Why Full Day Kindergarten

11 Benefits of Full-Day Kindergarten at ELCM

 

  1. Learning time is increased by 80% (3 hours) compared to a half-day program.
  2. ELCM’s Student - Teacher ratio is 8:1.
    State of NH ratio is 15:1.
  3. Daily transitions are greatly reduced, creating a more relaxed approach to the day for both children and parents.
  4. Increased class time allows for the integration of core curriculum areas with theme-based learning.
  5. Students benefit from hands-on learning in a center-based classroom.
  6. A greater balance is created between one-to-one instruction, small group instruction and whole group instruction.
  7. Child-to-child social interactions are greatly enhanced.
  8. Allows greater opportunity to tailor academic curriculum to best meet children’s individual needs.
  9. Affords the opportunity to enrich learning with additional educational experiences such as field trips and special guest presenters.
  10. Additional class time allows for more emphasis on the development of the whole child.
  11. Being a developmentally appropriate program, all children will benefit from the “gift of time” full-day kindergarten offers.

 

Hear From Others on “Why Full-Day Kindergarten”

  1. Participation in full-day eases the transition to first grade, helps children adapt to the demands of a six hour school day. (Elicker and Mathur, 1997)
  2. Teachers reported significantly greater progress for all-day kindergarten children in literacy, math, and general learning skills. (Elicker and Mathur, 1997)
  3. Children in all-day programs scored higher on the achievement test than those in half-day programs on every item tested. (Hough and Bryde, 1996)
  4. Children have the opportunity to spend more time engaged in active, child-initiated, small-group activities. Teachers will feel less stressed by time constraints and will have more time to meet children’s needs. (Elicker and Mathur, 1997)
  5. Test scores in math and reading during the third and eight grades tend to be higher for students who participated in full-day/full-week kindergarten programs than their peers in half-day programs (Mueller, 1997; Neiman & Gastright, 1981a; Plucker et al., 2004)
  6. Students in full-day/full-week kindergarten programs develop a greater sense of independence (Puleo, 1988) and a greater degree of active engagement (Elicker & Mathur, 1997).

References:

 

  1. Elicker, J. and Mathur, S. What do they do all day/ Comprehensive evaluation of a full-day kindergarten. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 12(4), pp. 459-480, 1997.
  2. Hough, D., & Bryde, S. (1996, April). THE EFFECTS OF FULL-DAY KINDERGARTEN ON STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT AND AFFECT. Paper presented at the annual conference of the American Educational Research Association, New York. ED 395 691.
  3. Mueller, ElJ. (1977). Effects of entry level and pattern of Title l. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED 198 949)
  4. Nieman, R.H., & Gastright, J.F. (1981a). The long-term effects of ESEA Title l preschool and all day kindergarten; An eight year follow-up study. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED 151 419)
  5. Plucker, J.A., Eaton, J.J., Rapp, K.E., et al. (2004). The effects of full day versus half day kindergarten; Review and Analysis of National and Indiana Data. Indianapolis, IN: Indiana Association of Public School Superintendents.
  6. Puleo, V.T. (1988).  A review and critique of research on full day kindergarten. The Elementary School Journal, 88, 427-429.