High Quality Kindergarten Programs

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Today’s Objective

Provide an understanding of the

current state of kindergarten and resources to maximize learning at this grade level.

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The Kindergarten Experience

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Demographics

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Demographics cont.

2.5% of students (1,634 kids) are either reported as retained in K, or are in a transitional 1st grade program. 

**Assumes base aid amount in the SFRA $9,649 and doesn’t include any added funding for students who are low-income, ELL, special needs, etc.

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Grade # of Children Retained

Retention Costs

K 1,634 $15,766,466

Snapshot of Quality in KTotal sample = 135 classrooms in NJ

The measures:

Assessment of Practices in Early Elementary Classrooms (APEEC; Hemmeter, Maxwell, Ault & Schuster, 2001)

Physical Environment room arrangement, child display, classroom accessibility, and health and classroom safety

Instructional Context use of materials, use of computers, monitoring child progress, instructional methods, integration and breadth of subjects

Social Context children’s role in decision-making, participation of children with disabilities in classroom activities, social skills, diversity, appropriate transitions, and family involvement

Early Language and Literacy Classroom Observation Toolkit (ELLCO; Smith & Dickerson, 2002).

General classroom environment organization, contents, technology, child choice and initiative, classroom management and climate

Language, literacy, curriculum supporting language and literacy through materials, activities, instruction, strategies and teaching practices

APEEC Findings

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•In 50 % of the classrooms, children did not have an opportunity to speak with their peers about classroom activities.

•52% of the teachers did not engage in some informal conversations with the children.

•Whole group instruction was used during the entire observation in 22% of the classrooms.

•Hands on materials for one or two subject areas were not used in 56% of the classrooms.

•62% of the classrooms did not offer gross motor opportunities to children daily.

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Takeaways

ELLCO Findings

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Takeaways

• In most classrooms, adults did not engage in either individual or small-group book reading

• Few rooms had times built into their schedules for choice

• Materials to support writing were not located in centers

• Little evidence of scaffolded instruction or differentiation

• Teachers often used whole group instruction with follow-up workbook activities

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Multi-State K Study

NCEDL 730 K classrooms across six states (La Paro, et al. ,2009).

6% of observed day in free choice/centers More time in individual or whole group

1% of classrooms in kindergarten score high in Instructional Support

Teaching practices that promote understanding of concepts, feedback and language modeling

Such practices are associated with positive child outcomes

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Public Expenditures

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The Child’s Mind

“Although intelligence is generally thought to play a key role in children’s early academic achievement, aspects of children’s self-regulation abilities—including the ability to alternately shift and focus attention and to inhibit impulsive responding—are uniquely related to early academic success and account for greater variation in early academic progress than do measures of intelligence.”

Child Development

“…consistently positive teacher-child relationships in PK and K have been found to be related to positive child outcomes, both

academic and social.” (Pianta et al in Bogard, 2005).   “…factors such as teacher sensitivity, the quality of teacher-child interactions, and teachers’ satisfaction with their job, are also associated with child outcomes. “ (Bogard,

2005)

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Elevating Learning

What should kindergarten look like in the twenty-first century?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTaNRZhRPgk

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The Guidelines

Guiding High-Quality Practice in Kindergarten

School Structures that Support High-Quality Kindergarten

High-Quality Kindergarten in Action

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Learning through Play

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Environments

“All kindergarten classrooms should be designed around learning centers to support purposefully designed, play based activity as the main vehicle for children’s learning.” (Kindergarten Guidelines, p. 51)

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Self-regulation

Young children who know how to delay gratification are more likely to pursue academic and personal goals with less frustration, with less distraction. (Graziano et al., 2006)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QX_oy9614HQ

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Decision-making Reminders and visualsMake-believe playGames with rulesGoal-setting

Assessment

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Major Purposes of Early Child Assessment

To plan instruction for individuals and groups

Identify children for health and special services

Monitor trends and evaluate programs

Individual student, teacher, and school accountability

(NAEYC&NAECS/SDE, 2003)

“Who has the time?”

Literacy

Blocks

Free choice/Centers

Integrated curriculum

Outside

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Professional Development

Kindergarten Seminar

The PreK-3rd Leadership Training Series PreK-3rd Leadership Training Work Groups

3rd Annual PreK-3rd Leadership Conference October 28, 2011

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http://www.state.nj.us/education/ece/

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Renee Whelan, Ed.D.Renee.whelan@doe.state.nj.us

http://www.state.nj.us/education/ece/guide/KindergartenGuidelines.pdf

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