The Most Important Year: Pre-Kindergarten and the Future of Our Children

by Suzanne Bouffard

An eye-opening look inside pre-K in America and what it will take to give all children the best start in school possible.

At the heart of this groundbreaking book are two urgent questions: What do our young children need in the earliest years of school, and how do we ensure that they all get it? Cutting-edge research has proven that early childhood education is crucial for all children to gain the academic and emotional skills they need to succeed later in life. Children who attend quality pre-K programs have a host of positive outcomes including better language, literacy, problem-solving and math skills down the line, and they have a leg up on what appears to be the most essential skill to develop at age four: strong self-control. But even with this overwhelming evidence, early childhood education is at a crossroads in America. We know that children can and do benefit, but we also know that too many of our littlest learners don't get that chance--millions of parents can't find spots for their children, or their preschoolers end up in poor quality programs.

With engrossing storytelling, journalist Suzanne Bouffard takes us inside some of the country's best pre-K classrooms to reveal the sometimes surprising ingredients that make them work--and to understand why some programs are doing the opposite of what is best for children. It also chronicles the stories of families and teachers from many backgrounds as they struggle to give their children a good start in school. This book is a call to arms when we are at a crucial moment, and perhaps on the verge of a missed opportunity: We now have the means and the will to have universal pre-kindergarten, but we are also in grave danger of not getting it right.

Genres: Parenting, Nonfiction, Education, Teaching, Audiobook, Childrens, Professional Development

272 pages, Hardcover

Published September 5, 2017

Reviews

[Shelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

This books does a good job of showing where some preschool programs are doing well (in-depth on how) and where some are doing things that are not good (with studies cited and experts interviewed on why these practices should be discouraged). It covers diversity, financial, and other issues that come into play with preschools.

I do have a problem with the idea presented in the title that pre-K is the most important year. And there seems to be a huge amount of pressure to have kids in a great pre-K class not only when they are 4, but even for all 3 year olds. I get that some kids need extra support that schools can provide, but to imply that kids' lives are damaged forever if they miss out on pre-K or only go for one year seems excessive. One parent is mentioned in the book as sending their child to preschool for "only" 3 days a week, as if they are failing their child by not having them in pre-K 5 days a week. And that isn't even a parent living in poverty with a child who may need extra support or education as a result of a rough or disadvantaged home life. I am all for good quality universal pre-K for 4 year olds, but I don't think all kids need to be in school all day (even a good play based school) 5 days a week starting at 2 1/2 or 3 years old.

[Bridget Vollmer · Rating 5 out of 5]

**I won this book in a GR giveaway in exchange for a honest review**

I was so happy I won this book since my son will be starting Pre-K next year and I was interested in knowing what to look for in a quality Pre-K. While some of the information in the book didn't apply to my current living situation, overall I found this a very eye opening book and found that sometimes even the more expensive Pre-K programs may not be the best option for your child.

While this was book will definitely help someone in regards to what to look for in a quality school, at times I felt overwhelmed at all the options presented to a parent. There is so much pressure it seems to start kids early in a good education system and if not, one risks setting your child up for future failure.

Why can't we go back to simpler times??? I think I went to a year of preschool when I was little and my husband didn't go at all.

Anyways I really thought this was a well researched book and do recommend it to parents of young ones.

[Nari · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s an utterly depressing book if you have a child in preschool. You’ll end up questioning everything about it.

It is a good read for parents and teachers alike. Bouffard highlights many of the discrepancies between schools and the inequalities between what the children low-middle-affluent families experience at their schools.

Is there a simple solution for pre-k in the US? Not really. But bringing back play and getting rid of worksheets is a good first step.

[Xin Ru Toh · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book discussed some of the harsh realities related to the historical, economic, political, and social issues in the early childhood education field. In particular, the book raised the problems of a lack of equity (due to social class and ethnicity) in access to quality early childhood education and how this exacerbates an achievement gap; overemphasis on direct instruction and academic tests (as compared to interactive, child-led, and play-based approaches with teachers documenting children's learning process rather than their final products); as well as the prevalence of overworked, underpaid, underqualified, and unsupported teachers. However, the author only discussed these issues at the individual and national level; I would have liked some global perspective comparing the situation in America to other developing and developed countries.

