Full-day Kindergarten

Abby SchmittErin Hampton

Recently, some kindergarteners have been attending a full day instead of an A.M or P.M schedule.

They believe that full day kindergarten prepares children for the future in education.

- Full-day kindergarten appeared first in the 1960’s as an intervention designed to help disadvantaged children catch up with additional schooling.

- Gained popularity with wealthier parents.

Background

- Number of students in full day kindergarten in U.S rose from 30% in 1980’s to 55% in 1998.

- Full-day leads to increased academic achievement, lower grade retention rates, improved attendance, and improved social skills.

Current Status

School administrations see problems in funding full-day kindergarten in the future.

-parents have difficulties in managing half-day kindergarten schedules because of employment.

-kindergarten teachers can’t teach the curriculum in the allotted time.

University of Southern Maine

http://web.ebscohost.com/detail?vid=29&hid=11

ProsAdvanced achievement

Better schedule for working parents

Fit more standards into the day

Activities aren’t rushed

ConsLess funding

Students have to focus for longer periods of time.

Full-day

Article by Diana Brannon

States that parents have the right to choose. Some parents might want their kid to stay young and careless for as much as possible.Doesn’t give a definite negative, but rather a middle ground.

http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdf?vid=25&hid=103

“Many of the parents of full-daykindergarten students expressed a need for full-day kindergarten due to their children's prior experiences with school in preschool.”

Half-day

ProsChildren are at same level of full-day by the end of the first grade. (Quick to catch up)

Less funding involved

Stay at home moms prefer this.

ConsLess time for teacher’s lessons

Students feel rushed

Less academic achievement

ReflectionWe knew nothing about our topic before we started. We actually favored half-day until our research showed us otherwise. Neither of us have attended a full-day kindergarten class. We enjoyed half-day due to our lack of focus.

We have learned that in order to succeed, the learning has to start earlier. The children seem more capable of advancement to first grade if they attend for a full day.

This will affect teachers in the fact that they will have more time to do activities with their students. This system seems less hectic for everyone involved.

If you have children in the future, would you prefer them to attend full-day or half-day kindergarten?

Baskett, R., Bryant, K., White, W., & Rhoads, K. (n.d.). EBSCOhost: Half-Day to Full-Day Kindergarten: An Analysis of Educational Change Scores.... Retrieved April 9, 2009, from http://

web.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?vid=29&hid=114&sid=5bc2e4a1-ba71-4968-9fe7-1ca9576b4918%40sessionmgr109&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=eric&AN=EJ691518 Brannon, D. (n.d.). EBSCOhost: Full- or Half-Day Kindergarten: What Parents Pick- and Why. Retrieved April 9, 2009, from

http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?vid=35&hid=114&sid=5bc2e4a1-ba71-4968-9fe7-1ca9576b4918%40sessionmgr109&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=eric&AN=EJ741322 Philip, D. (n.d.). EBSCOhost: Does Full-Day Kindergarten Matter? Evidence from the First Two Years of Sch.... Retrieved

April 8, 2009, from http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?vid=12&hid=114&sid=e87d58d6-a419-4ae3-8d42-752f62060e50%40sessionmgr109&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=eric&AN=EJ749462

Plucker, J., & Zapf, J. (n.d.). EBSCOhost: Short-Lived Gains or Enduring Benefits? The Long-Term Impact of Full-Day Ki....

Retrieved April 8, 2009, from http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?vid=19&hid=114&sid=e87d58d6-a419-4ae3-f62060e50%40sessionmgr109&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=eric&AN=ED48891

Wolgemuth, J., R., B. C., Winokur, M., Leech, N., & Ellerby, D. (n.d.). EBSCOhost: Comparing Longitudinal Academic

Achievement of Full-Day and Half-Day Kinder.... Retrieved April 8, 2009, from http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdf?vid=10&hid=114&sid=5bc2e4a1-ba71-4968-9fe7- 1ca9576b4918%40sessionmgr109

References