'Full Day Kindergarten Programs Essay\r'

'The reason children control kindergarten to solar twenty-four hour period is so they sack be taught a meaningful and commensuratenessd syllabus filled with skills and selective information. Teachers do this through age-appropriate activities that encourage the children to aim much (Marzollo, 1987). In hostelry for children to cultivate the needful skills for success in t match slight, they impoverishment to attend kindergarten. In abundant sidereal mean solar mean solar twenty-four hours kindergarten political programs much season is acquir open to develop the necessary social and faculty member skills children need for success posterior on (â€Å" wax- sidereal mean solar twenty-four hour periodlight and one- half(prenominal)(prenominal)- mean solar solar mean solar mean solar twenty-four hour periodlightlightlight kindergarten in the united States”, 2004).\r\n upright sidereal twenty-four hour period programmes hold in be cause mu ch and much popular in the medieval a couple of(prenominal) decades. In the 1970s fewer than 15% of e rattling(prenominal) five- regularise-olds in the US attended broad twenty-four hour periodlightlight programs; in the 1980s it rose to 30% of kindergarten children go to these programs (Votruba-Drzal, Li-Grinning, & international group Aere; Mal outcome for grantedado-Carreno, 2008). In the 1990s it rose to virtu all(prenominal)y 50%, and by 1993, 54% of kindergarten larners were teaching at least one vauntingly twenty-four hours clan (Paciorek, 2002). In 2001, 57% of kindergarten age children were attending a unspoiled day prison term program (â€Å" unspoiled-day Kindergarten Pays Off”, 2003). shadowvass of the Literature Arguments for in intact day Kindergarten programs.\r\n all-encompassing day kindergarten programs that ar taught in a good breeding environment tend to cracking a let out acquirement shewation for children, and many a(preno minal) important characteristics b atomic number 18ly found in honest-of-the-moon day programs ar non equal to(p) to fit into a half day program. The extended clipping wide day kindergarten often boosts the opportunities for implementing these unique characteristics of kindergarten in a substance not possible in the half day programs ( bailiwick Education Association, 2006). There is an extreme need for near day programs in some pliberal arts of the country. instantly in the US, on that point atomic number 18 an increased reckon of single-p atomic number 18nt homes or homes where both p atomic number 18nts work.\r\nThis flips it necessary for children to be in tutor all day, instead of just half the day (â€Å" rise… half(a)”, 2004). The advantages that children receive from skilful day kindergarten extend into the initiative bell ringer and sometimes beyond. These gains help children domesticatemanally; enabling them to identify better, which makes them to a greater extent than well-rounded human beings (â€Å"Readings”, 2007). In near day programs, there be more than opportunities for children to do in-depth studies and more time for hands-on acquirement. There is overly more stability in replete(p) day kindergarten because teachers argon given up the time to balance large group, smaller group, or individual occupyion.\r\nHaving this balance has fostered higher(prenominal) erudition abilities in children (NEA, 2006). Children in half day programs do not make the same opportunities as children in full day programs because of the time limitations. In half day programs, study must be do in large groups because there is not luxuriant time to produce child-initiated scholarship. Children need to be given the luck to experience how all the different beas of needing ar connected and how larn basic skills leave alone help them to see more complex skills later on in their education (NEA, 2006).\r\nChi ldren change in many ways enchantment in kindergarten. They learn to think near the world they be keep in, and they in any case learn to think close to themselves (West, Denton, & angstrom; Reaney, 2000). In full day kindergarten programs children atomic number 18 taught processes of skill that exit help them learn throughout animateness (DeCicca, 2007). â€Å" enough day programs are more probable than half day programs to spend to spend more time e genuinely day on earn recognition, letter-sound match, rhyming words, partition period aloud, and alphabetizing” (â€Å"Full-day Kindergarten Pays Off”, 2003).\r\nPresident of the National Association of Elementary indoctrinate Principals, Paul Young, says, â€Å"If you don’t master certain skills at the kindergarten level, then(prenominal) you can’t be successful in first commemorate” (Thomas, 2002). In their first year of develop children will gain the skills and the beledge neces sary for their success in the future (West, Denton, & Reaney, 2000). The twist of children that attend full day kindergarten programs varies depending on the lawsuit of schooling they attend and where the school is located.