The Shifting Kindergarten Curriculum (continued)

Contrasts in Kindergarten Practice

An "academic" kindergarten is usually characterized by the direct teaching of specific discrete skills, particularly in reading and math, which children are expected to master before going to first grade. The daily schedule is usually broken into many small segments, often because it is believed that children do not have a sufficient attention span to enable them to work longer at a task. The majority of the instructional materials used in these classes are the kindergarten level of major series in reading and math. Often teachers use additional workbooks for phonics.

If interest centers are used, they are designed primarily to teach specific skills. Time for active exploration in the arts, science, or social studies is limited. Other common characteristics of skill-based programs include: (1) limited availability of, or independent use of, concrete materials; (2) much pencil-and-paper-oriented independent work; (3) little opportunity for conversation among children and between children and adults.

Kindergarten programs derived from a child development orientation may exhibit some of the characteristics of skill-based kindergartens. They are, however, driven by an entirely different philosophical viewpoint. The child-centered kindergarten does not base activities on the learning of discrete skills, but rather follows the mission of moving each child as far forward in his or her development as possible. Goals emphasize maintenance and development of dispositions to go on learning (Katz and others, 1987).

The child-centered kindergarten offers experiences to children in a physical setting which has been carefully designed to increase the likelihood that these experiences will occur. Linguistic competence is a primary goal, and language experiences appropriate for each child's stage of literacy development underlie the entire curriculum. Conversations among children and between children and adults are viewed as important to the development of linguistic competence. Independence and responsibility are promoted by child-initiated activities and expanded blocks of time which allow children to finish projects. Materials are logically organized, usually into several interest areas containing many options from which children self-select activities. The complexity of the material ranges from easy to difficult, so that a wide range of abilities is accommodated.

Conclusion

For More Information

Egertson, H.A. "Recapturing Kindergarten for 5-Year Olds." EDUCATION WEEK. 6:34 (May, 1987): 28, 19.

Elkind, D. "Formal Education and Early Childhood Education: An Essential Difference." PHI DELTA KAPPAN. 67:9 (May, 1986): 631:636.

Katz, L., J.D. Raths, and R.T. Torres. A PLACE CALLED KINDERGARTEN. Urbana, IL: ERIC Clearinghouse on Elementary and Early Childhood Education, 1987.

Moyer, J., H. Egertson, and J. Eisenberg. "The Child-Centered Kindergarten." CHILDHOOD EDUCATION. 4:63 (April, 1987): 235-242.

National Association of Early Childhood Specialists in State Departments of Education. UNACCEPTABLE TRENDS IN KINDERGARTEN ENTRY AND PLACEMENT. 1987.

Smith, M.L., and L. A. Shepard. "What Doesn't Work: Explaining Policies of Retention in the Early Grades." PHI DELTA KAPPAN. 69 (1987): 129-134.

Spodek, B. "Using the Knowledge Base." In TODAY'S KINDERGARTEN: EXPLORING THE KNOWLEDGE BASE, EXPANDING THE CURRICULUM. Edited by B. Spodek, New York: Teachers College Press, 1986.