Preschool harder than Harvard?

AreaCode707

Lifer
Sep 21, 2001
18,447
133
106
I would think *any* preschool is proportionally harder than Harvard, preschoolers just don't know enough to complain about difficulty. Imagine learning language, writing, social skills, reading skills, everything all from scratch all at once. Oye.
 

Phokus

Lifer
Nov 20, 1999
22,994
779
126
Originally posted by: Hatari Chic
I would think *any* preschool is proportionally harder than Harvard, preschoolers just don't know enough to complain about difficulty. Imagine learning language, writing, social skills, reading skills, everything all from scratch all at once. Oye.

Uh, actually, learning for a pre-schooler is much easier than a college student learning college stuff. I remember when i was young and english was my second language... i picked it up from watching sesame street without breaking a sweat.
 

djheater

Lifer
Mar 19, 2001
14,637
2
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Originally posted by: Hatari Chic
I would think *any* preschool is proportionally harder than Harvard, preschoolers just don't know enough to complain about difficulty. Imagine learning language, writing, social skills, reading skills, everything all from scratch all at once. Oye.

Shhh, most of the members here are on the slow path with a lot of those. You don't want to make them self-conscious.

 

Aves

Lifer
Feb 7, 2001
12,233
31
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Originally posted by: Electric Amish
I think she means "Harder to get into than Harvard", not harder curriculum wise.

amish

Yeah that's what I was thinking also.
 

zippy

Diamond Member
Nov 10, 1999
9,998
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My mom used to teach preschool actually. She taught and had fun with the kids and they enjoyed learning. The other teacher in the school was a bitch that drilled the kids and forced them to learn things when they simply were not ready to. Take a wild guess who's students ended up happier and more well adjusted? ;)

There was a study done on kids that went to preschool vs. kids that didn't go to preschool. Kids that went were in better shape up till 3rd grade and then the kids that didn't go caught up and it was even from there on. Seems to me like preschool is a time to learn how to socialize, start being creative, if they're ready (some of the kids aren't) learn some reading/writing, and, to me, most importantly, learn to enjoy learning.
 

shopbruin

Diamond Member
Jul 12, 2000
5,817
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read the nanny diaries. that was friggin hilarious, the "mother" and her insistence on the child going to elite PRESCHOOLS.

PRESCHOOL!

she (spoiler alert) was SO disappointed that her kid didn't get into one, and she assumed her kid wanted to go there badly, but he just wanted to go play.
 

Spac3d

Banned
Jul 3, 2001
6,651
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Originally posted by: Dezign
Browsing the SG, I came across this.

Has anyone ever heard of "92nd St Y pre-school"? Is it really that difficult to get into?

"Harder than Harvard."

I don't understand how a child could benefit from going to an "elite" preschool. "Private" high school, maybe... "private" middle school, possibly... but preschool? What do they do differently there, play with 24k-gold dipped blocks?
I only went to a private school from 8th-12th grade, but the kids who started out there in pre-k or k are all amazingly smart. They were taught to be the best of the best since age 3 or 4. I would say 75% or of them went to Ivy League schools, the others went to great schools too (WashU, Duke, etc)
 

Looney

Lifer
Jun 13, 2000
21,938
5
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Originally posted by: zippy
My mom used to teach preschool actually. She taught and had fun with the kids and they enjoyed learning. The other teacher in the school was a bitch that drilled the kids and forced them to learn things when they simply were not ready to. Take a wild guess who's students ended up happier and more well adjusted? ;)

There was a study done on kids that went to preschool vs. kids that didn't go to preschool. Kids that went were in better shape up till 3rd grade and then the kids that didn't go caught up and it was even from there on. Seems to me like preschool is a time to learn how to socialize, start being creative, if they're ready (some of the kids aren't) learn some reading/writing, and, to me, most importantly, learn to enjoy learning.

I've read the same studies... it had to do with the Headstart program if i remember correctly... and pretty much what you said is true, they learn to socialize and be creative a lot earlier than kids who didn't go to preschool, so that when they reach kindargarten, they're a lot more comfortable than those kids who didn't go to preschool.
 

Looney

Lifer
Jun 13, 2000
21,938
5
0
Oh, the reason why these preschools are so important, is because it helps getting into the private elementary schools.

EDIT: actually, i think it helps in getting into all the private schools... when the private schools look at the records, they'll see a kid that's been on the 'right' track since 3-4 years old, so they'll know their parents were serious about him getting into the proper education.
 

zippy

Diamond Member
Nov 10, 1999
9,998
1
0
Originally posted by: Moralpanic
Originally posted by: zippy
My mom used to teach preschool actually. She taught and had fun with the kids and they enjoyed learning. The other teacher in the school was a bitch that drilled the kids and forced them to learn things when they simply were not ready to. Take a wild guess who's students ended up happier and more well adjusted? ;)

There was a study done on kids that went to preschool vs. kids that didn't go to preschool. Kids that went were in better shape up till 3rd grade and then the kids that didn't go caught up and it was even from there on. Seems to me like preschool is a time to learn how to socialize, start being creative, if they're ready (some of the kids aren't) learn some reading/writing, and, to me, most importantly, learn to enjoy learning.

I've read the same studies... it had to do with the Headstart program if i remember correctly... and pretty much what you said is true, they learn to socialize and be creative a lot earlier than kids who didn't go to preschool, so that when they reach kindargarten, they're a lot more comfortable than those kids who didn't go to preschool.
Yup, exactly. Preschool has very little to do with learning to read, write, do math, etc. It's about learning to socialize and be creative.