Teachers' union boss reserved on early kindergarten
Vancouver Island News Group - Parksville Qualicum Beach News
August 14, 2008
By: Fred Davies

The British Columbia Teachers' Federation said they're still preparing official response to a provincial plan that could see children as young as three attending kindergarten.

That didn't stop its president from weighing in with her initial response to the proposed move.

"Making all-day kindergarten available for all five year-olds is something that's easily supportable," said Irene Lanzinger.

"When it comes to three and four year olds it gets more complicated."

Lanzinger said the play- based model deemed most appropriate for early learning could prove a difficult mesh within the current system and wondered about the logic of recent school closures if the government is serious about bringing more and younger children into the fold of the traditional education system….

She said the BCTF has had a preliminary meeting with Ministry of Education officials about the idea that recommends full day kindergarten for five year- olds beginning in 2009 with implementation of optional full school days for children age three and four tentatively slated to occur by 2012.

A move towards earlier kindergarten might have some pluses Lanzinger said, adding she doesn't share concerns raised by some that mixing younger children on a school ground with much older counterparts could prove detrimental.

"Our job as a society and as teachers is to teach children to work together and treat everyone with respect no matter their age," she said.

With so much yet to be decided however Lanzinger said she will continue to have reservations until more is known about how earlier kindergarten will be achieved. She noted teacher to student ratios and whether or not the additional staff required for more kindergarten would be adequately compensated BCTF members are among questions that remain to be answered.

"The government would be better off to support universally accessible, high quality, day care programs....