Star likes it . (Just remember though, this is the same mathematically challenged editorial board that thinks 84% on a driver's test is more difficult than a 61% ISTEP cut-score. If they only would have had full-day K!!)
Gazette likes it but wants the guv to talk more about the benefits.
My prediction is that Wawasee won't see it for awhile because the first money will go to schools with higher free and reduced lunch counts.
Go Warriors beat Plymouth!
Have a great weekend!
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11 comments:
I like the idea of full day K. I know some days the K teachers would feel frustrated that they only had the students for less than 3 hours. In that 3 hours you had to get 20 students to enter the classroom, hang up jackets, take attendance, each days education plan, take time out to line up and walk to special classes (with physical education taking longer due to changing shoes), having snack time, recess (jackets again) and finally getting the students ready to go home. And of course in between all that you need to let them go to the restrooms.
I don't know how Mrs. Heath did it for so long! I'd like to know what the teachers think about changing to full day K.
Have you noticed something that hasn't been mentioned in any discussion about full day K yet?
What curriculum changes are they actually promoting?
What do they want the teachers to do differently?
Interestingly enough, K isn't even a requirement in Indiana.
The concept of all day kindergarten is a good one, however, I have been in a few kindergarten classes. The children that would benefit the most from all day are also the ones who seem to have the biggest attention span problems. If they can't stay focused for only a part of the day, how is the teacher supposed to deal with behavior problems for an entire day? Would this place an even bigger burden on the teacher and class, when they constantly have to stop to address behavior?
Experiences, experiences, eeriences! That's what you would provide in all day K. Kids wuld have time to manipulate objects, listen to more books, hear correct speech patterns,etc...
I teach 1st grade and you would not believe how many kids come to 1st without ever seeing an apple growing on a tree, planting a seed in the ground, making applesauce (Johnny Appleseed on my mind)
Without common experiences it is so hard to teach reading. Kids have nothing to connect the words to.
I have been in an all day K. No great change in curriculum just an adequate amount of time to ensure succes fo each child.
as far as attention problems, having the children in school and notat home watching TV or playing video games could only help the children focus more at school.
I think 1/2 day K is a good transition time for the kids. They used to the idea. I had a child that benefited greatly from structure but also couldn't handle the chaos of the school atmosphere. It is a good time of getting used to how thngs work.
But if I had to choose which was better if parents have to work, I 'd choose K over daycare.
A few things are disturbing about full day kindergarten. First, I hear that there are 25 kids per morning class at Syracuse and I am unsure how full day will increase any minimal learning in this environment. Secondly, I have to agree with the comment that nothing has been said about curriculum changes. Furthermore, maybe we should be looking at early childhood education (pre school) and continue to use kindergarten as a transition. If every child in Indiana is given an affordable opportunity for pre school, maybe kindergarten would address more 'experiences' rather than a 'do over' for those kids who have attended pre school.
A few things are disturbing about full day kindergarten. First, I hear that there are 25 kids per morning class at Syracuse and I am unsure how full day will increase any minimal learning in this environment. Secondly, I have to agree with the comment that nothing has been said about curriculum changes. Furthermore, maybe we should be looking at early childhood education (pre school) and continue to use kindergarten as a transition. If every child in Indiana is given an affordable opportunity for pre school, maybe kindergarten would address more 'experiences' rather than a 'do over' for those kids who have attended pre school.
I have heard and read a lot about full day kindergarden but what I haven't seen is a reference to any research that shows improved student achievement as a result of full day kindergarden. Is this an important educational issue or a societal issue to provide day care for those kids?
A concern I have about 1/2 day K is the classes are full now, wouldn't we have to hire more teachers and have more classrooms to accomodate all the kids at one time?
There actually is already an opportunity for all day K right here in our community. At Wawasee Christian Academy your child can attend all day K and learn at his or her own pace. I have seen that program work wonderfully through the past year and I think the children there benefited greatly from it.
As far as how many kids are already in the AM or PM classes aren't those same children continuing on to the first grade? We don't loose half of them from K to 1st. As far as I am concerned the parents could volunteer more and help with the "behaivior problems" by assisting and supporting the teachers more and by taking care of some of the issues at home.
I would support full day K if it is optional for both parents and the school district and it is fully funded by the state.
Many parents have the time and the ability to spend with their children in many enriching opportunities at home. I see no real advantage for those families to be required to go to full day K.
There are also school districts that do not have the current classroom space to offer the classes.
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