Is Kindergarten Is Kindergarten Really Really Necessary?Necessary?

Amy ClydeAmy Clyde

Elizabeth GarrabrandtElizabeth Garrabrandt

Shulamith WebsterShulamith Webster

Child DevelopmentChild Development5 - 6 Years (Cognitive)5 - 6 Years (Cognitive)

Begin to think logically & organize Begin to think logically & organize concepts symbolically.concepts symbolically.

Start towards Piaget’s logic of Start towards Piaget’s logic of conservation.conservation.

Learn best through make-believe play.Learn best through make-believe play. Also learn through active involvement Also learn through active involvement

with peers & hands-on activities.with peers & hands-on activities. Teaching through cognitive curriculum.Teaching through cognitive curriculum.

Child Development Child Development 5-6 Years (Social)5-6 Years (Social)

Eager to work with peers, but can Eager to work with peers, but can have trouble working out problems.have trouble working out problems.

Want their own way, learning to Want their own way, learning to share.share.

Learn social skills through modeling.Learn social skills through modeling. Teachers help to develop social Teachers help to develop social

skills through group work.skills through group work.

Child DevelopmentChild Development5-6 Years (Physical)5-6 Years (Physical)

Always moving.Always moving. Gross motor skills.Gross motor skills. Fine motor skills.Fine motor skills. Teachers need to allow children to Teachers need to allow children to

move and play. move and play. Children learning to sit down and Children learning to sit down and

listen.listen.

Utah Core CurriculumUtah Core Curriculum

Addresses multiple areas of Addresses multiple areas of learning.learning.

Core LinkCore Link

History of KindergartenHistory of Kindergarten

Infant SchoolsInfant Schools– Introduced from England in mid 1820’sIntroduced from England in mid 1820’s– 18 mo- 4 year old attended18 mo- 4 year old attended– Believed kids could read and write at a Believed kids could read and write at a

very early age. very early age. – Main goal of these schools was to teach Main goal of these schools was to teach

silence, obedience, and conformitysilence, obedience, and conformity– Focused more on teaching the Focused more on teaching the

immigrants and the poor to aid social immigrants and the poor to aid social reformreform

History of KindergartenHistory of Kindergarten

Amariah Brigham (1840)Amariah Brigham (1840)– ““Keeping kids under that age of 8 in Keeping kids under that age of 8 in

school for longer than an hour is school for longer than an hour is dangerous because it could lead to dangerous because it could lead to precocity which is a morbid condition precocity which is a morbid condition of the brain that might lead to of the brain that might lead to epilepsy, insanity, or imbecility”epilepsy, insanity, or imbecility”

History of KindergartenHistory of Kindergarten

Friedrich FroebelFriedrich Froebel– Founder of the KindergartenFounder of the Kindergarten– Started in Germany, introduced to Started in Germany, introduced to

America by German immigrantsAmerica by German immigrants– Kindergarten will “save” the urban Kindergarten will “save” the urban

poor from un-American values, poor from un-American values, morals, and behaviorsmorals, and behaviors

– Introduced into Public Schools in 1890Introduced into Public Schools in 1890

Liberal view of Liberal view of KindergartenKindergarten

Education is a right.Education is a right. Should be taught at schools.Should be taught at schools. Begins at kindergarten (if not Begins at kindergarten (if not

before).before). It leads to higher educational It leads to higher educational

achievement.achievement. Increased graduation rates.Increased graduation rates. Decreased juvenile delinquency.Decreased juvenile delinquency.

Conservative view of Conservative view of KindergartenKindergarten

Should be taught at home by the Should be taught at home by the family.family.

Deprives children of freedom and Deprives children of freedom and parental affection.parental affection.

Morals should be taught at young Morals should be taught at young age. age.

