There is some talk about having an all day kindergarten program and I think that it would be a wonderful idea, if some guidelines were put into place and the goal was to enrich a child's day over a longer period of time but at the same time being aware that they are still so young and they need the classroom and the teachers to provide and environment of fun, active, and creative learning. Essentially, I think that the kindergarten class needs to have a real homey comfortable feel for kids at that age especially.
I worked at a "high risk" school and they had an all day kindergarten program I think essentially because the children in that community needed it. I asked the kindergarten teacher one day how she liked it and what she did with the full day. She replied that she thought it was a great idea and felt that the children, in her class at least needed the full day. She would cover the curriculum for the most part in the morning she said and then she would allow them to play in the afternoon. Now some people that aren't aware of the benefits of play may feel like this was a waste of time but those of us who see all the learning that goes on with that play know that this is very beneficial. It is like the children learn some skills in the morning and then they go out in to the world and practice and use some of those skills in the afternoon under the watchful eye of their teacher.
I personally like the idea of full day kindergarten. We know this is an important time of learning in a child's life and they can benefit immensely from all forms of learning. I also think that in todays' world that most parents work and so they need the full day if they have no alternate care set up. I think for this reason many parents would be for it. I know for me as a single parent it is hard enough figuring out what to do when my children have inservices and 2 early dismissals a month. Full day kindergarten would benefit both parents and children, but like I said the one main thing I think that we need to be aware of is that the children's day needs to really focus on what the children's emotional and social needs are as well as their cognitive needs
Good points, Pam. I did some follow up research for Saskatoon School Division following the first year of implementation of their full day K program.
ReplyDeleteThe parents mentioned that in the fall their children were tired and that teachers had encouraged them to do a lunch time check-in and to assess whether or not they wanted to have their child stay home in the afternoon. I think in most cases the children went home for lunch or to daycare. The parents that I spoke with really appreciated the understanding that kindergarten children are still little and may not be able to handle a full day every day.
One dad who worked nights while his wife worked days, said that he had been really opposed to putting their youngest daughter into the program. He was at home during the day and thought that she should be at home with him like his older children had been. However, after a year in the program, he had realized that the school had enriched his daughter's life in ways that he wouldn't have been able to. He said that in retrospect he realized that he would have been sleeping much of the day and that she would have been left unsupervised. As it was, she could read and write notes to them and they were delighted. She had loved the program.
Jackie