New kindergarten students only getting 'readiness program', says provincial government
TERESA WRIGHT The Guardian
Dylan Bingley, left, Tyler Perry and Ethan Gallant listen intently as their teacher Bev McMurray reads them a story on Monday. The kindergarten class at the Waterview Early Learning Centre participates in reading exercises every day. Guardian photo
Monday was the first day of kindergarten for a number of five-year-olds across the province.
But these latecomers to kindergarten won’t be getting the same program as their new classmates who’ve been enrolled since September.
After the province’s surprise announcement last week that the age of entry requirement for children going into Grade 1 had been pushed back from Aug. 31 to Oct. 31, parents and educators voiced concern.
The new policy means that approximately 250 additional children will be eligible to attend kindergarten and school in 2008.
It also means that those children who want to start elementary school in the fall are eligible to attend the next three months of kindergarten alongside those children who have been in kindergarten programs since September.
This left kindergarten teachers confused about how they would catch those students up to the months of learning they’ve already given the existing kindergarten children.
During a meeting on Monday, the Education Department told early learning educators and operators they don’t have to try to catch them up. They are being asked to offer these children a ‘readiness program’ instead.
This will climatize those children who have not previously been in a child-care environment to taking direction from teachers and will offer some fine motor skills preparation.
But Linda Lowther, senior director of public education, warned this is not the recommended route for children.
“It’s barely going to get them ready,’’ she said.
This really hit home for her when she visited a few kindergartens during a school tour last week, she said.
“The children are reading and doing math at the end of kindergarten. And children who have never been in kindergarten before are not going to be able to do that in three months.’’
So while this is now an option for some parents, it is not advisable, Lowther said.
“Understand the difference between just being ‘readied’ and being highly skilled after a year of kindergarten,’’ she said to parents. “It’s a different kettle of fish.’’
That’s exactly why Lynn Hogan, who owns Camps Kids early learning centre, said she will not be offering this readiness program.
“It’s all kindergarten or nothing, because we can’t have our classrooms divided into 24 kids and then four kids, with two different programs going on,” Hogan said. “We can’t prepare these children for what lays ahead of them. And I’m not willing to jeopardize that because the government all of a sudden wanted to change their mind.’’
But not all educators feel this way.
The Child Care Centre at Holland College started five new students in kindergarten Monday morning.
Kim Watts, the director of programming for the centre, said the children, the teachers and the parents are all being impacted by this cabinet decision.
“It’s going to mean that (the existing kindergarten students’) day is going to be moving at a little bit of a slower pace,’’ Watts said.
She explained all the implications to the parents of those five children in her centre who have decided to place their child with the kindergarten students this year.
There were many issues at play when these parents were making this decision, Watts said.
“For some it meant that their child would be able to move on with the children that they play with, so instead of being held back a year they’re able to go to school in the fall.’’
And for others it was financial.
“It’s a $6,000 savings to parents if their child attends the public school system instead of going to kindergarten,’’ Watts said.
“It’s a fact of life that if I can save $6,000 by having my child go to school, that’s something that’s going to benefit my family — I’m not going to have to struggle as much.’’
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Rob Paterson from Stratford, PEI writes: I am still bemused. How does a professional policy making body make a decision like this?
No warning to all concerned? No briefing on helping people and staff make a good decision?
A press release on Thursday and a weekend to get ready???
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Angry Parent from Charlottetown, PEI writes: “It’s a fact of life that if I can save $6,000 by having my child go to school, that’s something that’s going to benefit my family — I’m not going to have to struggle as much.’’
ARE YOU SERIOUS?????????
Parents are actually willing to sacrifice their child's future in education, learning, skills over $6,000!!!!!!!!??????? I think some parents needs to go back to school themselves!!! Could parents be any more immature. BRAVO! BRAVO! To those Kindergarten centers who are not implementing this readiness program . And to those centers that are implementing this....... YOU DO NOT HAVE THE CHILD'S INTEREST IN MIND OR AT HEART!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! All Centers should have come/should come together (not really much time was there!!) to boycott this program. That will show the Government we will not tolerate decisions for our children without consulting parents or teachers.
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Jim from PE writes: I just hope that the ghiz govt tracks the success of these children and is there to provide the families with extra funding/training thoughout their school years. I just hope the disadvantage gap doesn't get too large for this kids to handle.
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noreen mukhtar from PEI writes: I don,t know why everybody is complaing about this change of deadline. I think every child is different and have different levels of maturation. As far as parents are concerned they know how ready is their kid and if they think that their kid is not ready, nobody is forcing them to send their kid to Grade 1 or kindergarten. It is just like Enrichment Program which is being offered in many Island schools. I agree with the fact that there will be an extra task for the teachers. But I do,t think that streamlining the date of entrance with the rest of the country is a bad idea. It was due for a long time.
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Really from PEI writes: I don't think yelling at a parent just being honest is helpful.... $6,000 dollars is alot when you make $15,000 a year. If you want to yell ..... yell at your government........kindergarten is free and included in the school system everywhere else. Wait until you find out that the school system will change the course of your childs education several times during there school years.... eg. Pilot projects that you may or may not agree with and trust me you don't have any say there either. Lots of children do not attend Kindergarten at all....one of my children attended JK and kindergarten and the others did not.... one because its repetitive....but telling people that they don't care about there children because they are struggling finacially is a little harsh.... the government will make decisions about our children without consulting parents or teachers......what needs to be done is for the parents ie voters need to let the government know that we are their employers..... and maybe if everyone stood up and complained to the right people something would be done... parents should not have to foot the bill for kindergarten.......if kindergarten is so important than it should be up to the government to put into the school system. And I don't think parents are sacrificing there childs entire educational future if they do not have the child attend kindergarten.......my children could read and write before kindergarten and they were bored when they got to school.........so give the parents a break........maybe everyone can not afford it.
