Learn what ?

    One friend of mine will be in US for one year, doing research in a well-known university. He asked me to help him finding a free preschool for his 3 years' old boy. His wife and his daughter will come together.

    We all regreted that preschool is not free in America. Having passed about 8 years in German, this friend complained about the high tuition. In German as in France, free or affordable education is one of the social benefits for all. But the situation is disappointing here.

     However, I suggested him to accept the reality. Although I didn't know much about the city where he will stay, I noticed that free preschool was only for families, which have financial problems. But for a normal family or for some visiting professors, pay the tuition is not impossible.

    He considered not to sent his boy to school. But in my opinion, this will make his wife much more busy. His little girl is only three months. On the other side, the boy is at the age of making friends. If he is separated with a familiar environment and stays at home all day, life may turn to be boring.

   "After all, children don't learn much in school," replied my friend.

    I was really astonished.

    He has been well educated and stayed long time in Europe. Like most of young professors, he is not satisfied with our traditional education. But it turned out that for his child, he still thinks that education should make obvious achievements in the boy's progress.

    Children learn a lot in school, all kinds of skills. But if they don't repeat and report what they have learned to parents, parents will think automatically that they were just killing time. If they tell that they can count one to ten, parents will be very thankful to teachers, because it's demonstrable.

   What a pity if my friend thinks this way.

   I suggested my friend to take time. He will be in this country in several months. It's not too late to make decision when they arrive. The they can make a school tour and learn what is taught for children.