Do we focus too much on academic success over life skills? This is certainly the case in many prep schools. Zanna Clarke, Principal of Miss Daisy’s Nursery Schools, and Carmela Garcia Manas, Headmistress of Miss Daisy’s Chelsea and PhD researcher at University of Dundee, discuss the challenges they navigate around societal and parental expectations when working in the more privileged areas of London.

To read Carmela's and Zanna's article visit: https://www.thevoiceofearlychildhood.com

If you enjoyed this epside you might also like to listen to Matt Bawler's episode on 'Growth mindset in early childhood' - https://thevoiceofearlychildhood.com/growth-mindset-in-early-childhood/

Episode break down:

00:00 - Miss Daisy's Nursery Schools 03:00 - A privileged area of London 04:50 - Prep schools have quite a formal assessment process 06:50 - Life skills should be the focus over academic achievement 09:50 - Early childhood pioneers focused on play based life skills 11:10 - The ability to adapt requires the development of life skills 12:00 - We don't know future jobs that might exist 15:00 - Seeing children as citizens and individuals in their own right 19:00 - Adults and children as co-constructors of knowledge 20:50 - A process of mutual transformation 21:40 - Children need to understand why they are asked to do things 24:00 - Learning life skills through day to day routines 26:55 - Involving children in their local community 31:00 - Blending home and school/nursery 32:50 - Focusing on the local more than the wider community 33:45 - Navigating challenges around parent expectations 36:30 - Knowing where every child needs to be challenged

For more episodes visit The Voice of Early Childhood website: https://www.thevoiceofearlychildhood.com

Life skills over academic achievement 41:54 Share

The Voice of Early Childhood

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Life skills over academic achievement