Dear Ms. Johnson,
I hope this message finds you well! While we haven’t had the pleasure of meeting yet, I wanted to reach out ahead of time. I must admit, I might be one of those parents who checks in a bit more than usual. I can’t help it; I’ve spent years in education, both teaching children and guiding future teachers, and it makes me a little more aware of what happens in the classroom.
As a university instructor focusing on educational policy and psychology, I’ve come to realize that a lot of what we do in education conflicts with what we know from neuroscience about how children learn. For instance, each child’s brain is unique, so why are we trying to force all kids into the same mold?
That brings me to my son, Jake. I understand that he will need to “write numbers from 0 to 20” according to state standards. Currently, he can count to 10 when we’re playing with his favorite toys but struggles a bit beyond that. Honestly, I’m not overly concerned if he doesn’t master writing numbers by the end of the year. He will learn when he’s ready.
At just 5 years old, we even considered delaying his start in school since he’s one of the youngest in his class, with a summer birthday. I am also a bit hesitant about the requirement for him to “explore digital tools to produce and publish writing.” The truth is, he’s still learning to write!
Interestingly, there are countries that don’t start teaching reading and writing until children are 7. Perhaps their approach has merit, given the developmental changes that happen in children’s minds at this age. Finland, for example, excels in educational outcomes, and I can’t help but wonder how they do it.
If it were up to me, I would prefer a focus on engagement rather than testing. I’m even looking into how I might opt him out of standardized tests entirely. A testing schedule that stretches over 40 days seems unreasonable to me. This summer, I received a list of sight words to teach him before school started, and I must confess that we didn’t get around to it. Instead, we built a magnificent robot out of a giant box and transformed our living room into a Lego fortress. We spent countless hours swimming and playing outside, and while we didn’t hit those sight words, he’s had a blast.
Research suggests that memorizing isolated facts without context may not be the best approach. I believe children should engage in meaningful tasks that require critical thinking and problem-solving—like building forts or coming up with creative names for them. Unfortunately, none of those names made it onto the sight words list!
What do I hope Jake will learn this year? If he can develop kindness, courage, and compassion, I’d consider it a great success. I’m aware of the competitive environment he’s entering and want him to thrive without feeling pressure to perform like his peers. Learning resilience, impulse control, and self-reflection will serve him well in life, regardless of his future academic pursuits.
Most importantly, I want him to leave your classroom with a love for learning. If he walks away with that, you will have done your job brilliantly. He’s genuinely curious and excited about learning to read, and I hope to see that spark preserved amidst the pressures of the school environment.
I’d like to offer my support in any way. If you need resources for learning centers or materials for various activities, please feel free to reach out. I am eager to help ensure that Jake and his classmates have opportunities to become imaginative and creative thinkers. I believe that transformative change starts in your classroom, and I’m here to assist.
Lastly, I kindly request that we limit the use of worksheets.
Thank you for your time, and I look forward to working together to make this year a wonderful experience for Jake and his classmates!
Warm regards,
Dr. Amanda Lee