By Rachael
 |
| Is a full day too much for a 5-year-old? |
It used to be
standard that kindergarten students attended school for a half day. In the last
decade, the majority of kindergarten programs have moved to a full-day schedule
to prepare students for the rigors of first grade. Then I noticed my oldest
daughter’s preschool will begin offering an extended day this fall, “to prepare
students for all-day kindergarten.”
The trend is
to schedule longer school days for younger and younger children. How effective
is all-day kindergarten anyway? Is all-day kindergarten really age appropriate?
Proponents
argue the longer school day provides more time for instruction and in-depth
learning, promotes a more relaxed atmosphere, and allows teachers to get to
know children and their families better. All-day kindergarten also is convenient
for working parents who don’t have to arrange other child care for the afternoons.
Opponents of
all-day kindergarten believe the day is too long for 5-year-olds, putting unnecessary
stress on children and perhaps turning them off to school.
But what do
the experts say?
While all-day
kindergarten does provide immediate academic gains, many studies raise a yellow
flag. Research shows that gains fade soon
after kindergarten and disappear by third grade.
The latter study also indicates that social benefits of all-day kindergarten
are mixed, and some children may exhibit more behavior problems.
More
interesting, one study that marked no significant academic differences between
all-day kindergarten and half-day kindergarten indicated that the trend toward
full-day programs is not backed by
much long-term research. Instead, it’s often school districts’ “knee jerk”
reaction to controversial laws like No Child Left Behind. The study notes how
costly all-day kindergarten is, especially if the benefits are questionable. It
also acknowledges that many other less tangible factors contribute to a child’s
success in school, such as culture, emotional competence, and parental
involvement.
Also of concern, another study found that children who attended
all-day kindergarten experienced a negative
effect on math scores later. They were more likely to have behavior
problems and a poorer attitude toward learning. The research stressed the
importance of “nonacademic readiness skills” like emotional stability and the
ability to sit still, listen, and follow directions. It
said, “nonacademic readiness skills were more consistently associated with home
background factors, such as parental involvement, income, and extracurricular
activities. This suggests that interventions that aim to improve family
circumstances, including programs designed to enhance parenting, may be one way
of improving children’s academic success.”
This indicates
that even at-risk children who are neglected or impoverished – the ones
purported to gain the most from all-day kindergarten – may not be benefitting
as much as is hoped.
Research also
suggests that the purpose of all-day kindergarten for any child should
not be to cram in extra academics. One study noted, “Full-day
kindergarten programs that are appropriate for kindergarten age children have
been found to provide cognitive, social, physical, and emotional benefits for
children.” The same study stated that teachers believe all-day kindergarten is
not appropriate for all children and families should have options.
Another study
urges “teachers, administrators, and parents to resist the temptation
to provide full-day programs that are didactic rather than intellectually
engaging in tone. Seat work, worksheets, and early instruction in reading or
other academic subjects are largely inappropriate in kindergarten.” What is
appropriate? The study mentions a relaxed and informal setting, emphasis on
language development and “preliteracy experiences,” and development of social
skills.
Regarding my
own daughter, we will pass on the full-day preschool option this year because I
do think there’s a slippery slope nature to it. Do we start offering full-day
preschool to 1- and 2-year-olds to prepare them for all-day kindergarten?
When my
daughter heads to full-day kindergarten next fall, I’ll be watching to see how
the classroom is run and whether the day’s activities are age-appropriate. I do
think the long day will be a challenge to my daughter initially, but I also
admit it is getting increasingly difficult to occupy her all day at home. In
addition to preschool two days a week, we play and do preschool projects, and
she attends library story time and church weekly. By next fall, she may be
ready for more.
I will miss
my daughter when she is at school all day, but I’m willing to give it a try.
One of the most common mantras regarding anything child-related in our house is
that we’ll take it one year – or if needed, one day – at a time, knowing we can
reevaluate and change course if needed.
You can
contact Rachael by emailing her at Rachael@mumblingmommy.com.
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