Retention in kindergarten involves holding students back from advancing to the next grade level due to unresolved learning gaps. This practice has been the subject of continuous research as educational experts seek to balance the potential developmental risks of prolonging kindergarten by providing students an additional year to fill their…

Over the past three decades, more than a quarter of a million children have become citizens of the United States through international adoption. Kindergarten teacher Jane Katch recently found herself with three such children in her class: Katya, born in Russia, Jasper, from Cambodia, and Caleb, from Romania. Each child had spent early years in an…

The aim of this research was to identify continuities/discontinuities in the values of Portuguese mothers with kindergarten children belonging to high and low socio-cultural backgrounds, mothers from different cultures and kindergarten teachers. The sample was composed of sixty-five mothers (fourteen Roma, fifteen Indian, twelve African, and ten…

This study investigated interactions between pedagogical documentation--a formative assessment technique and instructional intervention designed to increase student learning by recording children's experiences--and kindergarten children, families and teachers in the UAE. The study sample comprised six teachers in six kindergarten classrooms, 141…

Kindergarten has changed radically in the last two decades in ways that few Americans are aware of. Children now spend far more time being taught and tested on literacy and math skills than they do learning through play and exploration, exercising their bodies, and using their imaginations. The implications of these radical changes in early…

Kindergarten has changed significantly in the last two decades: children now spend more time being taught and tested on literacy and math skills than they do learning through play and exploration, exercising their bodies, and using their imaginations. Many kindergartens use highly prescriptive curricula geared to new state standards and linked to…

This booklet for parents explains the activities that take place in kindergarten and the characteristics of kindergarten staff. Also discussed is the manner in which the activities and staff help children develop. Activities considered center around dramatic play; children helping themselves and others; pets; cooking; snacks; exercise; reading and…

The aim of this research was to find out what kindergarten teachers, parents and kindergarten student teachers think about education and about themselves as educators. The basic question was: what kind of similarities and differences are there between these groups of educators? The sample consisted of 21 parents, 28 kindergarten teachers and 37…

Preschool and kindergarten teachers set the stage for a child to learn to read with some critical early skills. First, second, and third grade teachers then take up the task of building the skills that children will use every day for the rest of their lives. Parents can help by understanding what teachers are teaching and by asking questions about…

Designed to generate excitement about starting school and to answer the many questions preschool children have about kindergarten, this 18-minute videotape gives preschool children a positive, realistic vision of kindergarten. The videotape, in both English and Spanish versions, is designed to be viewed in preschools or day cares, by parents with…

Noting that kindergarten entry is a major milestone for all young children and their families and that this transition to school can set the tone for the child's future school experiences, this booklet was developed to promote communication and understanding among Vermont parents, caregivers, and schools to ensure that all children experience a…

Noting that a high-quality preschool program is one that promotes learning through rich play experiences, this book gives parents information needed to select the right preschool for their children. Chapter 1, "Thinking about Preschool," discusses questions parents ask, practical considerations, beginning the search, and the screening phone call.…

Noting that kindergarten is a time of dramatic change for parents as well as for the kindergarten child, this book presents information on a variety of topics related to kindergarten education. The book is based on interviews with kindergarten teachers, principals, parents, and several experts from higher education involved in kindergarten…