Pushing Kids too Early

Something I like to think about a lot in the field of education is early achievement.  I was fortunate enough in my youth to attend a good school with a strong emphasis on achievement and learning, and subsequently that pushed me to take more advanced courses as the years passed.

It makes you wonder why are we pushing children to reach standards ahead of where they are.  It is now normal for 8th graders to be taking high school math classes, and for high school students to be in AP classes, and if they are not it is almost as if they are behind or in the slower category.  What they do is add more homework onto the ever growing pile that teachers give out now.  Not to say that homework is a bad thing, but advanced courses often come with more work, and by taking more courses students are going to be overwhelmed at home.

They are losing their childhood and teenage years because education is pushing every student to be ready for college.  For the record, I took many of these courses and they still in no way prepared me for college.  I think we, as educators, need to push students to reach the goals and standards for the children their own age.  If they are exceeding those, perhaps teach them additional ways with that standard.  Why have a 14 year old working on something a 16 year old is doing?

I think technology is a part of this issue.  Chromebooks in my school start at 4th grade and I know they are discussing bringing them down to 3rd.  Again we are pushing children to advance earlier than they perhaps should.  I do agree that technology is going to be one of the most important things children can learn about, but I think we need to help children also be children.