Covert and overt forms of maltreatment in the preschools.
This paper examines the preschool environment, finding within it forms and patterns of maltreatment. The preschool is defined as an educational facility for children 2 1/2 to 5 years. Described are the major models of preschools, public and private, conservatively estimated at 50,000 in the United States. The study is based on data from observations by the author of 60-70 preschools in the New York City metropolitan area, 1976-1981. This five-year period witnessed a substantial increase in the preschool movement. Explored are factors related to this increase, one significant factor being the idea that early childhood education can never be too early. Demand for early academic competence in young children when combined with longer time periods spent in preschools creates difficulties for children. Societal pressure upon preschool teachers to produce cognitively and emotionally competent young children while assuring their health and safety needs leads to outcomes which are cause for concern. Covert forms of maltreatment lie predominantly in staff (directors, teachers, assistants) attitudes toward young children. These include: insistence that children learn to be independent while reinforcing dependent behavior; overemphasis on the acquisition of academic skills, irrespective of age; excessive reliance on packaged "educational" materials; non-use of materials that have intrinsic interest for children; lack of enthusiasm for working with young children; rigid adherence to routine for convenience; dislike of particular children. Overt forms of maltreatment to gain compliance or obedience from young children range from direct verbal attack (insult, sarcasm, ridicule, threats, name calling, humiliation) through emotional abuse (withholding of affection or compassion) to clear physical coercion (pulling, pushing, shoving, yanking, expulsion from class, isolation in class). Such patterns are not limited to a particular model but can occur in each preschool category. Their significance suggests that caring for and educating young children in group settings may not be the panacea society wants it to be. Special preparation for early childhood educators with well supervised internships is certainly a forward step, among many others, which are cooperatively needed at this juncture to improve the preschool environment for all children.
D001290:Attitude; D002649:Child Abuse; D002656:Child Day Care Centers; D002657:Child Development; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003858:Dependency, Psychological; D005006:Ethnicity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009519:New York City; D012578:Schools, Nursery; D012931:Social Environment; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013664:Teaching Materials