Since the mid-twentieth century, expectations from parents on student performance have increased. Especially in the New York City area, parents begin putting pressure on their children’s academic performance at a very young age. Competitive elementary school programs have emerged, and we hear stories of four and five year olds preparing for entry exams for specialized elementary programs. Perhaps this stems out of the immigrant work-ethic culture. Or perhaps it is because parents are anticipating the demands of the competitive college admissions process years down the line.
I will suggest that the increase in parental pressure on children’s academic performance at a young age is reflected in the way that elementary school curricula are designed today.
I will be interviewing parents about what they expect from their children’s elementary schools. What kinds of skills do they expect their children to learn in the classroom? How much should the teachers push their students? How much homework should be assigned? Is there a proven correlation between the rigor of elementary school and the college admissions success rates?
My analysis of school curricula today will be contrasted with an earlier era, the 1950s, when parental demands for high achieving students were not as intense. I plan to research the New York City Department of Records for the Board of Education archives as well as the archives of specific public elementary schools in Manhattan and Brooklyn. With this research, I hope to discover a correlation between rising parental expectations and the design of the elementary school curriculum.
