Article: Therapists in Preschool

468 Views 4 Replies 5 Participants Last post by KatWrangler, Sep 12, 2009

D'sMama

Discussion Starter · Sep 10, 2009

From WSJ: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000...690410766.html

One thing about the article that bothered me is this quote from the end:

Quote:

Advocates say that mental-health help in preschools is an efficient way to help small children learn lifelong social and emotional skills they need.

I don't know why that bugs me - on the surface, it sounds fine, but it seems off somehow. Maybe because I feel like kids should be getting their social and emotional skills primarily from their families, not a therapist? Or because learning to behave in the world isn't about "efficiency"? Or because it seems like another sign of over-diagnosing normal behavior in children as pathology?

I'm interested in hearing what you mamas think of this. DS is a baby, so this is still a bit abstract for me.

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LynnS6

· #2 · Sep 10, 2009

Therapists have been in schools for years - only they're usually called "counselors". Reading the article, it sounds like those 'therapists' are functioning as school counselors for the preschool set.

I think the "efficient" comment was in comparison to letting problems fester - if you can help a child develop social skills in preschool, then you will prevent a lot of problems down the road. It's not like they're forcing the kids to learn these things -- they're working with the teachers and parents to help the chldren learn.

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karne

· #3 · Sep 10, 2009

This sounds like what the school guidance counselor does at the elem. level. Frankly, I'm all for social skills teaching and conflict resolution skills. It benefits not only the individual child, but the class as a whole to have this type of support.

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Polliwog

· #4 · Sep 12, 2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by D'sMama

From WSJ: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000...690410766.html

One thing about the article that bothered me is this quote from the end:

I don't know why that bugs me - on the surface, it sounds fine, but it seems off somehow. Maybe because I feel like kids should be getting their social and emotional skills primarily from their families, not a therapist? Or because learning to behave in the world isn't about "efficiency"? Or because it seems like another sign of over-diagnosing normal behavior in children as pathology?

A HUGE part of early childhood education is about social and emotional skills. That's the key aspect of preschool. I'm a teacher and we've always had that type of support available to our classrooms. It's not therapy (although some children have there therapists work with them in the classroom. I love having another adult in the room with me (along with my co-teacher.)

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