The ripple effect of full-day kindergarten
The doors of Tracy's kids' daycare may be closing — and many other parents in her region are in the same stressful situation. Are you?
Photo: BC Gov Photos via flickr
Last week, our favourite teacher retired from Anna and Avery’s preschool. She was the reason we chose this specific preschool, and the main reason we’ve stayed there for the past four years. And now she’s gone. I admit, I shed a tear or two as I hugged her for the very last time.
I wonder if more goodbyes are on the way. We still don’t know if the preschool will remain open past the end of this school year. This isn’t such a big problem for Anna, as I’d already planned to pull her out in June and put her in day camps for the summer (she’ll be six, and it’s already clear she’s outgrown this space). But for Avery, I have one more year of three half-days where I still need care (she’ll be entering half-day JK in the fall). Whether or not she’ll be staying put is up in the air. And I hate up in the air, especially when it’s about where my child will spend an important chunk of her time each week.
I’m not the only one feeling it. Councillers in our region were about to vote on, but have now tabled, a controversial motion to close 12 city-run child care centres, eliminating approximately 800 spaces. The reason? Full-day kindergarten is leaving centres with low enrollment. However, more and more centres seem to be pondering closing their doors before the program has been fully rolled out in 2014, leaving lots of parents scrambling to find child care for kids under age four, or for those who aren’t yet in kindergarten fulltime.
I’ve been a little indifferent to the onset of full-day kindergarten in Ontario because at our school, the program won’t start until Avery’s SK year and I’m fine having her in full days at that time (in the meantime, she is in preschool three days a week while I work). I know there’s been opposition to it, but practically everyone I know has his or her kids in full-time daycare and I know for these parents, full-day kindergarten will ease a huge financial burden while giving kids a rich academic and social environment. At least that’s what they promise us.
I imagine full-day kindergarten is very much like preschool, but I haven’t talked to anyone with children in the program to know if it’s living up to expectations. What about you? I’d love to hear some details of the day-to-day routine and overall impression if your child is in the program, or if you’re teaching it. Also, if you’re home with your kids (full- or part-time), do you think full-day kindergarten is too much, too soon?
Photo: BC Gov Photos via Flickr
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What do you think?
Mahdi (not verified) says ....
Thank you for your interest in the Nature Kindergarten pilot. We are hoipng to begin a pilot class in September 2012. A school has not been identified at this time. You are welcome to attend a meeting if you are interested in becoming directly involved in the planning stages of this project. If you prefer to receive updates about where we are at, then viewing this blog from time to time would be most helpful.
RECE (not verified) says ....
As a mom, I kept my son out of both Jk and SK. He is a January baby and therefore didn't attend any formal schooloing until he was 6.5 and going into Grade 1. He didn't have to do any catch-up and actually was tested and reading at an 8th Grade level (not necessarily comprehending everything that he read, but able to pronounce the words). As a Regeistered Early Childhood Educator (with too many years experience to mention...ahem), I have seen the benefits of full and part-time programs respectively. My personal feelings are that children are young for only so long and you spend many years of your life in school as it is. It was a challenge financially for us (my son is 17 now). I believe that all options should be considered and available to meet the diverse needs of every family and child. The fact that stress, anxiety, sleep apnea, etc..., are becoming a problem for children now as well as adults, should also be considered. Bottom line, you know your child and you should be given the option of deciding what you tink works best for you and them.
Anonymous says ....
I moved to Quebec from Alberta just as my middle child was to enter Kindergarten. I was originally worried about the full day Kindergarten here, but he seemed to adapt pretty well. For the first half of the year the kids had a quiet/nap time just after lunch, which seemed to ease the kids into the routine a bit better. My youngest starts next fall and I know he'll be just fine (he attends 3 mornings/week preschool at the moment).
Anonymous says ....