\r\nOverall, 56% of kindergarten-age children in the US attend a full day kindergarten program. About 54% of children who attend world schools are in a full day program, magical spell 67% of children who attend personal schools are enrolled in a full day program (â€Å"Full… half(a)”, 2004). In the US 67% of individual(a) schools offer a full day program, while yet 57% of public schools do. Catholic schools are more belike to offer full day programs than different private schools, with 78% of Catholic schools go full day programs and faultlessly 63% of other private schools.\r\nFifty-two percent of public schools offer half day programs which is more compared to only 29% of Catholic schools and 40% of other private schools (â€Å"Ful l… half(a)”, 2004). whatsoever schools offer only full day programs (53%) simply fewer offer only half day programs (39%) and 7% of schools offer both full and half day programs. In the US 61% of schools with a kindergarten program offer at least one full day program and 47% offer at least one half day program (â€Å"Full…Half”, 2004). The readjustment of children in full day programs varies in different parts of the country.\r\nIt alike varies with the race and frugal status of the child’s family. In the US, 60% of kindergarten children are enrolled in full day public or private kindergarten programs. Nine states mandate that a full day program be offered in every school (â€Å"Full Day Kindergarten evolution”, 2008). The majority of the children enrolled in full day kindergarten are children of single parents, children whose parents both work outside the home, and children of low-income families (Paciorek, 2002). The component of the c ountry piddle aways a role in the registration of children in full day programs.\r\nIn the South, 84% of public schools offer full day programs, compared to only 57% in the Midwest, 38% in the West, and 37% in the Northeast (â€Å"Full…Half”, 2004). A big majority of children in the Southern portion of the country attend full day kindergarten program (82%) compared to other regions: 47% in the Midwest, 48% in the Northeast, and 31% in the West. humans schools located in the suburban and large t protest areas are less(prenominal) probable to give up children attending a full day program (only 45%) compared to schools located in large and mid-sized cities (59%) or small towns/rural areas (65%) (â€Å"Full…Half”, 2004).\r\nParents of kindergarten children lay out them in these full day programs for many different reasons. One reason is so minority children, or children who are considered â€Å"at endangerment” for failing academically, are giv en the chance to wait on the same level as their peers. Full day kindergarten has been shown to considerably close the achievement gaps for minority or low-income children (NEA, 2006). This is especially relevant to gaining the basic skills of learning (West, Denton, & Reaney, 2000).\r\nFull day programs also have been shown to significantly improve the math and breeding skills of all races (DeCicca, 2007). Children from low-income families have many risk factors they must facet that could potentially threaten their health and their development. About fifth of US children live in poverty, which has been shown to be a major risk factor for children’s cognitive and academic achievement. Full day kindergarten can put these children on the same level as children who do not live in poverty.\r\n(Votruba-Drzal, Li-Grinning, & Maldonado-Carreno, 2008). Public schools with at least 75% minority registration offer full day kindergarten (76%), compared to public schools wit h less than 25% minority enrolment (44-48%). In private schools with at least 75% minority enrollment the children are more likely to participate in full day programs (93%) compared to private schools with less than 10% minority enrollment (54%) (â€Å"Full…Half”, 2004). racial characteristics play a role in enrollment in full day programs also.\r\nIt has been shown that African American and Hispanic children enrolled in full day programs closed(a) the achievement gap with white and Asian children in the basic math and reading skills, merely African American and Hispanic children are not getting the more advanced skills at the same assess that white and Asian children acquire in their first year of schooling (West, Denton, & Reaney, 2000). Full day programs have also been shown to create a larger achievement in math and reading for low-income children than children in half day programs (â€Å"Readings”, 2007).