So this is about validating teachers and making them feel good about themselves?

As a teacher with a specialized four year degree in early childhood education, I am very excited to be a part of this new opportunity for the children in our community. I feel like this program will not only benefit the children by providing them with diverse opportunities to learn and interact, but it takes a step to validate all of us who have worked as preschool teachers in various daycares for the past several years and always been called "babysitters." We do so...much more then wipe noses and 'play' all day. Hopefully this program will help shed a little light on how important our role is to the foundation of future school success. I had a wonderful first day of school! Thank you to all my "students" for making it a fun and messy school day! :)

The P4J program is great. My daughter attended her day care pre school and has learned so much, in less than 1 year, she can indetify all colors and shapes. She knows her alphabet,numbers. She can recognize letters and also the first letters of her friends names and much much more. She has progressed wonderfuly. I asked her what she learned in school today she said "art". I am so looking forward to see what more her little sponge brain can absorbe! I think this is a great program, way to go P4J!!!!

ladulce....I agree parents do need more time with their kids! My daughter just goes for the P4J, otherwise she is home with either my husband or I or both of us. We work different shifts so my children are home a majority of time. My daughter will turn 5 in a week so she just missed the cutoff for kindergarten. I am glad, she will be a bit older when the time comes for kindergarten and this program is wonderful for her!

My son began today, and, I have been a part of the discussion to have a P4J or not since the consideration began 6 years ago or so. My thought is this: when only some kids went to kindergarten, our government noticed how prepared those kids were compared to peers, so, then kindergarten became "normal" and everyone sent their child. Over the years, we started seeing kids with "preschool" doing better, so, now 4 year olds are attending preschools across the board, regardless of money. OK. So, the next step is: well-to-do parents are putting their 3 year olds into preschool programs because they will have a "leg up" when they start in P4J next year. This is a concern because it just keeps getting younger and younger. I worry we will soon be handing our kids over after birth. AND, if anyone was curious, when we conducted a survey of Janesville parents 3 years ago, the vast majority of parents were interested in P4J to use it to get "free time" for themselves or for free daycare for their children while they work. If the child is in a center that has the P4J program, the family is not charged for the time that P4J programming is implemented. Therefore, you could have a child at school from 8-5, and, not have to pay for 2.5 hours per day. This was an "incentive" for most parents. I think kids need more time with parents. The first 5 years are CRUCIAL for brain development, and, kids SHOULD BE learning manners from their parents, unfortunately, many are not.

wow... i dont understand the negativity. My daughter started 4 yr old Kindergarten today in whitewater, and she loved it! She made things with markers and learned her new friends names. And its only 3 hours a day. Maybe the negative people need to put their grandchildren into different schools.
Im not sure what the difference is, Im 27 yrs old and I went to preschool at age 4, kindergarten at age 5 and first grade at age 6. Hope all children had a great day- I know mine did.

jvlmom.
I think what marymac4 was trying to say is that
her grandchildren did this and it looked like kids having to grow up too fast. I also have grandkids and it does seem they have no fun in their lives when school is on, at least when they were small. Their backpacks are full of books by the time they are in 2nd grade. I guess marymac4 and I must of had an easy life because I was nearly 6 when I started kindergarten and I think that is early enough.
Everyone has their own opinion and I am glad we have this site to give that opinion.

marymac4....Also, they need to learn how to follow rules and do what is asked of them and to be respectful! If you see a problem with 4 yr old learning that, then you have a problem! Teaching them early in life is the best thing!

Marymac4.....WHAT????? They are NOT too YOUNG to be learning what kindergarten is going to be like! They need structure, this is how they learn. They needs to realize that they need to sit and focus on a certain task for a period of time etc.......this does not hurt their self-esteem! It prepares them for school! It is only for 2 1/2 hours a day, they participate in FUN learning experience and also use fun learning materials. Even though they use "fun" learning and such, the children gain ALOT of useful information!

To young,the age of little kids and having to act like they are older and not allowed to be kids is wrong..... Sit still, dont talk, is very hard for this age. They get slips for not obeying these rules and it is sad as it makes them think they are wrong and naughty. there self esteeme is hurt by this....I know I have grandchildren who have experienced this as did their classmates. The color cards are for all the classmates to see... How belittleling to these children.

My son starts today too. I'm very happy to say he gets to go to the same preschool he went to last year and is SUPER EXCITED to see his friends from school!

:::Sniff::: my granddaughter starts today. I am so happy for her and the rest of the children who get this head start. That being said, my DIL pulled her from the original place because when we looked it over, it really was NOT a school program, but seemed to be a day care trying to pretend they were a P-4 class. Maybe looking for funding? I don't know, but the place they actually chose for her is a real live P-4 program and I am extremely happy with it :)

What an exciting day! Good luck and have a great day!