Options for Kindergarten – Part One: Full Day vs. Half Day
Posted on 09. Jun, 2009 by KB in Posts
After doing a little research for this post, I couldn’t help but take a walk down memory lane. Granted, it was MANY moons ago when I was in Kindergarten but some parts of it I can vividly remember like getting on the yellow school bus and making the trek to the Hansen School only to make the trek back home again, a few hours later. I remember the wooden cubbies, the daily carton of milk and saltines for snack time, and the Letter People. Remember them? Or was that just an east coast thing? The Letter People were introduced the concepts of letters and sounds. Every week we were introduced to a new “blown up” letter. Some of us Kindergarteners were probably the same height as the letter people if I recall. Ahh, life seemed so simple back then. I can see myself in the classroom, the excitement I felt being in a new school and the place where I would spend my next six years. There I am, adjusting my knee socks so they sit just below my knobby, little knees. And I can’t forget to mention the pink, multicolored poncho with big pom-poms I loved to wear. Who knew that would make a fashion comeback! Recently I experienced déjà vu while dropping my own children off to Kindergarten. More than likely, they will be spending their next six years at this school. And my-oh-my, has Kindergarten changed!
Full-Day vs. Half-Day Kindergarten
I have to be honest, if you asked me this question about eight years ago, I would’ve said half-day is the appropriate amount of time for Kindergarteners to attend school. I believed that because they were so young and immature, after all, they didn’t have the attention span to last through a whole school day. As a First Grade teacher, I saw first hand how difficult it was for some children to adapt to a full-day program. There were always those students who would ask at 11 am on the first day, week, month of school….”Mrs. Barclay, is it time to go home now?” “Home? We just got here!”, I would say. Like anything else, they adapted- some faster than others.
Much time has passed and as a parent now, I feel there is such a need for full-day Kindergarten! Times have changed; exposure to school experience starts so early now. More and more children are in daycare and some preschool programs even take children as young as 18 months. Kindergarten is a much more academic place than it used to be! Today, the trend seems to be that choosing a full-day kindergarten program for your child is more the norm than the exception. This could be due to the increasing number of single parent families and dual working parents that need their children in a full-day program to better accommodate their work schedules.
Research indicates that a full-day program has its advantages over a half-day program. Some of the advantages, according to the National Association of School Psychologists(see link to article below), are:
- children make more significant gains in reading and math
- at-risk students basic skills are strengthened and they’re better prepared for first grade
- fewer grade retentions for children later on
- teachers have more time for individualized and small group instruction
- there’s a more relaxed school day because teachers are not “up against the clock”
- more time is allotted for field trips and child-centered activities
- children tend to have a higher sense of self-esteem and independence
- more time to reinforce positive social behaviors
- children engage in “free play” more often
Recently, I spoke to a DPS Kindergarten teacher who has taught Kindergarten for eight years. She is a strong advocate of full-day Kindergarten. She agrees that a longer school day better prepares the children for first grade and beyond. One reason is that a longer school day gives her the freedom to go more in depth with the curriculum. There is also more time to work one on one with children and address their individual academic needs. She believes that in the near future, full-day Kindergarten will be mandated in Colorado. A colleague of hers teaches in a half-day program and finds there is a lack of enrichment due to the time constraints. There are not as many “specials” offered and it’s hard to plan field trips that enrich the students learning. Sometimes during a given week, math or writing may not be taught on a daily basis because there’s only so much that can be done in a two and a half or three hour program. This is the same amount of time for a half-day of preschool. Aren’t kids just ready at this point to attend a full-day program? Due to the higher academic expectations and standards of today, children seem far more prepared today than children in the past. Some children are reading before they enter Kindergarten. Others can count to 100 by ones, fives, and tens. Some are writing sentences to go with their drawings. The expectations of Kindergarten and school in general have increased dramatically over the years. Don’t we want our children to be as prepared as possible both socially and academically when they cross that bridge to First Grade?
On the other hand, some parents still think a half-day of Kindergarten is appropriate. They might think, Don’t kids at this age still need time to play? Aren’t we pushing our children too much today? Research does state that you don’t want to push academic skills before children are ready. Parents who are in favor of a half-day program feel they can make up the difference of learning time in the home or in additional programs outside the home. They believe if it’s a high quality half-day program it’s more appropriate for children’s short attention spans. Some use the full-day program as a drop off childcare center. Others see it as cost effective. A half-day program won’t cost you a thing in comparison to a full-day program that’s tuition-based and will cost you $270.00 a month here in Denver.
Some educators favor half-day programs too. Although it seems like there are more positive benefits for your child attending a full-day Kindergarten program, some research indicates that children fare just as well in a half-day program. Many studies have produced inconclusive results as to what program is more beneficial for our five year olds. Whatever the case, educators seem to agree, full-day or half-day, you still have to be present at home for your child and support them in their educational journey. This will ensure them to be the most successful learner they can be.
Most of all, it is up to you to figure out what’s best for your child. Seeking advice from your child’s preschool teacher is highly beneficial in helping make this decision. Monitoring the growth of their academic achievement and observing their social skills through the preschool years is helpful. You should contact various schools that interest you to see what type of Kindergarten program they offer. Then,visit these schools to learn whether or not they have a developmentally appropriate program for your child. Remember, it’s not just about quantity, it’s about the quality of the program that matters too!
Full or Half Day Kindergarten?-an article from the National Association of School Psychologists
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