\r\nAlso, public schools with at least 50% of their enrollment consisting of low-income children are more likely to offer these full day programs (â€Å"Full…Half”, 2004). Children that have completed full day kindergarten programs have been shown to be more watchful for first regularise than their peers that attended half day programs. In a study of 22,000 kindergarteners nationwide, students who attended full day programs do larger reading gains than children who attended half day programs (â€Å"Full-day Kindergarten Pays Off”, 2003).\r\nChildren will be better hustling to meet the strict curriculum of first grade if they have attended a full day kindergarten program, because they are used to the full day memorial and they know how their day will go (â€Å" leash”, 2008). Full day kindergarten programs need to have a â€Å"content-centered curriculum for this age group” in order for the program to be successful academically (â€Å"Full…Half”, 2004). Many benefits are avail able to children in full day kindergarten. Studies have shown improvement in full day kindergarten children’s academic skills (Votruba-Drzal, Li-Grinning, & Maldonado-Carreno, 2008).\r\nThere are many positive academic and social benefits for children of low economic status or disadvantaged backgrounds from attending full day kindergarten. look that has been done in the past 10 eld has shown steady positive academic gains for children enrolled in full day programs. Full day programs offer children a curriculum that is age-appropriate while still providing major academic benefits (Paciorek, 2002). In full day kindergarten there is â€Å" great socialization, generalization of knowledge, transfer of learning, and a deeper understanding of concepts.\r\n” This unornamented time is not only good for the child, but it improves the teacher’s and family’s experience as well (NEA, 2006). In full day kindergarten other gains are made, such as greater egres sion of reading and math skills over the course of the kindergarten year. Children who attend full day programs out-perform children who attend half day programs on reading, comprehension, and math achievement tests. Children who attend full day kindergarten also tend to have humiliate levels of special education and grade repetition (Votruba-Drzal, Li-Grinning, & Maldonado-Carreno, 2008).\r\nChildren who leave full day kindergarten with better reading skills are more likely to have more success in the first grade and beyond because the worldly that is taught in early elementary school is usually sequential (DeCicca, 2007). Children enrolled in full day kindergarten programs tend to make greater gains in reading/language arts than children in half day programs over the course of the year (â€Å"Full…Half”, 2004). Since the school day is longer for full day kindergarten students, they tend to participate in learning experiences out of stock(predicate) to half day students.\r\nThese experiences will help to develop their early literacy skills so that they are more prompt for the first grade. Reading is the most important action mechanism for kindergarten children. It is required for future success in not only school but in life in general (NEA, 2006). Children enrolled in full day kindergarten have more time to experience literacy. Having this time helps children get a head start on becoming readers and writers (NEA, 2006). Math skills are also ameliorate in full day kindergarten.\r\nâ€Å"Mathematical learning tends to be quite sequential in nature, so if one masters the basic concepts early it is likely that the burden of future learning will be lowered” (DeCicca, 2007). Sometimes the math taught in full day kindergarten is actually that of a first grade curriculum. This helps children get further ahead in their studies and can make them quite successful later on (â€Å"Full…Half”, 2004). Science skills are also impr oved in full day programs. Children have time to take part in science experiments fostering the fact that in order to learn science, one must â€Å"do science.\r\n” Because of the extended class time, children are able to take part in more difficult math and science thinking. They are able to move beyond the basic find and identifying numbers that are normally part of a half day kindergarten program (NEA, 2006). In full day programs, children also have greater hazard to improve their behavior. Children in full day programs are able to have more child-to-child interactions, and this improves their social skills. In one study of full day kindergarten, there were 14 different dimensions tested.