All. I Ever Needed to Know...

I have recently had the humbling experience of discovering that I am not smart enough to teach today's kindergarten kids. I was asked to come in as a guest reader in my youngest daughter's classroom a few days ago, and looked forward to visiting with my daughter's friends and taking a small break from my own classroom.

Many of these children I have known since they were toddlers, having grown up in the same school where I teach, so I was already aware of how bright these kiddos really are. But I just wasn't prepared for the incredible amount of knowledge they have already acquired in just a few short years of life. In introduction of a book about numbers, I asked the children what was the highest number they could think of. No less than four children responded, "a googol." I was completely dumbfounded - I hadn't heard of that until I was in my thirties. When queried as to whether or not there were any numbers bigger than a googol, I received answers of "a googol-plex" and "infinity, of course." To add insult to injury, it was pointed out that I misread a word in the book (which I was currently holding facing the kids, and thus not able to see clearly).

I know that I was a bright kindergartener for the time when I was raised - I was reading and writing before I came to school. But simply the amount of stuff these children know is amazing to me. I have to wonder - is it the technology they are surrounded by constantly, or is it a trickle-down effect with each generation being educated earlier? I wish I had an answer....but too, I wonder if there is a trade-off for these kids. While they're accumulating knowledge and leanring how to put it to use, are they losing valuable playground time where they could be honing some of the skills that they can really use later in life? When my daughter grows up, will she be a part of a generation that has difficulty problem solving and negotiating with others, and will their social skills suffer, because they haven't had enough time just being kids and learning how to function with one another?

My fondest memories of kindergarten are all of play-based moments - playing superheroes on the playground, dressing up in the classroom, story time with our teacher, and making my mom a clay ashtray (it WAS the 70's). What will my daughter remember when she is 30 years old?