Hoosiers, how do you feel about all-day kindergarten?

Question

Mitch Daniels wants to make kindergarten all-day, what are your thoughts?

Answer 1

Full day Kindergarten is a great idea.  In today's society, children start preschool experiences as young as 3.  It is more about the socialization than academics.  Children learn how to get along with others and recognize differences and acceptance of others at this age.  Children are also exposed to a lot of different things which enrich their lives.  This enrichment allows them to have a better background knowledge of the world around them.  Most children are ready for full time kindergarten.  The few exceptions to that rule can be placed on a modified program.

Answer 2

I like the idea about all day kindergarden especially with both parents that work all day, However I feel they should not charge you for this service.

Answer 3

Half day kindergarten is a huge burden on parents.  Can't get much done in between dropping them off, and picking them up.

Its nearly impossible to get any errands run in that short amount of time.

I don't think it makes much difference in the kids learning, but it's a huge boon to the parents to have the kids gone for the full day.

I like it.

Answer 4

Kids are pushed into academia at a too young of age. Society today demands skills. Yet, other countries don't start to teach reading till 1st grade, and by junior high their test scores are higher. Why? Kids are just not ready to complete the thought processes for academics till around 6 years old. (Piaget and his theory on cognitive development). Yeah, some kids are. Some are not. Our district offers full-day kindergarten for those that are behind. Other kids go half-day, and for parents that need full day they pay for the second half of the day. As for all-day free Kindergarten, it is just a way to get free child care for many parents.

Answer 5

I feel that All-day kindergarten should have begun many years ago. With Pre-schools being the number 1 place for children of working mothers, then all-day kindergarten should be structured and a part of their eduction

Answer 6

I agree with the twent!

Answer 7

I think all day kindergrarten is a great idea. Half day kindergartens cause many problems for parents, especially families where both parents work. Areas where they have half day kindergartens often have kindertime where children go after kindergarten. Parents have to pay for this and often because there are so many children they have to have a raffle. Often children do not get in and their parents are stuck. Almost all children in the U.S go to preschool nowadays so many kids have either had a half day for 2 years, or have had a full day already for 2 years. I have a small cousin and he is entering a half day kindergarten next year. This year he goes to an all day preschool. His parents are afraid that next year he will be bored being home all the time.

Answer 8

I think it is a great idea..We just went to all day kindergarten here about two years ago..The kids here already have been to pre-school (half-day) for at least two years..They are ready for all-day kindergarten and it solves a TON of parental transportation issues too..So I am all for it!!..Children seem to be learning much fast now days and they need the extra time for studies..

Answer 9

I think its a great idea ,where I live in ohio it is all day at all schools and my daughter loves it.

Answer 10

I am from Ohio and we have all day kindergarten in our school district.   It has been in place for several years.  All my kids are grown.  Two of them attended the traditional half day program and the two younger ones attended the all day program when it was introduced.

I know that the two younger ones were reading much sooner than the older ones.  I asked the kindergarten teacher how she liked it -- I figured she would know if it was better.  She said that it enabled her to teach something in the morning and reinforce it in the afternoon. That helped the kids to retain the information more easily.

One of my grandsons also attended the all day kindergarten and loved it.  They do give the kids time for a nap or "rest time" after lunch for the first half of the year and then phase it out as the year progresses.

With "No Child Left Behind," our kids are being asked to learn a lot of things --having a full day to learn it would be helpful.  There may be some kids who are not ready for all day sessions --I don't know how that is handled.

Answer 11

kind of sounds like something micheal jackson would open too  (also)

Answer 12

What lazy parents!  Sending your kid (especially a 5 or 6 year old) away all day to people they aren't related to makes the kind of people who, later in life, complain that their parents sent them away as a child and were too busy for them.  If I was a parent then I would want to know what was going on in my kid's life.  Not just "Have a good day at school" in the morning and "eat your dinner then get ready for bed" at night.  So actually TAKING CARE OF YOUR KIDS takes time, but your parents probably spent a h**l of a lot more time making sure you grew up properly.

Answer 13

I dont think its a good idea. Thats just too young for children to have to stay. Leave it like it is I think would be best

Answer 14

A lot of all day Kindergartens are every other day instead of every day. For myself, I prefer the routine of every day rather than on again off again. I would be for all day Kindergarten (for myself) if it were 4 or 5 days in a row, but I think what's most important is what works for you and your child. Check out what's available in your area and find out all of the details before making your decision.