Full Day Kindergarten

Full Day Kindergarten; The First Step in a Long, Successful Way of Life. Vera Kuznetsova Public Speaking CALC On September 2010 more than 600 schools across Ontario opened their doors for a new program full-day kindergarten. This project is supposed to help parents to build a better future for their children. Almost every parent has a daydream in which she or he wants to see his or her child’s success. The project of full-day kindergarten can drive this dream to a reality.

This program has been approved in the USA and given a significant result; this program became very popular, according to Viadero` and Debra (2005), because it is affordable for families with low income. Today parents in Ontario are given a hope to see children more confident and succeed in their life. On the other hand, this low has the negative aspects; due this program a lot of teachers and day care’s staff have lost their jobs and the schools funds have been reduced. The provincial government invested for this program about $13, 500000 taxpayer’s dollars.

The impact of full-day kindergarten project gives the new possibilities for children to increase level of knowledge, social participation and quality of life, but it takes away the school’s financial support to build up the successful educational process as a whole. And I have a question: “Is this investment worth in today’s economical situation or not? ” Majority of children, who attend a full-day kindergarten, indicate a huge progress by showing great grades especially in the reading and mathematics skills. The researchers found that “children in such settings enjoy an academic edge over those in half-day programs” (Viadero & Debra, 2005).

They can easily reach the high level by using extra time. ”Many educators and parents of young children believe: Children learn more in full-day kindergarten programs than they do in half-day program. ”(Viadero & Debra, 2005). These children stay longer in school compared to the children, who attend half-day kindergarten, so they have extra time to practice and polish learning materials. Second, starting to study from young age has a great advantage, because at this age children have a tremendous ability to observe and absorb new information. “A seamless day of uninterrupted school gives children the time to explore, discover how hings work for themselves and engage with other children. ” (Song, 2010, p. U1). Combining ability observing and absorbing new information with having extra time, when the children can polish learning material they usually get good marks for their assessments and tests. Those children, according to Viodera and Debra (2005) “on average, the learning gains that pupils make in full-day programs translate to about a month of additional schooling over the course of a school year”. Having enough time is increasing chances to get better marks and keep up with studying and improving their goals.

The children, who are enrolled in full day kindergarten, have very good social skills. First of all, they have to be in the big group of children from very young age. Children have to learn how make friends, build relationships, and keep them. Those children also learn how to solve big and small issues and problems; they learn how to make concessions and compromises. “Children love to learn and thrive in an atmosphere where the only concern of the adult in their day is that they are successful and feel good about themselves”. (McClean,2010).

They have an opportunity learning from adult; parents and educators can collaborate and teach the children how to communicate with each other and how to manage and come up with the same decision, which was chosen by a group of children. Having some knowledge about how to communicate, solve the problems is one of the characteristic of leader. Those children can build their leadership skills, because they spend a lot of time together; so they are becoming well-know very quickly. Song(2010) in his publication said that children at the age 4 or 5 are already prepared to enjoy the company with partners and mates.

When children feel more confident and successful they are more active in social life of community. Participation in social life can be a step on the long way to success. Full-day kindergarten gives for children an opportunity to build a new life style, because parents can earn and save a lot of money. ” Proponents say the day-long school program will let more parents upgrade job skills or work outside the home, while saving others the hassle of living work in the middle of the day to shuttle kids from school to childcare”( Pearson,2010).

Parents will be able to have a better well-paid job, so they will make more money. They also will save a lot of money because they do not have to pay for childcare or babysitter. They can channel this money to different needs such as school supply material or enroll kids to different after school program and activities. Cost of post-secondary education grows up every year; putting extra-money in an educational fund will be paid a price in the near future. Children will have a chance to get diploma without debt or the debt will be paid off very quickly.

Parents can make living their children more comfortable and relax. They can use savings on vacation and different activities. Having enough money avoids many problems; so fewer problems equal less stress. Money can change children’s life style. Supporters of half-day kindergarten asset that starting school life in very young age could be profitless, because when children stay longer day in school they can get bored and they cannot get their education without debt and they also could be egoistic. However, it is not true. According to Song (2010), children are able to study from young age.