\r\nNine of these dimensions were positive: â€Å"originality, nonsymbiotic learning, pastime in classroom activities, productivity with peers, dexterous dependency, failure/anxiety, un-reflectiveness, holding back or withdrawal, and move up to teacher” (Paciorek, 2002). In fu ll day programs teachers are able to take advantage of the extra time. Teachers of full day kindergarten should provide â€Å"child-centered, developmentally appropriate activities” and balance small group and large group activities (â€Å"Full…Half”, 2004). Teachers are able to allow more time for children to have free play, rather than large group activities.\r\nThere is more time for indoor(a) and outdoor play; children can use â€Å"learning centers”, and children learn how to cooperate with each other (Paciorek, 2002). In order for children to have a balanced development, play inescapably to be included in the school day. Children develop many different skills while acting which are necessary for success such as â€Å"inductive experience, cognitive dissonance, social interaction, somatogenetic experiences, revisiting, and competence”. Play-time has an influence on the intellectual development of children, and it improves learning abilities (NEA, 2006).\r\nIn full day programs, children scored much higher on achievement tests than children in half day programs on all of the areas that were tested (Paciorek, 2002). There are many advantages to informal testing in kindergarten. daily assessments focus on the â€Å"developmental and achievement changes in children over time”; it highlights the individual child, rather than the entire group of children. It also offers many opportunities to demonstrate a child’s competence, making the introduction of a tougher curriculum easier.\r\nFinally, it helps children understand their learning better, and it provides solid information to share with children’s families (NEA, 2006). Full day programs also create more freedom for teachers. Full day programs are pretty brisk, so teachers, administrators, and parents are able to create the curriculum themselves. This can be frustrating, but it has many benefits for the children and the teachers (Marzollo, 1987). Ma ny teachers prefer full day programs to half day programs because they are able to instruct children individually.\r\nTeachers are also able to get to know their students better. This helps the teachers understand the child’s specific needs to better educate the child. Teachers say there are many advantages to having full day programs. The atmosphere of full day kindergarten is much more relaxed than half day kindergarten, the opportunities for children to develop their own interests are greatly increased, and there is also more time for creative activities (Paciorek, 2002). Teachers of full day programs are not as rush to fit the whole curriculum in as half day teachers are.\r\nThe full day teachers are better able to teach different concepts in many ways to ensure that children fully understand the material (NEA, 2006). Teachers of full day kindergarten are able to get to know the families of their students better than teachers of half day kindergarten. Because of this, th ey can meet the needs of the students more effectively. The relationships amid the teachers and families are also improved with full day kindergarten. The parents are more comfortable communicating with the teachers, because they are able to get to know the teachers better.\r\nThis also helps the teachers teach better (NEA, 2006). Most parents expression that full day kindergarten has done nothing but good for their children. Robyn Ann Kreusel says, â€Å"I never expected my child to be composition three-sentence paragraphs by the end of kindergarten. ” (â€Å"Full-day Kindergarten Growing”, 2008). Parents are very satisfied with full day programs, and they believed that their children were better prepared for first grade because of the material they were taught in full day kindergarten. Parents also say their children greatly benefited socially in full day kindergarten (Paciorek, 2002).\r\nToday, parents are very interested in their children being able to read at a n early age, and a full day kindergarten program is a great way to make this possible (Thomas, 2002). Arguments against full day Kindergarten In the past few years, many questions have been raised about the necessity of full day kindergarten programs. People wish to know how all the extra time is personnel casualty to be used. Some educators find out that this time will be used for â€Å"playtime” or â€Å"daycare. ” Others feel that first grade material is going to be pushed set down into the kindergarten classroom, making kindergarten too academic.\r\nPeople also pauperization to take into consideration how children learn at this age and the purpose of kindergarten in the first place. Some experts say that academics should be increased, and others say the extra time should be spent on activities the students should do on their own (NEA, 2006). Some parents are worried about full day kindergarten programs. They feel that their children will come home later a ful l day and be tired and cranky. The full day kindergarten curriculum is tough. In this curriculum there are seven-spot different subject areas.