High Quality Kindergarten Programs

Division of Early Childhood Education

05/28/15

Todays Objective
2

Provide an understanding of the current

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

Division of Early Childhood Education

05/28/15

The Kindergarten Experience

3

Division of Early Childhood Education

05/28/15

Demographics
4

Division of Early Childhood Education

05/28/15

Demographics cont.
5

2.5% of students (1,634 kids) are either reported as

retained in K, or are in a transitional 1st grade

program.
Grade

# of Children
Retained

Retention Costs

1,634

$15,766,466

**Assumes base aid amount in the SFRA $9,649 and doesnt include
any added funding for students who are low-income, ELL, special
needs, etc.

Division of Early Childhood Education

05/28/15

Snapshot of Quality in K
Total 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 childrens 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
8

Division of Early Childhood Education

05/28/15

Takeaways
9

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.
Division of Early Childhood Education

05/28/15

ELLCO Findings
10

Division of Early Childhood Education

05/28/15

Takeaways
11

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
Division of Early Childhood Education

05/28/15

Multi-State K Study
12

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

Division of Early Childhood Education

05/28/15

Public Expenditures
13

Division of Early Childhood Education

05/28/15

The Childs Mind

Although intelligence is generally thought to play a

key role in childrens early academic achievement,
aspects of childrens self-regulation abilities
including the ability to alternately shift and focus
attention and to inhibit impulsive respondingare
uniquely related to early academic success and
account for greater variation in early academic
progress than do measures of intelligence.
Child Development

16

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)

Division of Early Childhood Education

05/28/15

Elevating Learning
17

What should kindergarten look like

in the twenty-first century?

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

Division of Early Childhood Education

05/28/15

The Guidelines
18

Guiding High-Quality Practice

in Kindergarten
School Structures that Support
High-Quality Kindergarten
High-Quality Kindergarten in Action

Division of Early Childhood Education

05/28/15

Learning through Play

19

Division of Early Childhood Education

05/28/15

Environments
20

All kindergarten classrooms should be designed

around learning centers to support purposefully
designed, play based activity as the main vehicle for
childrens learning. (Kindergarten Guidelines, p. 51)

Division of Early Childhood Education

05/28/15

Self-regulation
21

Decision-making
Reminders and visuals
Make-believe play
Games with rules
Goal-setting

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

Division of Early Childhood Education

05/28/15

Assessment
22

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)
Division of Early Childhood Education

05/28/15

Who has the time?

23

Literacy
Blocks
Free choice/Centers
Integrated curriculum
Outside
Division of Early Childhood Education

05/28/15

24

Division of Early Childhood Education

05/28/15

Professional Development
25

Kindergarten Seminar
The PreK-3rd Leadership Training Series

PreK-3rd Leadership Training Work Groups

3rd Annual PreK-3rd Leadership Conference

October 28, 2011

Division of Early Childhood Education

05/28/15

http://www.state.nj.us/education/ece/
26

Division of Early Childhood Education

05/28/15

Renee Whelan, Ed.D.

Renee.whelan@doe.state.nj.us

http://www.state.nj.us/education/ece/guide/Kinderga
rtenGuidelines.pdf
Division of Early Childhood Education

05/28/15