full vs. half day kinder

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Home : 2002 : March : 10

full vs. half day kinder
By Julianne

For many years I taught a program called kindergarten enrichment where we took morning kindergarten students and kept them in the afternoon to make a full day program. I also had a chance to observe the workings of a full
day kindergarten. I've seen benefits and drawbacks to these programs.
Drawbacks include the fact that many students this age are still needing nap time and the average all day kindergarten doesn't provide for this. (This is particularly true of the younger kinders.) Parents who opt for an all day program may mistakenly believe that their child will be accelerated by attending all day

and put pressure on teachers to push children academically. There is an impact on schools, especially if they are already overcrowded. Parents may enroll their child in all day programs because they need the break from their child, not because it's in the best interest of the child. (This is particularly true of overactive boys. My program was top-heavy with boys every year...)

Benefits include a more relaxed atmosphere for students. Teachers have time to cover subjects in depth and give all children a chance to practice. Parents have more opportunity to volunteer in their child's classroom because the kids are there longer. Teachers who are used to having two groups of kindergarteners each day see a benefit in having only one group to track, plan for and conference with. Children can be given more opportunity to play in a carefully designed environment. If the choice is between kindergarten/daycare and all day kindergarten I vote for the latter because of the consistency in environment.

All in all I think full day kindergarten is a viable option. But I would hope it was just that - an option. If all students are required to attend full days you may find yourself with a roomful of cranky five year olds and a frustrated teacher.