Confused about kindergarten, full or half days?

Question

my son is going to kindergarten this fall. public school is only 2 hours and 45 minutes monday - friday in the afternoons.

he has twin cousins that are a little younger than him and their parents are sending them to a private all day kindergarten because they say that half days are not enough and they want their kids to be the smartest. and that is why they are paying for the private kindergarten.

they make me feel like i am cheating my son because he will only be going to half days. he did do 1 year of preschool (his twin cousins did 3 half days at the same preschool and are now in daycare for the summer)but that was only 2 half days per week because we couldnt afford anymore than that. putting him in private all day kindergarten will be a huge financial burden but if i have to i will work more to pay for it.

is full day kindergarten that much better than half days?

will there be non stop learning on full days or are there naps?

what makes full days so much better than half days?

please note i have been a stay at home mom for 5.5 years now and i also have a 2 year old. so for us to pay for kindergarten that would mean me getting a night job.

Answer 1

Relax! Your child will not suffer because he's missing the other half of the day. Yes, the teacher will be able to cover more material but think at some point they have lunch, outside time and their "special" for the day. You are perfectly capable of feeding your child and taking him outside. What he might be missing most is the social interaction. He has how many years after kindergarten? Sending your child full day to private school will not make him smarter--intelligence is more of a natural ability. Your family is just exposing their children to more social interaction at this point. If your child has been at home for 5 years it's probably a good thing he's easing his way in to the educational process. Good Luck! Have fun!  

Answer 2

Honestly just because a child goes to school all day does not mean that this is the best thing for the child.   It also does not mean that they will be "smarter".  I think that people are stressing out their children by pushing them too much.  Research shows that half day kindergarten programs are the best for the child.  Children cannot stay focused all day, and will not be getting much out of their education when they are tired.  Children need hands-on meaningful experiences to learn.  So as long as the program your son is enrolled in offers those types of learning experiences, it will be just as good as any all day program.  I think that you are doing your child a favor by allowing him to do half days and still be a kid.  A 5-year-old does not need to go to school all day, and still needs time to play. At this age, play is still considered a child's "work".  They need socialization with other children as much as if not more than the academics at this age, and hopefully he will get that from his kindergarten program.

Answer 3

I have taught both full day (private school) and half day(public school)  The children who did the full day were much more advanced then the half day.  In full day the students do have like an hour nap and also lunch.  They also have recess.  The students in full day due not have the play time, lunch time, or rest time.  If you decided to send your child to school at the full day place you should check to see if they are hiring and teacher assistance or office workers.  Often school employees get a major break on tution.  I know at the school I used ot work for they offered daycare for younger children too.  You would not really be making a profit working because basically your check would be used to pay tution but at least then you could afford it.  Also check to see if the school offers discounts to parents that volontere.  THe school I worked for did.  You signed up and did whatever needed to be done around the school.  Usually not only did you recieve compensation by discounted tuition but they gave free child care while you were doing the volunteer work.  Just do whatever you feel is best for your child.  If financially you cant make full day happen for your child then just try to work with him some at home.  Education usully levals out around fourth grade.

Answer 4

I don't think you should worry about what his cousins do.  If you are afraid that he will be behind you could always work with him yourself in the mornings.  Talk to his teacher and ask her for ideas.  Set aside an hour or so in the mornings that you work on learning the names of letters, the sounds they make, identifying numbers, and practice writing them.  Try to do the same letter and numbers that they are working on is school so that you don't' confuse him.  Most important is to have fun and enjoy!!  Next year he will be gone all day and before you know it he will be graduating from high school.  

Enjoy your time with him!!

Answer 5

I have taught both half day and full day kindergarten-- You sons twin cousins will be further advanced then your son due to being at school for an increased amount of time.  

Full day kindergarten is much better.

There are no naps in full day kindergarten in my district.

Full day kindergarten allows for more learning to be done.  

More reading and math skills can be taught... When kids are in school for 2 hrs and 45 mins there is little that can be taught because 5 year olds have such a short attention spans and teachers break up teaching by doing centers and reading stories.  With more time in the day more can be taught- teachers have more time to asses children in multiple ways...  

Answer 6

I have worked in full time(private school) and half time (public schools) kindergartens as an IA. It all equals out to the same thing in the end. The kids in the full time kindergarten were a tad  better readers (fluid) that was the only difference. Everything else was pretty much the same. The private kindergarten had more homework.  If you are worried you can work w/ him when he gets home.  

Answer 7

The worst thing that has happened to public education is full day kindergarten. It's turn kindergarten into boot camp in most places. be thankful that your son will have the opportunity to be a child for half a day. Many kids this age still need a nap, and most full day programs have no rest time beyond putting your head on your desk for a few minutes. Remember that the curriculum in the school is designed for kids who have had half day. he will be fine.

Answer 8

I hope this information helps but it is only my opinion.  I have a 3 1/2 year old and a 2 year old who have both been to a private nursery part time to build their confidence, for social interaction and to experience and learn new things.  I agree that private nursery offers certain things to a child that a parent can not offer (due to time constraints, facilities etc) but then I also believe that it goes the other way.  I have worked in the private nursery I sent my children to and it was an excellent nursery.  However, the only outdoor experience they could offer was the playground and they are in the same 'class room' every day doing mainly the same activities.  So what better than to give them the experience of an afternoon classroom environment whilst also offering them the opportunity to get out and about with you.  My child is getting everything she needs from the 1/2 day school sessions and additional exciting, different experiences from me.  Don't beat yourself up because whatever you do you will always feel that you could be doing more and if you care that much to feel that way then you're obviously the type of parent who makes the effort to offer different experiences to your child.  Stick with what you originally decided on and don't be influenced by other parents.  One thing I've learnt it that it's a very competitive club and one I chose not to join :)

Answer 9

I think half days will be fine.  My school did half day kindergarten (of which I missed the first 2 months), and now I'm a junior attending a small liberal arts college with both a double major and a double minor.  So I really think it doesn't matter.  If it turns out he needs a little extra help, I'm sure either the teacher or an older student will be willing to work with him, like tutoring and such, for free.