be a teacher. If the students wouldn’t learn by the third time I said something, I’d stop saying it.
I never said teachers coasted. But some, including teachers union leaders who say more money will produce more results must think that there is room for improvement.
I don’t think that more money will appreciably provide dramatic improvements. Most teachers work hard and it is a difficult profession that wouldn’t be attractive to many people not willing to put that much effort into a job. And you have to love your students to be good at it.
Many people wouldn’t like to be as independent as teachers must be in teaching a class. They would prefer a job where everything was spelled exactly what to do and when. That doesn’t work in the classroom.
I said that smaller classes and more assistants would make for improved performances. Most importantly, parents who cared about education would make the most dramatic improvement in education.
Professionals are constrained - through the Court system.
Look at what is happening in CA where they do not want to admit Catholic High School students into their taxpayer supported Universities even though their SAT tests etc., are just as good if not better than public school students - so theyu can stop diversity of thought.
With the good materials available, and the faithfulness and love of parents in the US, - education both acedemic and religious education can and must be supplemented in the home. There is nothing like the private personal tutoring of individual children by someone who loves them.
The Parents are the first and principal educators of their children - per the Catechism of the Catholic Church.
I stayed home (and am still at home) for my four children. My oldest is entering 10th grade. I’m not sure I’d want some of the public school educators I know in charge of socializing my children. Instead, it’s more important to me that I sent my child to school ready to listen to people in charge, to follow directions and to know how to treat others in his group. Unfortunately, the other children in his class did not have a great deal of exposure to those skills, so instead of teaching academic basics, his teacher and the classroom aides were acting as substitute parents to the children who did not have patience, discipline, manners and perseverance. I believe that the public school system is being used by some to raise their children, not just educate them. Parents need to be parents so that teachers can do their jobs more effectively.
I would be afraid to send my children to public schools today, no matter how much they paid the teachers. I don’t think I could be vigilant enough to make sure that they didn’t get indoctrinated with cultural norms that go against the teachings of the church. Apparently there is a kindergarten-level book about a child who has two daddies, though I have never seen it. Teachers in public schools will necessarily share their own views about these topics, which will serve to normalize homosexual relationships. As a teacher of confirmation, I have had to explain to a classroom of 10th graders why we are not bigots. Even after using USCCB pamphlets and trying to touch on Theology of the Body, some of them still don’t believe it is wrong, after having gone through public schools.
Your idea, Danielle, for tax breaks and other incentives for moms to be able to stay at home with their younger children is a great idea. As a matter of face, Pope John Paul II, if my memory serves me correctly, proposed a similar solution, going so far as to suggest government financial aide to families with small children so mommy could stay at home to care for them. My daughter was a teacher’s aide in a 3-4year old pre-school class. She basically provided the care that a mother would give to a child that age. Hugs, listening, bathroom duties, helping them with their snacks and lunch, settling disputes, monitoring nap time, making sure no one got hurt, cleaning up messes, tending to the sick, correcting, encouraging, praising, consoling, breaking up little spats and yes, even some arts and craft accomplishments and sing alongs. A full class numbered 18 children. She was mentally and physically drained at the end of the day. She loved the children, but being a mommy to so many, while trying to fullfill the job description as a teacher’s aide, was a bit too much. And poor mommy or daddy, whoever got there first to pick up their child, now had to find fresh energy to be a loving and attentive parent. Not an easy thing to do. Thank God for many good teachers and aides who provide the most loving and safest environment possible for a child away from mommy. They are doing such important work. May God bless and help today’s dads and moms trying to do their best in this hectic world. They need our prayers.
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