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Below is a synopsis of current research regarding components of full day kindergarten. All information can be found with more detail in each of the research articles provided.
The Methacton administration is exploring the option of full day kindergarten for all students during the 2022-2023 school year. As one of the only Montgomery County school districts to remain as a half day kindergarten program, Methacton currently has fourteen half day kindergarten sections. The length of each section is approximately two and a half hours. Moving to a full day model would meaning increasing the student time to approximately 6.5 hours a day. Methacton serves 312 kindergarten students.
The Methacton K-12 curriculum is aligned to the PA Core Standards. For kindergarten, these standards reflect not only the concepts and competencies needed for English Language Arts, Math, Science, Social Studies, but they also include age appropriate expectations for Creativity, Health and Wellness, Social and Emotional Development, and Approaches to Learning Through Play. In full day programs, teachers can spend more time with individual students and small groups. This increased teacher face time not only promotes a positive relationship between student and teacher, but it also helps students gain the confidence needed to be successful in school.
Research indicates that full day kindergartners sore higher at the end of the year than their half day peers. These substantial learning boosts are contributed to not only the increased instructional time, but also the focus on social and emotional development supported in full day programs. A full day kindergarten program allows teachers to get to know every student on a personal level, building strong, positive relationships with students and families. These relationships help nurture a student's social/emotional development which has a positive effect on their academic growth.
Giving students time to play in kindergarten has been extensively researched during the past decade. According to educational researchers, kindergarten students should be given time to engage in organized, choice play at school. Play leads to extensive academic learning through constructing, organizing, and applying knowledge. Play also provides an environment to learn through experience. Students who have organized play time during their kindergarten year illustrate better gains in their social and emotional development.
PA Standards for Kindergarten: A Whole Child Approach
Below you will find Kindergarten Learning Standards released by the Department of Education that guide PA districts as they plan curriculum for Kindergarten. The PA Standards for Kindergarten were constructed as a joint project of the Department of Education and the Department of Human Services. Practitioners and program specialists of early childhood education helped create and organize this document as a reference for PA educators. These standards reflect not only the concepts and competencies needed for English Language Arts, Math, Science, Social Studies; but also include age appropriate expectations for Creativity, Health and Wellness, Social and Emotional Development, and Approaches to Learning Through Play.
Academic Achievement:
This study investigates the question, "Do children learn more in full day kindergarten than half day programs?" This sample is nationally representative and includes 8,000 kindergartners in 500 public schools across the country. Using multi-level methods, this study concluded that full day kindergartners do score higher on standardized tests. These substantial learning boosts are contributed to not only the increased instructional time, but also the focus on social and emotional development that is addressed through a full day kindergarten program.
https://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/10.1086/498994.pdf
This study investigates the advantages of full-day kindergarten on early literacy skills. Students from high quality full day kindergarten programs score considerably higher on end of year standardized tests. Heterogeneously grouping kindergarten students could also contribute to the large increases in student achievement.
Characteristics of A Quality Kindergarten:
This three part series identifies the common characteristics of quality kindergarten programs. Teachers in full day programs can vary their instructional practices so that throughout the day students experience large and small group instruction as well as individual student time. Knowing students well and building positive relationships help nurture a student's social/emotional development.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTaNRZhRPgk&feature=share
This editorial summarizes some of the characteristics of high quality kindergarten programs.
https://www.naeyc.org/our-work/families/what-does-high-quality-program-for-kindergarten-look-like
It's Not Just A Matter of Time:
This study examines the quality of the kindergarten program as a main factor in larger academic gains for full day kindergartners. Previous studies examined only the length of the kindergarten day in relation to academic achievement. This study concludes that the structure and learning opportunities provided for students during the time they are in school effect the students learning more than the amount of time.
The Benefits of Play: A Developmental Approach
This report summarizes several recent research studies relating to the structure of today's kindergarten classrooms. The emphasis placed on academic skills has overshadowed the need children to play. According to this report children's curiosity and creativity are hampered due to the lack of developmentally appropriate play opportunities in kindergarten. Play leads to learning through constructing, organizing, and applying knowledge as well as providing an environment to learn through experience. The social and emotional benefits of play in kindergarten should hold as much validity as academic performance, according to this report.
https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED504839.pdf
This article summarizes the problems that exist when rigorous academic expectations for kindergartners takes priority over their social and emotional growth. Early childhood education should focus on creating a developmentally and culturally appropriate environment where students can explore their interests. However, many kindergartens have become places where student creativity and curiosity is restrained. Children come to kindergarten at significantly different developmental stages. According to this article, a "one-size-fits-all" approach to kindergarten does not benefit children at large. The best way to support children's learning is to provide hands-on active learning experiences that include play.
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs10643-010-0429-6
This article summarizes how play creates an environment where children are active, engaged, social, and learning is meaningful. Play stimulates a child's whole brain and learning happens naturally. Play does not need to stand by itself. Teachers can incorporate academic expectations through play for optimal learning. According to this article, purposeful play creates deeper learning experiences that a child will internalize and remember.
https://education.cu-portland.edu/blog/classroom-resources/play-based-learning/