Radical View of Radical View of KindergartenKindergarten

Change entire structure of education.Change entire structure of education. Education should start before Education should start before

kindergarten.kindergarten. Educate the parents and children at Educate the parents and children at

the same time.the same time. Parents are encouraged to assess Parents are encouraged to assess

their children.their children. Guadalupe school is a current Guadalupe school is a current

example.example.

Current IssuesCurrent Issues

Last Year’s Legislation – Margaret DaytonLast Year’s Legislation – Margaret Dayton Proposed a tax credit for keeping kids at home.Proposed a tax credit for keeping kids at home.

““This bill makes me very sad. I cry when school This bill makes me very sad. I cry when school starts.”starts.”

"This whole issue is about school readiness. At what "This whole issue is about school readiness. At what point do we vote against confidence in the family point do we vote against confidence in the family and trust our children to government schools? and trust our children to government schools? Childhood is important. We don't need to get them Childhood is important. We don't need to get them into school at younger and younger ages, just into school at younger and younger ages, just because we think they may not be ready for because we think they may not be ready for school."school."

-Margaret -Margaret Dayton Dayton

Current IssuesCurrent Issues ““Nearly 70 percent of all mothers with children ages six & Nearly 70 percent of all mothers with children ages six &

under work outside of the home.”under work outside of the home.”

““The Sutherland Institute proposal to offer a $500 tax credit The Sutherland Institute proposal to offer a $500 tax credit to parents that keep their kindergarten-age child at home, to parents that keep their kindergarten-age child at home, rather than place her in public kindergarten, adheres to both rather than place her in public kindergarten, adheres to both components. It recognizes that a majority of parents work components. It recognizes that a majority of parents work outside of the home and it would encourage more parents outside of the home and it would encourage more parents who are able to care for their own little children in those vital who are able to care for their own little children in those vital formative years. On the one hand, the Sutherland proposal formative years. On the one hand, the Sutherland proposal would provide modest encouragement for those parents would provide modest encouragement for those parents and, on the other hand, it would leave more money in the and, on the other hand, it would leave more money in the hands of public schools for early, formal schooling where hands of public schools for early, formal schooling where needed.”needed.”

--The The Sutherland InstituteSutherland Institute

Current IssuesCurrent Issues

This Year’s LegislationThis Year’s Legislation– Jon Huntsman Jr.Jon Huntsman Jr.

Supports full-day kindergarten in Title 1 Supports full-day kindergarten in Title 1 schoolsschools

Bill #107 failed in SenateBill #107 failed in Senate

Full-Day KindergartenFull-Day Kindergarten

Able to cover more material and Able to cover more material and curriculum. curriculum.

More one-on-one work with teacher and More one-on-one work with teacher and students. students.

Able to teach more than just the core Able to teach more than just the core (social, cognitive, etc.)(social, cognitive, etc.)

"I taught first grade in the '60s, and that "I taught first grade in the '60s, and that entire curriculum has been pushed entire curriculum has been pushed down into kindergarten now, yet I had down into kindergarten now, yet I had five hours to teach it, and now I only five hours to teach it, and now I only have two-and-a-half hours." have two-and-a-half hours."

-Carol Lee Smith (Kindergarten teacher at Canyon Crest -Carol Lee Smith (Kindergarten teacher at Canyon Crest Elementary in Provo.) Elementary in Provo.)

Full-Day KindergartenFull-Day Kindergarten

Children become tired and Children become tired and restless.restless.

Parents don’t get to spend more Parents don’t get to spend more time with their children.time with their children.

At this age they may not be At this age they may not be mature enough to handle a full-mature enough to handle a full-day.day.

Money cost.Money cost.

Our OpinionOur Opinion

Kindergarten is essential to learning Kindergarten is essential to learning & should be taught by trained & should be taught by trained professionals.professionals.

We support Jon Huntsman’s We support Jon Huntsman’s position.position.

Pre-Kindergarten assessment should Pre-Kindergarten assessment should determine who requires additional determine who requires additional instruction. instruction.

All children should be allowed the All children should be allowed the option. option.

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