Many times, I will read something online and immediately think, “that was great, I wish I wrote it.” I may not have written it, but I can still share it. Here’s the latest…
Who Will Succeed in Life? Bet on That Cooperative Kindergartner – By Tom Jacobs
Would you believe that a child’s behavior at age five can predict how successful he/she will be as an adult?
Believe it!
New research how found that kindergarten students with strong social skills were more likely to be living productive lives 20 years later.
A research team led by Damon Jones of Pennsylvania State University recruited participants from schools in Durham, North Carolina; Nashville, Tennessee; Seattle, Washington; and a rural district in central Pennsylvania. Half of the kids were considered “at high risk for long-term behavioral problems and conduct disorders,” while the other half belonged to a control group. These kids were tracked from childhood to adulthood and the findings were fascinating.
This article by Tom Jacobs at PCMag goes into great detail explaining that young children who have the ability to get along with others were significantly more likely to mature into responsible, successful adults. The behavior of a kindergartner may just predict how likely a person is to:
- graduate from high school on time
- complete a college degree
- obtain stable employment in young adulthood
- and become employed full-time in young adulthood
If nothing else, this study leads me to believe two things:
1) It is never too early to help your child develop social and emotional skills.
2) Kindergarten teachers deserve a raise.
Click here to read the entire article.
Photo credit: Wikipedia
