Teachers' Perceptions of Full-day Kindergarten and the Impact on Student Achievement

Teachers' Perceptions of Full-day Kindergarten and the Impact on Student Achievement PDF Author: Suzanne Theresa Magee
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Full-day kindergarten
Languages : en
Pages : 109

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Book Description
The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine teacher perceptions of full-day kindergarten and its impact on student achievement. A total of 59 teachers from three suburban school districts in Pennsylvania completed surveys containing both Likert scale and open-ended questions. Moreover, three regular education teachers and one special education teacher partook in semi-structured interviews in order to gain more insight into teacher perspectives. This study specifically focused on the long-term academic achievement in reading when comparing a full-day kindergarten program to a half-day kindergarten program. Additionally, the research focused on the advantages and disadvantages of both programs including emotional, behavioral, and social growth. Instructional practices were also studied to determine if they differed within each program. An overwhelming majority of participants agreed that full-day kindergarten provided the support needed to be successful students throughout their school career considering the increased demands placed on children. Participants also indicated that although there should not be a difference in instructional practices between either program, a full-day provides students the opportunity to practice these skills. Participants also noted that when teachers are given a full-day there is a significant amount of time that can be devoted to differentiated instruction which leads to academic gains . Most teachers indicated that it was not the longer day that made the difference academically, but how the teacher used that additional time that resulted in sustained success.

Teachers' Perceptions of Full-day Kindergarten and the Impact on Student Achievement

Teachers' Perceptions of Full-day Kindergarten and the Impact on Student Achievement PDF Author: Suzanne Theresa Magee
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Full-day kindergarten
Languages : en
Pages : 109

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Book Description
The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine teacher perceptions of full-day kindergarten and its impact on student achievement. A total of 59 teachers from three suburban school districts in Pennsylvania completed surveys containing both Likert scale and open-ended questions. Moreover, three regular education teachers and one special education teacher partook in semi-structured interviews in order to gain more insight into teacher perspectives. This study specifically focused on the long-term academic achievement in reading when comparing a full-day kindergarten program to a half-day kindergarten program. Additionally, the research focused on the advantages and disadvantages of both programs including emotional, behavioral, and social growth. Instructional practices were also studied to determine if they differed within each program. An overwhelming majority of participants agreed that full-day kindergarten provided the support needed to be successful students throughout their school career considering the increased demands placed on children. Participants also indicated that although there should not be a difference in instructional practices between either program, a full-day provides students the opportunity to practice these skills. Participants also noted that when teachers are given a full-day there is a significant amount of time that can be devoted to differentiated instruction which leads to academic gains . Most teachers indicated that it was not the longer day that made the difference academically, but how the teacher used that additional time that resulted in sustained success.

Student Success After Participation in At-risk, Full-day Kindergarten Programs

Student Success After Participation in At-risk, Full-day Kindergarten Programs PDF Author: Jennifer Christine Motzer
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Full-day kindergarten
Languages : en
Pages : 128

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Book Description
The purpose of this study was to examine educators' perceptions of a full-day kindergarten program for at-risk students in order to reveal educators' attitudes and beliefs regarding the rationale, vision, value, effectiveness, and participants of the program. Data were collected through a researcher-created survey from 36 members of the faculty and nine administrators who had experience with or administratively supported children in either the school district's traditional, half-day kindergarten classrooms or the district's full-day classes for at-risk students. Program architects, who included two kindergarten teachers and two building principals, were interviewed to determine the degree to which continuity of the original rationale and vision has been maintained. The findings of the study indicated that teachers and administrators were in general agreement regarding the purpose of full-day kindergarten within the district and perceived that students made academic, behavioral, and social gains during their enrollment in the program. During subsequent school years, teachers perceived that the students who had participated in full-day kindergarten required additional monitoring and support services. Student assessment data does not entirely corroborate teacher beliefs in this area. Expectations surrounding students' continued academic success in subsequent school years are not universal. Discrepancies surrounding eligibility criteria for the program and the inclusion of English Language Learners and special education students exist.

Teacher and Administrator Perceptions of the K Plus Kindergarten Program and Its Effects on Literacy Development

Teacher and Administrator Perceptions of the K Plus Kindergarten Program and Its Effects on Literacy Development PDF Author: Stephanie Gates
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Kindergarten
Languages : en
Pages : 100

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Book Description
The study examined a supplemental, literacy-focused kindergarten program for students found to be at-risk in reading. Specifically, this study explored teacher and administrator perceptions of the K Plus kindergarten program. Archival student data were collected from Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS) 6th Edition benchmark tests to assess the extent in which student data support teacher and administrator perceptions of the program. To acquire perceptions, 13 kindergarten teachers, 12 first grade teachers, and 7 administrators affiliated with the K Plus program were asked to participate in an online survey with open-ended questions regarding program purposes, comparisons to the half-day kindergarten program, and student benefits. Subsamples of four teachers and two administrators were asked to participate in interviews to gain additional insights into perceptions of the K Plus program. Student DIBELS data were analyzed to determine whether or not student progress supported teacher and administrators perceptions. Results demonstrated that teachers and administrators have similar views on the purpose of the K Plus program supporting at-risk students in literacy development and believe the program benefits students. However, program logistics and management should be examined to ensure efficiency in program enrollment. Student performance increased in the second year of implementation. Student performance supported perceptions that the program positively impacts student achievement.

