Queenston and Kelley Preschools

Abstract

In all of the preschools I observed both sociocentric and individualistic values were being socialized. For most parents preschool was the time for the child to learn how to be a member of a group. And yet the Queens (mainly those in Kelley) and Parkside preschools I observed were very different both in the kinds of “hard” and “soft” individualism they promoted, as well as in the different ways they socialized more sociocentric values. Perhaps the most striking difference was that the Parkside psychologized individualism of feelings, rights, and uniqueness was not nearly as prevalent in the Queens preschools. Rather, what was emphasized was a nonpsychologized individualism of self-reliance and resilience: learning how to cope with difficulties without help, not expecting a lot from others in the way of praise or sympathy, dealing with things alone, not calling too much attention to yourself. In the Queens preschools, a child’s independence was highly praised most often if it were enacted within the constraints of a particular order or routine within the school day schedule.