To the Editor of the New York Times Online Newsletter 8-15-21:
Worried about academic deficits, some educators and parents are eager for a return to in-person kindergarten. But there is a problem. Before the pandemic, kindergartens had generally become so academic that they crowded out opportunities for creative play and informal socialization. Moreover, the academic instruction often ignored children’s interests and capacities, leaving children frustrated and stressed-out. Many lost their love of learning.
Now is a good time to review how kindergartens have changed in recent decades and see if they might be put on a better path — one that fosters enthusiastic learners.
William Crain
New York
The writer is a professor of psychology at The City College of the City University of New York.
Dr. Crain is a member of DEY’s National Advisory Board.