This book also included discussion of effective (and less effective) early childhood education programmes. As an undergraduate majoring in Linguistics and minoring in Psychology, and as an aspiring early intervention educator/therapist, I enjoyed these inspiring descriptions of the teachers' efforts and methods. A key takeaway was that we should not make the mistake of underestimating children's cognitive abilities (as Piaget did); rather, children can be curious, competent, and active learners, provided we ask them the right questions and give them the appropriate support. For instance, asking children open-ended questions encourages them to make observations, share their thought processes, and reflect on their learning experiences. The book also shared some real-life examples of strategies for designing effective learning environments and curricula, such as the Reggio Emilia and Tools Of The Mind approaches. A downside of this book was that the author focused on children's intellectual skills and briefly touched on their social and emotional skills; there was virtually no mention of the development of children's motor and daily living skills. Other pertinent issues were also not addressed, such as children's health and safety, intervention for and inclusivity of children with special needs, the use of science and technology in classrooms, as well as alternatives like homeschooling and the role of parents in children's development.

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

*Advanced copy won through a Goodreads giveaway.*

Bouffard readily admits solving the preschool problem in this country won't be easy, but she does a wonderful job of actually showing us that it is possible. She leads us through multiple classrooms, explaining and allowing us to see what is truly beneficial to the children and families they serve, while also taking us behind the scenes to see what is involved in managing a successful preschool. No stone is left unturned as the political and financial aspects are frequently brought into play too.

While this book may end up being picked up more often by those involved in education, I would highly recommend it to parents. Not only as a way of knowing what to look for in a good preschool, but in a good school in general. It may not be what you think.

I also can't help but wish this would find its way onto the desks of many politicians and those involved in our education system. It might just prove, well, educational.

[Themountainbookie · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book was a bit jumpy. I’m not sure the author truly narrowed down what her target audience is. The author jumped from an audience of the general taxpayer, to teachers and then parents. It made the book less focused and harder to understand what her message was.

That would be another big thing the book missed out on, “what was the cohesive message of this book, what was the author trying to get across”. Honestly I’m not sure 🤷🏼‍♀️

The book gives an eclectic look at some families and different preschools in the Boston and DC area. The reader doesn’t get to find out how the kids end up faring, which is disappointing.

I also found that the book was more anecdotal than data driven. But that might have been the point. Several times it was shared the harms of over testing in Pre K.

Overall it’s an interesting book. It’s a great overview at what’s happening in two cities. I find the lottery system kinda sad but not sure if there’s a better solution.

[Lindsay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Trying to navigate the PreK options has not been an easy process, but this book helped me understand what questions to ask and how to prioritize what's really important for my 4 year old when choosing a quality PreK program. It's not as simple as public vs private.

[Stacy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Suzanne Bouffard gives a comprehensive overview of many areas of Head Start/Pre-k. Great read if you’re in ECE especially in a managerial or teaching role.

[Trisha · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book to be very thought provoking. It was fascinating learning about how preschoolers learn and it challenged me to adapt intentional academic teaching to fit into a play-based model where parents/teachers guide the play with an academic goal in mind. It also reminded me that, while academic learning is important, social & emotional learning and character development are almost more important during the preschool years. Building character and teaching children how to manage their emotions and their relationships with others sets the foundation for learning in the future. I want to learn more about the subject and have a burden for all children to have excellent preschool years, whether at home or in a classroom.

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I learned so much about preschool education and how it affects people individually and society as a whole. I'm also terribly sad about how difficult it is for people to get access to quality preschool programs, though before reading this book I wouldn't have ben able to define what a quality preschool program looks like.

Providing opportunity for cognitive development and learning is important. The burden falls on us to find solutions for providing quality education for everyone.

[Leila Bai · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lots of good information sprinkled through the book, which was very hard for me to keep reading due to feeling lost in the plot, points made, and who is who. Clearer organization would make it easier.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

*Advanced copy*

I really wanted to love this book, but as a preschool teacher I found it to be lacking what I personally was looking for. Although many great ideas were shared, they were nothing I hadn't learned in grad school or from coworkers.

The author's purpose was to raise awareness of what is missing in so many preschool classrooms across the country, and she did that flawlessly. Preschool is about so much more than many people realize.

Although I was disappointed, I do feel that this book would be extremely helpful to new and inexperienced early educators or parents wanting to educate themselves while choosing a preschool program.

[Cara Huss · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a preschool teacher there were parts of this book that I felt hit the nail on the head like pointing out that if public school systems take too many four year old preschoolers away from private/parochial preschools that serve children six weeks through five years these programs will either be forced to massively raise tuition for the younger children especially babies ( 3 children to 1 adult ratio) and toddlers ( 5 children to 1 adult ratio) or close. Either way is going to harm those families and children. I have not heard anyone present an answer to this problem and don't know of public school systems which have the space, staff, or desire tackle children starting at 6 weeks. There are many wonderful private and parochial programs in place that also take babies and we all need to work together not causing collateral damage. I also appreciated that she pointed out the problem of poor vertical articulation from preschool to the elementary grades. Hard fought gains in preschool can quickly be lost if they are not built upon in future years.

