Exploring Current Issues: Full-Day v.s. Half-Day Kindergarten Program

The current issue that I’ve chosen to explore is the comparison between Full-day and Half-day Kindergarten Programs. This is a big topic that’s going around in Ontario, and as teachers, it is important to understand the reasons behind this paradigm shift, so that we can better prepare ourselves to deliver a program that is beneficial to our students. I’ve worked in a preschool for a year, where most students are full-time while some are part-time. I notice that students who come on half days or every other day are less engaged in learning and playing with other children compared to full day students. I also notice that students who stay for the whole day have a greater tendency to whine for staying longer, while part-time children tend to run and greet their parents immediately during pick-up time. I think that extending Kindergarten to full-day is a shift that will affect children’s academic and social development, as well as their emotional attachment to their parents.

From my research, almost all reports have shown results that prove that full-day kindergarten programs are either equivalent to, or more beneficial than half-day programs. One of the major findings is that literacy achievement has improved when students who were enrolled in a full-day kindergarten program were tested in higher grades. This is proved to be the same in the mathematics test scores. In the full-day program, children acquire skills to become emergent readers, which is especially true for students from lower socioeconomic status. They also acquire stronger learning skills. These children gain more school readiness as they are engaged in a whole day of activities in the classroom. Explanations to the benefits are that teachers have more opportunities to work individually with students and incorporate play and social activities into the curriculum, and having a greater sense of continuity as the students are involved in these activities.

Socially, students enrolled in the full-day kindergarten program tend to have a smoother transition into the elementary school community. They tend to be more engaged with other children, show better social skills, as well as better self-concept.

One argument to the full-day kindergarten program is that young learners would be overtired after a day of school, but research showed that it's not proven to be a concern. Another countering point is that although children in full-day programs show better results in literacy and mathematics, these advantages do not last after the students passed Grade 3. The academic differences between full-day and half-day students diminish, as they are developmentally ready for their next stage.

After reading the research papers concerning the issue, I agree that Kindergarten should be viewed as part of the continuum of the Elementary system. There should be continuity from the way these early learners make their transition into Grade 1, 2, and so on. Teachers from the primary and junior divisions should be aware of how the Kindergarteners are taught and the strategies that are employed, and what works well for the early learners' classroom. Afterall, school shouldn’t only be fun for the little ones! In order for the benefits of Full-Day Kindergarten to last, it depends on teachers of all grades to commit to meaningful, interactive teaching that facilitates our students’ learning.