Suffer the Little Children by David Smith
“Suffer the Little Children” might seem a depressing title but you will find this first book by Wainuiomata teacher David Smith to be a most absorbing read.
It is part autobiographical and part political/social commentary on the state of early childhood education as it is experienced by children today.
Smith reflects on over 30 years of working in early childhood education, mainly in teaching roles at a variety of different service types.
His reflections draw on this experience, being a parent of 3 children, his conversations with people, and information from articles he has read mostly on-line over the years.
This book will be of most interest to people, who like Smith, are already familiar with the early childhood system or who have been following changes in it.
His writing gently and respectfully challenges readers to question their own assumptions and practices, along with current policy directions.
David Smith makes the point, for example, that honesty in communication between teachers and parents is getting impossible because teachers have to put their service in the best possible light. Services now operate in a highly competitive market and at the end of the day it is money and business priorities that are put first.
I found his overview of what impacts on the quality all-day early childhood services can deliver compared to part-day or sessional services to be particularly informative and in many respects right on the button.
The pressures faced by early childhood teachers in their daily work are described in a very open way. There is much here which early childhood teachers will identify with and be pleased to see that someone (David Smith) has said it how it really is for those who work in the sector.
Smith’s main thesis is that choice has been eroded and today’s children and parents have less choice than ever before. We see this as the Government moves to boost employment rates by having children in ECE facilities, for longer hours, from a younger age without support for children’s parents as their teachers and without looking at the impacts on children and on parenting skills.
“Wouldn’t it be ironic if at the end of the day children were less prepared for school than when we were just concentrating on kindergarten and relied on parents as first teachers? Should we have not put money into things that helped parents and families instead of into the pockets of people who want to make money out of our children?” (p. 273)
Take a look at ‘Suffer the Little Children’. Published 2015.
ISBN Hardcover 978-1-4931-9251-9
Softcover 978-1-4931-9249-6
e-Book 978-1-4931-9250-2