Using different methods helps make learning more effective and interesting. Learning cannot be boring; how can some new thing be boring. Staying longer in big group of children provokes to communicate; ability to communicate built outgoing person. Even though cost of post-secondary education is not small amount of money it can less for children, who can have a scholarship because they will have great grades and they can also use money from different educational funds where parents had put money when children were little. All those factors give only positive points of view let’s take a look for the negative spots as well.

There are not secrets that so many employees lost their jobs; how we can be positive about the future those teachers, what they have to do and how they have to live and support their families when there is a shortage of job positions availability. How they have to survive in this economical state. There is not doubt that putting the enormous amount of money for the program which might or might not be successful for Ontario was very risky and unsafe. It might be more appropriate in the different time when government has enough assets to start this program; not today.

There another fact such as long-term supports schools; due this law schools funds have been cut down. Schools do not provide any more school supplies such as graph paper and any other material that are needed during the educational process. There are not available after school activities any more; no more sport activities. As well full day kindergarten require more physical space; the little children have to have the space; space to play, space to sleep, so in many cases schools have to build the additional portables; and his is additional capital that will be pulled out from ours pockets. Building a new life style, communicational skills, and successful academicals grades could be one of the results of full-day kindergarten and financial deficit might be another a new educational program in Ontario. This project could be feasible; so future of our children could be better and without worry. ” Children who attend full-day kindergarten tend to be less advantaged, socially, economically and academically, than their peers in half-day programs” (Viadero & Debra, 2005, p. 1-16. ).

Even though this project took start very quickly with poor support; it will be huge revolution in Ontario’s educational system in the next 4 or 5 years from today, according to Rushowy (2010). Sam Hammond says: “This is huge thing for Ontario. We are pleased that the government put this forward even a time of economical concern” (as cited Rushowy, 2010). This provincial regulation puts a lot of faith in children, their innate interest in learning and in their intelligence. Having a proper and solid fundament is the first step on the long, successful way of life.

All those factors give only positive points let’s take a look for the negative spots as well. There are not secrets that so many employees lost their jobs; how we can be positive about the future those teachers, what they have to do and how they have to live and support their families when there is a shortage of job positions availability. How they have to survive in this economical state. There is not doubt that putting the enormous amount of money for the program which might not be successful for Ontario it is very risky REFERENCES Song, V. , (2010). Toronto Star, Ont. : Sep 2, 2010. (pU. 1).

Experts Say JK Kids Will Thrive: Retrieved September 20, 2010, from http://proquest. umi. com/pqdweb? did=212764451&Fmt=3&clientId=20373&RQT=30 Rushnowy, K. , (2010). Toronto Star, Ont. : Sep 7, 2010. ( p. GT. 1). Rest Time Will Be on Need-To-Nap Basis: As New Program Rolls out in 600 Schools…. Retrieved September 20, 2010, from http://proquest. umi. com/pqdweb? did=2131752211&Fmt=3&clientId=20373&RQT=309 Pearson, M. , (2010). The Ottawa Citizen. Ottawa, Ont. : Sep. 7, 2010. (p. A. 1). Big Day for Our Littlest Students; Retrieved September 20, 2010, from http://proquest. umi. om/pqdweb? did=2134488341&Fmt=3&clientId=20373&RQT=309 Viadero. , Debra. , (2005) Education Week; 10/19/2005, Vol. 25 Issue 8, p1-16, 2p. Full-Day Kindergarten Produces More Learning Gains, Study Says…. Retrieved September 08, 2010, from http://search. ebcohost. com/login. aspx? direct=true&db=aph&AN=18703444&site=ehost-live&scope=site McClean, S. , (2010) The Globe and Mail. Toronto, Ont. : Sep 10, 2010. P. A. 12. What Kindergarten Gives Kids. Retrieved September 20, 2010, from http://proquest. umi. com/pqdweb? did=2134583131&Fmt=3&clientId=20373&RQT=30