\r\nThese areas are language arts (which consist of oral language, listening, reading and writing), social studies, science, math, art, music, and physical education (Marzollo, 1987). In a full day program, children have more time to master a curriculum which would normally be more of a first-grade curriculum (â€Å"Full-day Kindergarten Growing”, 2008). Children in full-day programs are also on the same schedule as a first-grade class, so teachers are able to work unitedly on subject substance, which makes it easier for the children to transition into first grade the following year (NEA, 2006).\r\nPeople feel this is a problem in some cases. Experts say the rack up way a school board could political program a kindergarten curriculum is to move first-grade material down to kindergarten. Some say that children are pressured to teach subjects that are too hard for them to understand. People also feel children are denied the large assortment of activities that normally take place in a kindergarten classroom (Marzollo, 1987). In some school districts 60% of children are not ready to enter the first grade after their first year of kindergarten because they are pressured to learn material too quickly.\r\nEach year, the kindergarten curriculum becomes tougher. Schools now want children to be reading full books on their own by the third grade (Thomas, 2002). Some schools do not provide full day kindergarten programs, but full day programs tend to be found in many Catholic schools. Also, full day programs are very popular in the South, with 84% of public schools offering them It is especially popular in cities rather than small towns, rural areas, and large towns, or suburban areas (â€Å"Full…Half”, 2004). Many states whose school districts offer full day kindergarten fund these programs.\r\n 25 states an d Washington DC provide money to the school districts that offer full-day kindergarten (â€Å"Full…Half”, 2004), but many schools in the US do not have the money or the space to offer full day programs to families of kindergarten children (â€Å"Full-day Kindergarten Growing”, 2008). Conclusion Full day kindergarten has many benefits for everyone involved in the programs. It provides many experiences for children that they would not be given if they were enrolled in a half day kindergarten program.\r\nKindergarten is a time of change for children and their parents. Children are able to learn different things in full day programs that they would not have enough time to learn in half day programs. Parents and teachers prefer to have children in full day programs because in the end it puts the children further ahead and it provides a better opportunity for academic success than the half day programs. References DeCicca, Philip. (2007). Does full-day kindergarten s ubject field? Evidence from the first two years of schooling. stinting of Education Review, 26, 67-82.\r\nRetrieved from EBSCOhost: schoolman calculate Premier. Full-day kindergarten growing. (2008). American School Board Journal 195. 3, 10. Retrieved from EBSCOhost: Academic inquisition Premier. Full-day and half-day kindergarten in the United States. (2004). US Department of Education. Retrieved from EBSCOhost: Academic Search Premier. Full-day kindergarten pays off. (2003). District Administration, 39. 8, 18. Retreieved from EBSCOhost: Academic Search Premier. Leading the pack, move to move forward. (2008). Maryland State Department of Education.\r\nRetrieved from EBSCOhost: ERIC. Marzollo, J. (1987). The new kindergarten: Full day, child centered, academic. New York, NY: Harper & Row Publishers. National Education Association. (2006). Quality full-day kindergarten: make the most of it. Washington, D. C. : NEA. Paciorek, K. M. (2002). Taking sides: Clashing views on pol emical issues in early childhood education. Guilford, CT: McGraw-Hill Company. Readings and reports from parents involvement to wellness policies. (2007). American School Board Journal, 194, 55-57.\r\nRetrieved from ESCOhost: Academic Search Premier. Thomas, K. (2002, September 19). See Johnny read-by kindergarten. ground forces Today, p. 8. Votruba, Drzal, E. , Li-Grinning, C. P. , & Maldonado-Carreno, C. (2008). A developmental perspective on full versus part day kindergarten and children’s academic trajectories through fifth grade. Child Development, 79. 4, 957-978. Retrieved from EBSCOhost: Academic Search Premier. West, J. , Denton, K. , & Reaney, L. M. (2000). The kindergarten year: Findings from the early childhood longitudinal study. Washington, D. C. : NCES.\r\n'