CHAPTER ONE
“Nursery Rhymes” is a dying pedagogy.[1] One article in the associated content in Yahoo site emphasized that the best reason for Nursery Rhymes is not for instructional value but just for fun.[2]
Children all over the world would rather sing pop songs mimicking their favorite pop singer/artists and get the flattering applause of adults who are significant in their lives. Mothers who are the first teachers of every child may not even be able to recite a complete Nursery Rhyme. This is true in our country and sadly in the very birthplace of Nursery Rhymes, the UK.
Surveys show that it has been established in the mind of mothers, educators, even children themselves who are exposed to Nursery Rhymes that it is only for babies so they learn basic language or can relax to sleep.[3]
There is not a significant number that promotes that Nursery Rhymes is still an effective tool to teach children skills, even beyond acquiring language but also skills like social, emotional, behavioural, and motor skills. There is a passing concept that some of the Rhymes can even help children learn and overcome adversity or conflict resolution.[4] Another promotes that it can also give the child chance to speak in front of the class and improve his confidence level. There are nursery rhymes that teach spiritual values, culture and traditions of the society he lives in. There are a lot of hidden advantages in teaching Nursery Rhymes or making it a tool to teach other skills for independence.[5]
Others may even mention that Nursery Rhymes have negative effect on the child’s imagination and values.[6] This is because of the dark or even rebellious origin of such.
There are several articles written by parents, educators and researchers that affirm that although it is ok that preschoolers are read nursery rhymes, they are not really exposed to the real complicated situations of the real world, thus grab them of the opportunities to be prepared and suddenly expected to act like responsible adults when they reach first grade. Thus some school districts in the U.S. even plan to remove Nursery Rhymes in the curriculum. [7]
Everyone seems to cease their persistence that there is more than speech and language development in Nursery Rhymes. Some may have questioned and wonder even once in their teaching career but did not bother to pursue a less travelled road, after all, everyone needs to grow up.
4Karen Wilber, Mar 6, 2008. A Reason for Rhyme: Nursery Rhymes Introduce Toddlers to Literature
[5] A. Deep. Importance of Nursery Rhymes. http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=A._Deep
[6] Amy Jo Timm, Oct 1, 2007. Nursery Rhymes Good or Bad?
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