First of all, the materials are WONDERFUL...building blocks, puzzles, reading/writing materials, role-playing experiences, movement/art/music/phys.ed specialists, specialists for those lagging in speech or other cognitive issues, private playgrounds outside the classroom, free breakfast and lunch, learning games, experiences with determining calendar date, time-telling, vocabulary development.... You get the picture. It couldn't be better; whomever planned those rooms did not cut corners. I left the room shaking my head one day, remarking that I think I had three toys, a few books and a tricycle at that age. Those classrooms are if anything over-stimulating (though there are of course quiet corners where kids can look at books and rest and cuddle their favorite stuffed animal)
So what's the problem? The schools have taken those responsibilities away from the parents. If parents aren't held responsible for the development of their children, the kids will lag behind.
I'd abolish the whole thing.
I’m very intrigued by what you say. There is so much irony on this site. I want to be clear—you are saying that there was at least one Head Start program that worked well? It was cognitively exciting at least?
Interesting materials, games and furniture are a big part of the battle. It couldn’t be better, you say. But then why abolish the whole thing? Why not put a teacher in there who can use those materials to teach fundamental knowledge? (To my mind, whether it’s parents or teachers is not the main point, as long as somebody is doing it.)