To Pre-K or not to Pre-K

Up and at 'em early today. Big day today at work. No, no promotion or party. Just your usual standardized testing day. Have to be alert, focused and ready to stare at 30 kids testing for hours and hours. Internally praying that they don't rush, hoping they read thoroughly and try their best to answer correctly.

It wasn't hard to test kids in my early days of teaching. It was the norm. But now that I think about my own kids... Im seeing go things differently. 

I'm not completely against testing. I understand some are important like college entrance exams and competency tests. But what we put children through these days is not critical to their success or wellbeing. As a teacher, my school year is rushed to cram information, beyond most of their understanding, into their overwhelmed brains that are taking information overload from other subjects as well. Did they really get anything from my class?

So, as a parent, who luckily still has some time before my kids are in school, I am trying to determine what is best. Looking at public, looking at private, back to public, back to private. Where is the best place to educate my children? To develop their intellect, and still enjoy school.  

Last year, my husband and I were all about a special pre-k to get my daughter ahead. This year, I am all about letting my daughter be a child. She has the next two decades to be at school and do class assignments and homework. She is learning a ton at her daycare. They incorporate lessons and practice skills, but the best part is she is doing art, crafts, music, dance and recess too. She is not locked up in a classroom, memorizing information or studying for a test already. I have heard horror stories about kindergarten and I am not ready to force her into it too early. 

So, it's time to research. Wish me luck. And hopefully I can share some good insight with anyone else who is struggling with these decisions too.