'Eagle never teaches eaglets to fly too early'<\/p>\n
Soeryo Winoto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
There can be few issues as important to parents as the
\neducation of their children. Parents the world over want to
\nprovide their children with the best possible education, to give
\nthem every opportunity to succeed in life.<\/p>\n
But how young is too young to send children to school? That is
\na matter of some debate, with experts divided over the issue of
\npreschools and play-groups.<\/p>\n
An eagle would never teach its eaglets to fly too early, says
\nveteran psychologist Sartono Mukadis.<\/p>\n
\"Sending children to preschool is -- actually --
\n(psychologically) torturing them. How can children under the age
\nof five remember all the things teachers give them every day?\"
\nSartono said. \"I am among those who oppose such an educational
\nsystem.\"<\/p>\n
In education, we know that there is a law of readiness, he
\nexplained.<\/p>\n
\"When children are not yet ready to follow lessons and accept
\ninformation and such, they will be passive or look unintelligent.
\nAnd we as parents must not force children to try and understand
\n(lessons or information). Whenever they are ready, things will be
\nnaturally smooth.\"<\/p>\n
Preschools and play-groups have been mushrooming in big cities
\nacross the country, indicating the enthusiasm with which people
\nhave greeted them.<\/p>\n
\"It's a matter of business, not education,\" said Sartono. \"The
\nmarket is there because many parents are consumeristic. They are
\nproud to send their children to preschools. The higher the
\ntuition, the prouder they are.\"<\/p>\n
\"Many people cynically say that it is the parents who enjoy
\npreschool, not the children,\" Sartono said.<\/p>\n
Some preschools and play-groups \"teach\" their students English
\nand the basics of arithmetic, just to demonstrate their
\n\"sophistication\" and to attract more customers, he said.<\/p>\n
And many of the schools located in prestigious residential and
\nbusiness areas charge parents a huge amount of money for their
\nchildren's \"education\".<\/p>\n
\"Preschools and play-groups are not schools. It is just a
\ncoincidence that such institutions -- or whatever they are -- use
\nthe word 'school' in their names. They are just places where
\nchildren spend their time playing and learning to interact with
\npeople from outside their families,\" Sartono, who is based in
\nBatam, Riau, said.<\/p>\n
He recalled that then minister of education and culture Fuad
\nHassan issued a decree that elementary schools are not allowed to
\ngive students \"entrance exams\", like reading.<\/p>\n
\"This means that pre-elementary-school-age children should not
\nlearn anything (English, reading, arithmetic) before beginning
\ntheir formal schooling at the age of seven.\"<\/p>\n
According to Sartono, giving children \"advanced\" lessons
\nprevents them from picking up the basic things that they should
\nbe learning based on their age and ability.<\/p>\n
\"Let things proceed step-by-step. Many people just think about
\nthe final results, ignoring the normal learning process,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
However, noted child psychologist Seto Mulyadi says children
\ncan learn and follow lessons if they feel comfortable.<\/p>\n
\"First, the teachers must be aware of what children that age
\nwant. Create a good mood and atmosphere, make them happy before
\ngiving them 'lessons'. If the right conditions are created,
\nchildren will follow the 'lessons' easily and will enjoy them.
\nThe point is not what the teachers teach the children, but how
\nthey teach them.\"<\/p>\n
Preschools and play-groups, he said, must offer good education
\nprograms and concepts.<\/p>\n
Seto, known as Kak (Brother) Seto to the children he works
\nwith, said there was no taboo against teachers at preschools or
\nplay-groups telling stories of \"foreign figures\" or teaching
\nchildren \"foreign cultures or habits\", but they should bring the
\nchildren back to their own soil, where they do their daily
\nactivities.<\/p>\n
\"Children must learn politeness. They should now how to
\napologize and say thank you. It is very important to teach them
\nsuch basic things about daily life.\"<\/p>\n
Preschools are established for two reasons, according to
\nSeto.<\/p>\n
\"First, the idealism and awareness that children at that age
\nneed professional and proper guidance to develop. The second
\nreason is business,\" said Seto, who is the chairman of the
\nMutiara Indonesia Foundation, which manages a number of play-
\ngroups and kindergartens in Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Speaking of business, he said, the public is the ultimate
\ndeterminer of which preschools and play-groups survive and which
\nfold.<\/p>\n
\"They have the right to choose what they think is best.
\nNothing wrong with that. The accreditation of play-groups and
\npreschools is done by the market. Those which are not qualified
\nwill gradually be phased out.\"<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/eagle-never-teaches-eaglets-to-fly-too-early-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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