Is the EYFS Instrumentalist?

[Sally69]

Hello,

I'm having a brain dead, tear your hair out, can't find any info moment!

I just wondered whether anyone can help, pretty please :)

Is the EYFS instrumentalist because its goal is getting pre-schoolers ready for school?

Thank you for any help :)

[sarah707]

Sorry Sally I am not sure what you mean... does the EYFS prepare children for school? No.

Do parents, nurseries, pre-schools and childminders prepare children for school - they try.

Should we be preparing children for school? - A little maybe. They should probably be able to do independent things like zip up coats and put on velcro shoes. Most should be toilet trained - depending on what age you are saying is 'school' - if you mean a school nursery then a lot of 3 year olds aren't ready but are pushed to conform.

Should schools be set up to manage the needs of children? - Yes absolutely. There should be more staff, more age appropriate resources, more flexibility etc.

Is that going to happen? - No, the Govt want them all in school by 2 and sitting in rows reciting their times tables by 3.

Is this helpful? I am not sure - sorry :D

[sarak31]

In theory, yes I think it is. In practise you have the greater question as Sarah raised above as to whether the Eyfs is effective in preparing children for school.

In theory:
John Dewey developed the theory of instrumentalism which (and my understanding is limited so forgive me if this isn't spot on) is based around the concept that 'ideas' are catalysts for change and are instrumentive in leading to a greater understanding and therefore a change agent. Ideas should be developed through experimentation and allowed to evolve. In the context of eyfs this can be applied as children are encouraged to learn, explore and develop their own ideas about the world in line with the 7 areas of learning. The ideas and concepts that they develop in an independent, but adult supported, way are 'instrumentive' in getting them ready for school.

In practice:
Well, that's the theory but I think in practice many would argue it's v different - I would ask questions like, is the original purpose of eyfs to prepare children for school - perhaps of the government, but is it used purposefully in that way by practitioners? Also the only way to reach any conclusions about whether the eyfs does fit with deweys theory would be to carry out observation of children working within it to see if indeed it is preparing them for school. I think my personal view would be that in the later years of age 4/5 then you would see clear evidence that it does prepare for school but in earlier years eg 0-12 months it, the practitioners, are focused on using the eyfs to support the learning, growth and dev of the children with no consideration of school. So perhaps the answer to your question is yes, but really only in a substantial way in the later years of the eyfs

Bit waffly answer but hope helps a bit...

[CLL]

I think you need to go on your University database and search for articles both for and against this question. You need to weigh up why you would and would not think this, add in some of your own research (as suggested above) and then determine what you think is the correct answer. I am sure there is enough information out there at the moment to support either argument. Good luck!

[Sally69]

Thank you all for your inspiration, I had just reached that aarrgghh!! :panic: moment. :)

[Optimalstar]

Sorry Sally I am not sure what you mean... does the EYFS prepare children for school? No.

Do parents, nurseries, pre-schools and childminders prepare children for school - they try.

Should we be preparing children for school? - A little maybe. They should probably be able to do independent things like zip up coats and put on velcro shoes. Most should be toilet trained - depending on what age you are saying is 'school' - if you mean a school nursery then a lot of 3 year olds aren't ready but are pushed to conform.

Should schools be set up to manage the needs of children? - Yes absolutely. There should be more staff, more age appropriate resources, more flexibility etc.

Is that going to happen? - No, the Govt want them all in school by 2 and sitting in rows reciting their times tables by 3.

Is this helpful? I am not sure - sorry :D

Very reason my DS won't be going to nursery come January if I think he's not ready. He's the type of child who I'd affectionately term 'likely to have the tv in bits the minute my back is turned' meaning he's inquisitive about everything and very hands on. I don't want him to be pushed to conform. At playgroup (and home) I never make him sit down to sing songs or rhymes or anything other than meal times. I've told other childminders at the playgroup if they expect him to join in then they need to choose songs that involve moving around, grand old duke type thing. He does sit down at times of his choosing, to play with his trains or to read his choice of book.

The same will apply when he's five. I'm a qualified teacher so I intend to home educate him if I still don't feel school is the right environment for his education. I've seen too many children failed on account of being pushed to conform to the school's ideology of what learning is. My own theory is that children will eventually come to whatever it is they need to learn once they have a need of it be that maths or writing. My elder DS, now 19, has dyslexia and eventually appreciated the need to read when he wanted to know how to keep the frogs alive in the garden.

Likewise I now appreciate political history because I want to try to understand why things happen(ed) opposed to my previous interest in social history, the impact of events on people.