Zone’in Workshops

When did we decide that children were a commodity?
An interesting joint study was recently released by the BC Business Council, and University of BC researchers with Human Early Learning Partnership showing that just under 30% of BC children entering kindergarten are “developmentally vulnerable” – lacking in those basic skills they need to thrive in school and in the future. This study, entitled A Comprehensive Policy Framework for Early Human Capital Investment in BC http://www.earlylearning.ubc.ca/documents/2009/15by15-Executive-Summary.pdf states “Economic analyses reveal this depletion (in human capital) will cause BC to forgo 20% GDP growth over the next 60 years, costing the provincial economy a sum of money that is 10 times the total provincial debt load.”

One of the authors, Professor Paul Kershaw, said those children identified as being developmentally vulnerable as they enter kindergarten are less likely to go on and pass their foundation skills assessment test in Grades 4 and 7, and more likely to not show up to even write their tests. “We know from statistical linking, ” Kershaw said, “that people who do badly in these tests more often than not don’t go on to university. The more that children are less school-ready, the more they are less job-ready.” Kershaw went on to state “The most effective use of educational funds to stimulate the economy would be to invest in the early years, even before kindergarten, when children’s work and study habits are most malleable.” Among its recommendations the report calls for extended parental leave, a redefinition of full-time work to accommodate shorter annual working hour norms, and increased affordable daycare.

In short, this study concludes that if parents were home more, children would get whatever it is they need to not be “developmentally vulnerable,” and would pass their tests and go on to become productive members of society. What Dr. Kershaw and his colleges failed to consider is that while stay at home parents might be in the home, this does not mean they are available to interact with nor teach their children necessary school entry skills. With children now using an average 8 hours per day of technology (75% of children have TV’s in their bedrooms), and when child health experts (AAP) recommend no more than 2 hours per day, one has to wonder where are the parents? “Plugged in” and “tuned out”, internet addiction is now the fastest growing adult mental health disorder, wreaking havoc on any semblance of traditional family life. Connected to TV, movies, internet, video games, cell phones and iPods, 21st century parents are disconnected from what society should value most – its children. And Canadian children are suffering. 30% are developmentally delayed, 15% obese, and 15% diagnosed with mental health disorders – all causally related to over use of technology. Parents perceptions regarding outdoor safety keep children indoors, further limiting access to necessary movement required to achieve optimal growth and academic success. When studies show access to “green space” virtually eliminates ADHD, why are children instead being medicated and kept inside? Let’s take another look at “children as a commodity” down the road – fat, sluggish, drooling, dense, and stoned – the children of the new millennium will certainly not be contributing to improved GDP growth!

Another consideration regarding contributions to child “developmental vulnerability” is full day kindergarten. The job of the infant, toddler and preschooler is to move, a lot, experts state 3-4 hours per day of unrestricted rough and tumble play. This constant movement provides essential sensory and motor stimulation needed to meet critical milestones for development, a precursor for attention ability and literacy. Putting children in desks and expecting them to hold a crayon is developmentally too advanced (we now know for at least 30% of children), and will only result in that child feeling performance anxiety and failure as they struggle to keep up in a world that is too difficult for them. Anytime a child spends at a desk is adversely affecting their sensory and motor development. Look at education policies in countries such as Iceland and Finland, which have the highest literacy rates in the world. Iceland and Finland have outdoor schools (roof, no walls) where children PLAY on a variety of suspended equipment designed to enhance sensory and motor development. Only when children are developmentally ready, at the end of grade one, do the schools introduce sitting in desks and teaching of printing and reading. Progressive school across North America are jumping on the “move to learn” bandwagon and switching to standing desks, daily treadmill use, and enforced outdoor recess.

We need to learn that exposing children to more structured education, does not necessarily equate to improved literacy and learning skill, and we do know from Dr. Kershaw’s study that children who enter the school delayed, do not “catch up”. Where governments should focus early intervention is at the daycare and pre-school settings, where environments could be re-structured to include some of the Iceland and Finland sensory and motor enhancing components.

We are raising children, not little adults, and every child has the right to literacy.

Cris Rowan
Pediatric Occupational Therapist and CEO Zone’in Programs Inc.
crowan@zonein.ca

For supporting research, please go to http://www.zoneinworkshops.com/fact-sheet/zonein-fact-sheet/