If the findings of a recent study by SNDT University are any indication, your child in nursery school could be under pressure to learn skills that come only at a later age.
A SNDT survey found that children were being forced to take exams
If the findings of a recent study by SNDT University are any indication, your child in nursery school could be under pressure to learn skills that come only at a later age.
The study was conducted in nine schools between Bandra and Mira Road and included 800 students, 155 parents and 50 teachers. It showed that children aged between three and five were being forced to write long sentences and learn cursive writing. It was also found that they had to take half-hour written exams on subjects like English and Mathematics.
“Nursery schools hasten the process of development in an unhealthy manner. A four-year-old is expected to read and write long sentences with punctuation and add numbers up to 100,” said Dr Reeta Sonawat, head, human development department, SNDT.
According to child health experts, children do not develop fine muscular movement before the age of six and hastening the process would lead to bad hand-eye motor co-ordination.
“Forcing nursery children into formal education will result in low self-esteem, aggression and depression,” said Dr Anjali Chabaria, child psychiatrist.
A survey of parents’ expectations of their children revealed that around 60% of parents expected their children to write long sentences and know numbers up to 100. Komal Pandya, second-year student of Masters of Human Development, conducted the study over three months. “I found that most students did not have the right grip on the writing instrument. Some students, if they were slow learners, were labelled as dyslexic,” said Pandya.
“Rigid methods of teaching using the black board are harmful to children. Unstructured and creative exercises like painting, scribbling, identifying colours, sorting cubes and reciting poems should be used as a teaching method. We found informal play groups and activity centres to be more innovative than nursery schools are,” said Sonawat.
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