Full Day Kindergarten

Full Day Kindergarten PDF Author: James Elicker
Publisher: Phi Delta Kappa International Incorporated
ISBN: 9780873677417
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 14

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Book Description
Despite dramatic increases in the percentage of 5-year-olds enrolled in full-day kindergarten, initial discussions about whether to offer public full-day kindergarten are still controversial in many communities. This report examines claims about benefits and detriments of full-day kindergarten, presents research findings, and describes reasonable approaches to the issue for teachers and administrators. Following introductory remarks, the report details full-day kindergarten claims and counterclaims regarding benefits of extra instructional time, opportunities for enrichment activities, and reductions in child care costs for families, as well as disadvantages related to student adjustment and need for additional teachers. The report then summarizes reviews of full-day kindergarten research between 1970 and 1997 and describes two recent experimental or quasi-experimental studies. Among the conclusions about full-day kindergarten is that full-day students consistently progress further academically during the kindergarten year compared to half- or alternate-day students. There is tentative evidence that full-day kindergarten has stronger, longer-lasting academic benefits for children from low-income families. There is no current, strong evidence that academic achievement gains of full-day kindergarten persist beyond first grade. There is no evidence of detrimental effects of full-day kindergarten. The report indicates that further research is needed to examine the long-term impact of full-day kindergarten and recommends that half-day kindergarten remain an option for families who have educational resources, value time at home with their 5-year-olds, and desire a more gradual introduction to formal schooling. Implications for administrators, teachers, and parents are delineated. (Contains 26 endnotes, and a list of 26 additional resources and 9 related Web sites.) (KB)

Full-day and Half-day Kindergarten Parent and Teacher Perceptions

Full-day and Half-day Kindergarten Parent and Teacher Perceptions PDF Author: Stephanie Sue Burrage
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Early childhood education
Languages : en
Pages : 242

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Book Description


Preventing Early School Failure

Preventing Early School Failure PDF Author: Robert E. Slavin
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 264

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Book Description


Educators' Perceptions of Effectiveness of Full-day Kindergarten on Academic and Social-emotional Development

Educators' Perceptions of Effectiveness of Full-day Kindergarten on Academic and Social-emotional Development PDF Author: Sally R. Bredeman
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Full-day kindergarten
Languages : en
Pages : 116

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Book Description
The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine teacher perceptions of the effectiveness of full-day kindergarten on academic and social-emotional development. Qualitative data in the form of a Likert scale survey with open-ended questions were collected from 50 kindergarten or first grade educators in two school districts and follow-up interviews were conducted with nine participants. The analysis of the data collected indicated that most participants agreed that age is a factor in determining academic and social-emotional readiness for kindergarten. Moreover, respondents agreed that students in full-day kindergarten experience positive gains and have additional time for instruction and socialization. A general trend emerging from this study was the importance of developmentally appropriate programming and screening assessments to determine academic and social-emotional readiness. This study also revealed the need for school districts to improve conversations with parents and develop programming options prior to kindergarten. The results of this study contribute to the research related to full-day kindergarten and assist parents and school districts in the decisions about when to enroll children in kindergarten and the best programmatic structure for them.

The Effects of Full-day Kindergarten on the Long-term Academic Achievement of Students

The Effects of Full-day Kindergarten on the Long-term Academic Achievement of Students PDF Author: Laura Fong
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Academic achievement
Languages : en
Pages : 32

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Book Description
As the quality of kindergarten instructional programs and their relation to student academic achievement come under scrutiny from policy makers and educators, greater demands are placed on students to enter school prepared to learn. Some programs operate on the traditional half-day model in which students attend school during either a morning or an afternoon time frame which includes classroom instruction, lunch, and recess time. Other schools have adopted a full-day kindergarten model in which students attend school the same amount of minutes per day as the other elementary grade levels. The purpose of this study was to determine if the amount of minutes of instruction per day in kindergarten programs affects the long-term academic achievement of students in English language arts and mathematics as measured by the California Standards Test (CST). Archival data of student CST scores were retrieved for the 2012-2013 school year from a unified school district located in the Central Valley of California. Student scores were statistically analyzed by utilizing a t-test for independent means. The results of the statistical analysis indicated that there was no significant difference in English language arts or mathematics achievement between third grade students who had attended a half-day kindergarten program and third grade students who had attended a full-day kindergarten program.

Resources in Education

Resources in Education PDF Author:
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 760

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Book Description


Effects of Increased Class Size on Kindergarten Literacy Achievement and Teacher Perception

Effects of Increased Class Size on Kindergarten Literacy Achievement and Teacher Perception PDF Author: Kristina Hoffman-Brown
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Academic achievement
Languages : en
Pages : 238

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Book Description
The purpose of this study was to examine the difference between class size on student literacy achievement utilizing district-wide kindergarten student theme assessment scores at the end of first, second, and third trimester. Student achievement was measured by the district's theme assessment scores on four areas of literacy skills. The specific literacy skills examined in this study included 1) uppercase letter identification, 2) lowercase letter identification, 3) high-frequency word identification, and 4) rhyming skills. Teacher perceptions were also explored though the use of teacher surveys and interviews to determine how teachers perceived the increase in class size and its effect on their instructional practices, student-teacher interaction, and teaching behavior with their classroom. This study revealed statistically significant differences in student achievement and class size. The study's quantitative and qualitative data found that students who were taught during class size increase performed just as well, if not better, on literacy theme assessments than students who were taught during class size reduction. The study's data, however, found that when class sizes increased other important aspects of instruction were greatly impacted. The findings of this study also indicated that there was a strong need for reduced class size to increase teachers' job satisfaction and performance. The quantitative data were represented in a comparison study with the use of a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA).