The Kindergarten Child: What Teachers and Administrators Need to Know to Promote Academic Success in all Children

Abstract

This article describes kindergarten from the perspective of the whole child. Specifically, it reviews current research on best practices to improve children's math and language arts competencies, memory skills, and the role of kindergarten in beginning science. It also describes the social experiences children have in kindergarten with respect to their academic success. Similarly, it reviews the impact of emotional competence on school success. This article then reviews research describing three major influences on children's kindergarten adaptation and success (i.e., transition, parental involvement, retention). The article concludes with a discussion of full-day kindergarten programs and their potential for improving the chances of all kindergarten children, especially low-income and ethnic minority children, for success in school.

Effect of Self-Regulating Behaviour on Young Children’s Academic Success

“…Vygotsky (1978) concluded that children need early social interaction to internalize social rules, roles, and expectations. Children aged four to six enter school and begin to assimilate physical, cognitive, social, and emotional experiences within a structured learning environment (Ray & Smith, 2010). The importance of this transition is noted by Schulting, Malone & Dodge (2005) who insist, "Kindergarten marks a child's entry into formal schooling, and performance in kindergarten paves the way for future academic success or failure" (p. 860).…”

“…Importantly, according to Gmitrova and Gmitrova (2004) "it appears that it is the child-directed play, rather than the teacher directed play, that is associated with a balanced development of both cognitive and affective domains in kindergarten students (as cited in Ray & Smith, 2010).…”

“…An important skill for future school success that begins in kindergarten is literacy achievement (Ray & Smith, 2010). Venn & Jahn state, "self-regulation is the number one precursor to literacy acquisition" (as cited in Murphy, 2012, p. 24-25).…”

“…Findings indicate there are moderate to strong relations between emotional control and mathematics ability because the skills acquired through mathematics are more effortful, they rely on a higher demand of students ' emotional abilities (2007). In other words, students need to rely on memory, persistence and reasoning skills that utilize more behaviour self-regulation for the learning process (Ray & Smith, 2010).…”

Preparing Preschoolers for Elementary School: A Case Study on KinderCare

“…Fernie cautions that simply attending a half-day preschool program starting at age three, two thousand hours of school will be clocked before formal education in kindergarten begins. Ray and Smith (2010) agree that Frobel's kindergarten has been replaced. Instead of free exploration, imagination and curiosity, students face academic standards and assessments.…”