HeadStart - effective or not? improve?

[Lynda/WA]

I noticed one person mentioned donating money to Head Start (in the hypothetical what whould you give to Q). At the same time I am hearing that Head Start only shows temporary benefits. In fact one study showed that children can leave the Head Start program knowing *fewer* letters than when they began. Pres. Bush wants Head Start to have more of an academic emphasis instead of a social one. Plus I've heard he wants to move it under the education department instead of where it is now (Health and Human Services?). Also I'm hearing that many Head Starts use a symbol system of reading similar to hieroglyphics (High/Scope). For example each student is assigned a symbol in place of their name like a fish or a moon.
Would we be better of replacing or revamping this program?

I have a couple of thoughts. First, to clarify, using a symbol in addition to the child's name speeds recognition of the name. (ie Cathy ;) ) The child finds their cubby using the symbol first, and then the letters are named and repeated. As the child learns the letters, the symbol is phased out. It's a good tool. High Scope is a system of helping children construct their learning. They learn to plan their activities, do them, and then review (report on) what they've done, to reinforce what they've learned. It is an interesting theory and I use some aspects of it, but I don't embrace the whole program. It assumes that the children have the ability to choose, stick with, and learn from, their play. A lot of my kids need more structure than that.
Head Start is only partly about the education of children that takes place in the classroom. It is a family focused program that mandates teachers to communicate with parents, to encourage parental involvement, and to help parents gain skills that allow them to help their child succeed. It assumes that parents are motivated to be involved with and advocate for, their child's education with support from teachers, social workers, nutrition and health professionals in one cohesive program (hence its being under the Department of Health and Human Services).

Most good preschools have in common commitment to the idea that children learn best through play. Teachers use games, songs, toys and materials to guide children as they explore. Most don't use worksheets or rote drilling of ABCs and 123s as it's not effective or appropriate for the age of the children. It is a social learning environment.

Should Head Start change? Probably, to a certain extent. I have had children come in who don't know how to use a spoon or fork, how to sit at a table for a meal, or how to verbally express themselves. I've had kids who are abused and so passive that they don't play or talk with other children. I have some who are so frightened or angry about what they've seen and experienced, that they only scream and hit. They have never had a book of their own, and may never have heard a story, or participated in a group activity at all. Teaching them to read is, quite honestly, not my first priority in September. I spend most of my time modeling appropriate behavior, encouraging language skills, and supporting their efforts to interact with peers, adults, and materials in an appropriate way. This doesn't send them to kindergarten able to read alone, write words, or do addition. But it gives them a foundation (that they haven't gotten at home), to succeed in an educational setting.

I've wandered off the question a bit, but comments on Head Start and shifting focus toward academics, requires a little information on what the program is, and what it's intended to do. How effective is it, and what are the challenges? That's another post.....

[Linda/NE]

(Just passing through quick before leaving for swimming--)

I was the one who mentioned Head Start. I skimmed Cathy's post and just wanted to add the following. While Head Start is not suitable for EVERY child, it does have benefits to some. Some of the kids I worked with when I was at Head Start had divorced parents, only one parent they knew of, parents in jail or in trouble with the law,etc. Some kids didn't get well balanced meals. Some had never been shown manners, etc. To children who aren't having their basic needs met at home, Head Start is a godsend. One cannot expect them to learn academics when they're hungry, tired, or deprived of a decent living environment.

When you look at Head start from the point of where such children would be WITH OUT it, I think it definitely is beneficial.
A big part of Head start also, is helping parents learn how to parent.

I would not choose Head Start for my children, although we would qualify, because my children are ready for the academics. That doesn't mean that Head start would not be helpful to other families.

There is a lot more I could comment on here, but I need to leave.

[Rachel]

I do believe that some Head Starts are wonderful places for children to get a jump start for school. It gives those children who don't get the "proper influence" when it comes to developing skills socially and cognitively.

HOWEVER, the Head Start in our town did not do any of the children justice. It was basically a DAY CARE. These children were give "CENTER TIME" where they basically had free choice of everything and ran all over the place, threw things, fought and hit one another. It was CHAOS!!! Believe me I witness this event and it was sadden me to see this happen!

[JeannieOR]

I have a friend who sent her dd to head start.
I often picked her up when I picked dd up from kindergarten. From what I could tell, they were doing a very good job. I think the teachers at that particular site were wonderful. They seemed to be dealing with children from a varity of home siduations.

I could have put my dd in head start but I choose a Cooperative preschool because I thought the head start philoshophy was too academic and the day was too long.

My friend's child did very well in it though. She went from 9am - 3pm while both her parents worked. However, her mom did think she was learning some bad language from some of her school mates which was too bad. I can say that she learned good penmanship and reading skills but her mom worked with her at home too. My friend said that she was grateful for the communications with the teachers and that they kept her motivated to work with her dd. (Her DD is now a tag student entering 1st grade.)

Maybe if all headstarts opened there doors to a wider varity of children, it would be a less stressful environment to teach and learn in. (The would mean allowing more kids in.) From what I saw at our Head start it was plenty academic.

So... my opinion would be... Yes! Head Start can work. I think they can make improvements by studying the classes that are doing the best job.

[Teresa]

I have worked at Head start for 7 years.
I do realize that each individual classroom is different. I have seen a lot of "problem kids, disfunctional families, and children from ideal homes." My daughter went to head start. I taught in another classroom. All Head start has certain things that have to be done, such as assessments on each child to record progress.

I have taught with two different head starts. One let the teachers do crafts with the kids. The one that I am with now we can't. I think the most we can do is have a cut out of a shape or animal. Our director is very anti computers. Children in kindergarten are using them.

Each teacher is different. I chose my daughters teacher. A lot of parents specify who they want their child to have as a teacher.

Classrooms vary also last year I worked with a great team. The kids benefited greatly from it. We had a new letter a week, and learned a lot. One child was adding two didget numbers by the end of the year, at the same time we had a few children who still had difficulties with certain colors. Some children just don't care to learn yet.

One year I had an assisstant who was horrible she put down what I did, what the kids did, mimiced childrens speech problems. That year the children didn't get as much out of their preschool experience as they should have. They did move her out of my room, for now.