I was less enthusiastic about the comparison between schools. I felt that some preferred programs did not have their negatives discussed specifically but the reader was assured that the curriculum would lead to good outcomes in the end, yet the discounted program had it's specific negatives looked at rather than if those children did all right in the end. For one set of programs they were looking at the forest and for the other they were looking at the trees.

In the end the author told the reader what happened with the children the next year, I felt that she shined light on more problems that people often don't consider.

Overall the book was thought provoking and worthwhile.

[Cat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well-written and timely, there is a need for preschool education in this country. At the same time, I'm very conflicted about putting children in classrooms so young! I was fortunate to have been able to stay home and raise my daughter way back in the 80'sand early 90's. I laugh when I read books like this, not because I think they are absurd, or wrong, but they bring back memories of other moms I encountered when my daughter was in school yelling at me for thinking I was a teacher and who did I think I was teaching my daughter so much and making their kids look stupid! One, I didn't exactly tie my kid to a chair. Two, we just spent lots of time together, as did other moms with their kids, and the kids just learned cool stuff lots younger! Lol! Kids are sponges! Parents have always been teachers! If parents would be parents, the kids would be better off and it doesn't take a formal classroom setting to teach. Good ideas in the book tho'. Too many children are missing parents to even bond with these days, might as well provide a free daycare in a preschool setting and hope for the best.

[Elyse · Rating 4 out of 5]

{Advanced copy won through a Goodreads giveaway}

Very interesting and inspiring book. As a fairly new pre-kindergarten teacher I really enjoyed reading about some of the new best practices, especially because I am teaching in a center based program which means we aren't getting the extra resources and training that some of the top performing school district K1 programs are. Learning what is working best in larger programs allows me to bring in new ideas that will help my kids make it to kindergarten better prepared. My only wish was that the book came with a DVD showing some of those best practices and classrooms in action like Teach Like a Champion. Written descriptions can only go so far, and I found myself interested enough in some of the newer techniques (especially the Tools of the Mind the author writes about) that I ended up scouring YouTube to see some teachers using the approach.

[Allison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating exploration of the importance of quality Pre-K education. A must-read for parents with children ages 2-5, and a still-relevant read for others, including educators of older children and adults.

[Andy · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a vital topic, especially for low-income kids in the US, who are generally way behind the starting line at the beginning of kindergarten. Unfortunately, this book is written with a highly anecdotal format that I found irritating. A bigger problem though is that even the parts about the research are superficial or even misleading.
-For example, the author talks about the Hart and Risley study and the supposed 30 million word gap--see: Meaningful Differences in the Everyday Experience of Young American Children. But she doesn't seem to realize that this has been critiqued on a number of fronts, or that even if you just read the book, Hart & Risley themselves say that more early talking to kids fails to predict later school success.
-She doesn't seem to know that "balanced literacy" generally denotes the Lucy Calkins type of 3-cueing teaching that is decidedly against the science of reading.
-She consistently states that social-emotional learning has to come first before cognitive development, even though the research on the model preschool programs like Perry High Scope says the opposite. See: Significant Benefits: The High/Scope Perry Preschool Study Through Age 27. In any case, this is a both/and not either/or situation.
-She seems confused about how decoding is necessary for being able to read at all. In preschool it is important to teach emergent literacy skills like the alphabet so kids can be ready to learn to read. Kindergarten teachers don't expect kids to know how to read fluently, but they do expect them to know about the alphabet. Once you already know how to read, you don't need to go backwards and keep learning the alphabetic principle, but you needed to learn that before you could read.

Alternatives:
So Much More than the ABCs
Inside PreK Classrooms: A School Leader’s Guide to Effective Instruction

[Katie Browning · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting book with so many nuggets—a child’s pre-k experience can set the tone for the rest of their schooling but only if their experience is positive. Strong and positive teacher-child relationship is the most important factor of classroom quality, regardless of anything else. Social regulation is a more important indicator of success as opposed to academic progress in the early years. Some rush into reading too soon and if you teach sounding out without grasping comprehension, you are missing out. Sight words are important to teach, but teach the right ones and not so many so fast. The hurry to read limits play-based approaches, which is supposedly the best way kids learn. There was a focus on pre-k for people of color and lower income and case studies done in those situations. I skimmed a lot of the more detailed case studies that didn’t seem relevant, but it gives me a lot to consider when looking for a preschool. It also talks about why so few because preschool educators.