I live in Quebec - where full day kindergarten is the only option for kindergarten. Children who are of age 5 by October 1st start kindergarten. I am a stay-at-home mom, and my kids went to an artistic preschool, 4 mornings a week, at the age of 4. The transition to full day kindergarten was a bit challenging. My kids were raised to play a lot outside, and this is the time they missed the most. Being indoors and sitting at a table for almost 5 hours a day was very difficult, especially for my son. My daughter adapted much easier to this new routine. We still spend most of our free time afterschool outside, and this is where my kids tend to recharge their batteries and souls from the busy, noisy, information overloading days they get at school.
Anonymous says ....
Naps are a big no no in our all day every day kindergarten. It was far too much too soon for our son. We kept him out of JK, thinking we would just start him in JK a year later and make him the oldest in the class, rather than the youngest. Instead, he was forced in SK and then to learn two years of schooling in one. Now, he socially struggles and I kick myself for not sending him, although I will still admit he wasn't ready. Our daughter is in JK and loves it, although it kills us in the evenings. They have to be in bed by 7 to have any hope of making it through their school day, pretty much eliminating after school activities and family time
Tracy Chappell says ....
Sorry - one other point I wanted to respond to was in a comment that has disappeared, about napping. Anna was finished napping at age three, but Avery is still a hard-core napper. I wondered if this becomes a problem in the full-day JK classroom, or if they have some sort of "rest time" built into the day. The other comment mentioned that only one boy in the class napped and he was taken to the nurse's room to sleep, but I'm surprised more kids don't still nap - or perhaps they adjust to not napping (and I wonder how that impacts the evening!)
Tracy Chappell says ....
Thanks so much for all of your enthusiastic comments (and the few that have since disappeared - we are working on this glitch!). I was hoping to hear some positive reports and I'm happy that teachers and parents involved in the system seem thrilled with the full-day kindergarten program.
@Eleni P - the reason I asked the question about whether it's too much too soon is for parents like me, and like Ontariomum, who commented below. Kindergarten is optional, of course, but some parents want that happy medium of having their children in a program part-time. For example, I work three days a week, so my three-year-old is in care only on those days. I love having her home the other two days, and while her big sister is in half-day SK, I get a little alone time with my youngest, then the rest of the day with both of them. I like how this works for our family.
Our school isn't offering full-day until my youngest starts SK, so she will begin half-days there for JK in September, and spend the other half of three of those days at preschool. But when I pondered a full-day JK program for her, I admit I was hesitant to have her away from me five days a week before I was quite ready!
I think there will be great benefits to kids in the full-day program, but for some of us (depending on our child's birthday and personality and our own work situation) I can understand that's it's a little hard to let go.
Eleni P (not verified) says ....
My eldest son (now 8) has been attending Montessori since age 3.5 and started full day at 4.5 (equivalent to JK). I don't really see the difference between full day kindergarden and full day daycare which so many kids attend. For those that don't attend full day kindergarden, I see where the dynamics will shift as it is a change for both them and their parents however, to say that it is too much too soon doesn't make sense when so many kids are (and have been) in some sort of full day care and function just fine.
Change is hard and nobody likes it. Speaking from experience though, they adjust just fine. We don't give kids the credit they deserve. They are resiliant and we are not talking about putting them in full time JAIL! It's a fun learning environment.
Ontariomum (not verified) says ....
My oldest (5yrs) is in part time, every other day, SK and loving it! However, he had a hard time adjusting to the long days. I feel full time, everyday, would have been too much! My daughter (4yrs) will not be attending the full time JK program come September. I have decided to keep her home. It's a little upsetting because I think she's ready (January baby) for part time. That means that instead I will need to find her a pre-school spot. I feel it will help her to prepare for full time SK. My youngest is 2yrs and I'm curious to see how this plays out by the time she's school age. She is a May baby and less independent than her sister. My prediction is that she'll remain home from JK too. In my case, this will increase our costs. I keep hearing about how it'll save people money but I see it differently. My neighbour friends have already enrolled their young ones in preschool programs to prep their children for full time JK. Our children are little for such a short time. I'm not convinced sending them to preschool or full time kindergarten is the best route. I'm so fortunate to have the option of staying home with them! Ideally, I'd like to see part time (half days, everyday) for JK and than perhaps full time SK.