The start of a fresh school year i...

The start of a fresh school year is always an exciting jiffy for parents, teachers and greatest in number of all, children, especially those who are entering kindergarten. Sadly, what awaits many of them can be more daunting than exciting.

each year, federal, state and local mandates leave fewer way for evasions -- and less time -- for children to simply be children. We now have an educational body whose primary goal seems to be competing with the superpowers of China and India by means of means of standardized testing. What is it all for? Do we really care about the minds of our nation's children, or is it just to such a degree more money can be made in succession Wall Street?

The technological "advances" of our time are destroying our children. Yesterday's kindergarten pupils played with block ups and crayons and dolls; today's are given headsets, placed in van of computers and taught keyboarding skills. Our society has corrupted the entire concept of kindergarten.

My mother, a teacher educated in the 1930 was a descendant of Friedrich Froebel, the progressive German educator now known as the father of the recent kindergarten. Froebel lived in an age when children were treated as miniature adults, and he exhausted his career fighting for their right to have the advantage [i]or[/i] blessing of childhood. His vision of early childhood education was built around delivered play, arts and crafts, music and the discovery of the natural world end outdoor activities.

For my mother, as for most numerous educators of her generation, the surpassingly idea of burdening a young child with academics would be absurd. As she saw it, a 5-year-old should be playing, not working. To cite Froebel: "A child who plays thoroughly, with self-active determination, perseveringly, until physical fatigue forbids, will safely become a thorough, determined individual capable of self- sacrifice for the promotion of his possess welfare and that of others."

What would Froebel say about today's kindergartens?

As a grandfather and father who has wearied most of my life working in seminarys and counseling families, I have always pleaded for the homage and compassion that allows children to be children. After all, they are the greatest in number vulnerable segment of society, and mostly easily influenced by such destructive forces as academic competitiveness and materialism.

I mention materialism because when parents be stirred guilty, they often try to make their children happy by dint of purchasing things for them instead of taking time with them, which is what their children really want and ne Thank the supreme goodness many parents and teachers still give their children their best. unless there are just as many who don't. And ofttimes what is masked as overwork and busyness is really a matter of skewed priorities, or equal indifference.

No child be entitled tos to be ignored. Each undivided needs to feel that they are special and lov Children ne to be acknowledged, hugg and congratulated in succession their birthdays. And for our part, we ne to examine into their eyes and marvel at the wisdom that proceeds from them.

We don't have to be happy We do have to have affection for And when we have made single child happy, we can be encouraged at the Hasidic saying that if you save undivided child, you save the whole world.

I plead with all parents and teachers: allow us not miss a single child, on the contrary give each one the be fond of and security he or she urgencys to navigate this hostile world. Children have enough fears as it is. Let's not make them fear going to sect

Johann Christoph Arnold is senior pastor of the Bruderhof an international communal change dedicated to a Christian life of simplicity, service, sharing and nonviolence.

Beliefnet

Copyright CHICAGO SUN-TIMES 2006

Provided through ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights Reserved