[Monica Hernandez · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a mother: this book demonstrates a lot of what public and private schools are doing, teaching children, and how they lack so many resources still due to funding, resources, and maybe competition. I just found this but very redundant and long to get through because I already know all of what was presented and it felt like I was taking a refresher course on research I had already made but it was by far a very informative book if no one had ever dived into this before. It demonstrates how hard the teachers work on figuring out how to really guide our children even when they don’t know where to start and how, sadly, they have to work on their own to figure it out because of funding. And also it reminds me that as a parent I should take the load and teach all the basics to my children because their first year of school is an important one and they should be prepared not because of where they will be going but because I have gotten them ready for it.

[Melissa Colby · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am very interested in the topic of early education since kids get to kindergarten with a large gap in this education before it has even begun. Quality education. From the early years is essential but can be gained at home if parents are involved and the child is socialized. This book is focuses on the different types of preschools that exist and the problems they face (mostly funding for teacher salaries and cost for parents). I found not interesting but the tone was slightly whiny instead of proactive and solution focused. I’d like more particulars on what steps need to be taken to improve it. I don’t think that was the purpose the writer had but it is not useful unless it has more on that side of the problem.

[Allison · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book emphasizes a lot of what we already know regarding why pre-k is *so* important. I like that the author did not shy away from the truth that we get what we pay for. If we can't pay find additional money to fund pre-k for all, I'm ready to get rid of 12th grade as we know it.

While I have nothing to do with and have never taught early childhood, I appreciated how she went through some of the pedagogy and practices in general of high-quality pre-k classrooms. No matter the level, we can grow teachers to be more intentional by constantly asking them to articulate their teaching methods.

[Nathan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I learned a lot

Engaging children in their own language (play) is the research-based , best way, to start our children off on the right foot. But it takes more than this knowledge and good teachers. We need to overhaul the structure of early childhood education for everyone. We need funding, understanding and the will to help “others” and not just “our own”. The information in this book changed my views toward that direction.
I think many of us know how to educate our own children, but when it comes to helping others, we aren’t so eager.

[Gelinette Rivera Ortiz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting read

I homeschool my children but I also like to be informed and know that what I am doing is the correct thing to do. This book talks about how difficult and important is pre-k for those who are low income kids and even middle class parents and how messy the system is. Please read if you are looking to place your kid in the system. Be an active parent with your school and support the teachers and your child in this journey, it is crucial for your child and society that we as parents push for better schools for our children.

[Damilola · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read about the importance of preschool and all the politics that goes into it. I learned some new words and approaches to early childhood education. As a pediatric nurse, I really value the work that Bouffard did to catch lay people up with the needs of children. While I think many people are aware, it was a good comprehensive survey of that focusing on the education system in Boston. I look forward to comparing and contrasting education philosophies and ideas from this book to Charlotte Mason's education ideas.

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve been working in early childhood since 2007. I have my BA in early childhood and MA in elementary teaching. This is one of the best books on the state of preschool in the US I’ve read. Very thorough but easily digestible for readers who aren’t educators. Shows fairly every side of the story from parents to policy makers to teachers to principals, but keeps children at the heart always. Well done!

[Elena · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a bad book - thorough and well researched but not what I was thinking. As a mom of a preschooler in Canada I was curious what makes a good preschool and maybe I would get some tips for kindergarten readiness; however, this was more of a report on preschools in America over the last 20 years (governments, funding, specific case studies). I might still peruse some of the later chapters but difficult to sit down and read.

[Jess · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really fascinating, looking at lots of different kinds of preschool/pre-k and how effective they are. Slightly guilt-inducing if your kid’s program doesn’t sound nearly as impressive as some described, but it also gave me lots of insights into why my husband and I feel differently about how kids should learn/what’s important.

[Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. It was more of a case study on what best practices for pre-K educators should use. I was hoping to find more of a guidance in how to put those ideas into action. All in all I enjoyed the discourse on techniques and practices that seem to work well for children.

[Katrina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super interesting and covers a broad range of challenges and solutions. Loved the robust research citations. This was published in 2017, but I feel confident I can use what the author provides to find where research has been updated.

[Yunis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bouffard works is very insightful for parents and policymakers. I have learned something about the struggle and importance of pre-k and the fine line between discipline, learning, and fun.