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Thankful Mom from PE writes: I don't think people are arguing that the date should have been changed to be more inline with other Provinces (Dec. 31st would have been a better date then Oct. 31st), but the issue is when and how the date was implemented! To change it in the middle of the school year is ridiculous!
The date should have been changed, but it should have been done at a more appropriate time and over a period of time so that it wasn't a shock to the parents and children.
I feel horrible for the kids who don't have a say and are being thrusted into Kindergarten this week. They must feel so out of place and behind!
I'm of the mind that well, they didn't have kindergarten years ago and kids did fine , but kids back in the day (such as my parents) were prepared at home first. Kids now a days rarely are. Parents are too busy. So the kids today are at a disadvantage. Yes, Kindergarten my not be necessary as some might argue, but that's only true if kids are taught at home and prepared before starting 1st grade. Not these poor kids that are being thrown in with no notice and no preparation.
I just hope parents step up and prepare their kids and don't just leave them to the Kindergartens to deal with!
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Tami from PE writes: Just because you are able to enter Grade one this year doesn't mean you are required. I'm sure some children might be ready to start early with this readiness program and other clearly not. But it is ultimately a parents decision who know their child best.
I was what was once called the December baby who started school early....If I could do it all again I would have started a year later, which I think would have made some difference in my school experience. I had Kindergarten prepartaion but from my experience I believe it is better to be older and more prepared than too young and not prepared. But I've had that conversation with my parents (not the gov't) who at the time registered their child in kindegarten and then school because they could. I hope parents think hard about where their child is and if they are ready, don't make it about money or friends. The money you'll find somewhere and the friends will change over time anyway but the experience of school will stay with them forever. And if they are not ready they will be playing catch up for a long time. Make the decision thats right for your child not because someone changed the entrance age.
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concerned from PEI writes: Come on folks. If you are paying $6.000
a year for your child to attend a Kindergarten Program, you need to do some checking as to what you are paying for. The present system, as it is, is completely covered by government funding, except for that part of the day when your child is in daycare and not kindergarten. If you are paying for kindergarten, you are being charged double. You should be paying for daycare services less what is covered by government. Check it out!
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Disappointed in Decision from PEI writes: To: Thankful Mom:
While I agree with most of what you stated, I must disagree with you that I am busier than my mom was, or that I was better prepared for grade 1 than my 6 year old daughter was this year. Yes, am a professional with a full time job, and she was not. I have a smaller family and many more modern conveniences (and a husband that shares the household work) that she did not have. She was BUSY. I did not go to kindergarten as it was not available in our area at the time. She did not teach me to read / do math before grade 1. I learned what I learned from Sesame Street--and then learned to read / print / math in grade 1. I don't think that kids these days are at a disadvantage because of busy parents. The expectations of the grade 1 curriculum are MUCH higher than they were 30 years ago. I can't believe what they are teaching in grade 1!! While kids are not required to attend kindergarten here, they may be at a disadvantage if they don't know the basics of reading, printing, math etc.
The parties need to work together. I think it is irresponsible of the government to have made this change without consulting with the affected groups. Ultimately, it is the parents decision of how to handle this in the best interest of their child and their readiness level.
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Brandon from PE writes: I do not understand the Department of Education. First, they decide to change the grade one cutoff from Aug. 31 to Oct.31 without talking to anyone involved in the process. I can understand changing the kindergarten cutoff but changing the grade one cutoff when the school year is almost over is ridiculous. After making the mistake, they are telling parents to start their children in kindergarten as they normally would have for the upcoming school year. If this is their recommendation, why did they change the grade one cutoff. Most children born in Sept. or Oct. would not have gone to kindergarten because they were told the cutoff was Aug. 31. I think they should be offering free kindergarten throughout the summer to make up for their stupid mistake. Also, I hope if they are thinking to moving the cutoff age to Dec.31 that they decide soon so that parents can make the proper decisions on their children's early education.
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Concerned from P.E.I. writes: I must say I am concerned with the track the Department of Education has taken with this one. I spoke with Linda Lowther last Thursday on this and at that time She never mentioned Stay the Course . She led me to believe that the department was offering a wonderful opportunity to these children through early enrollment and that the kindergarten operators would be running summer programs to help get children ready for Grade 1. I would like to know the truth on this one. Did the government really make this change without consultation and if so Heads should roll. The department should realize these changes can impact innocent children who do not have a defense mechanism.
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Islander from PEI writes: While I am sure there are children who will be ready for grade 1 with a readiness program modified for a shorter time period, I am sure there will also be children who are NOT ready and will be sitting in a grade 1 classroom come September, 2008, neither academically or emotionall prepared.
I believe a few months of additional teaching and preparation can mean a huge difference and have long term consequences in whether a child has academic success all through his/her elementary years - maybe even beyond.
I really hope we are not setting up our youngest in the school system to fail before they start.
The timing on this issue seems to be causing problems and rightly so. As someone stated eariler it will be interesting to see if these kids are tracked and how well they do.
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April Ennis from Summerville, PE writes: Kindergarten is not free for all Island children. I have my son enrolled in a new centre for this fall and I have to pay for his kindergarten because the government has frozen funding for new kindergarten spaces on PEI. The choice of where to send my child is mine, but I shouldn't be penalized because I wish for him to attend kindergarten with his peers who he has already made relationships with.
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Melody Garnhum from London, Ontario writes: I can't believe that 5 years after the implementation of the free kindergarten program in PEI, they still have it set in the day cares. the concern over how ready kids will be that start this late in the school year shouldn't be the real concern.
After moving from PEI to Ontario 2 years ago, I learned a hard lesson, that is that the kindergarten program that my beloved PEI offers is not really a kindergarten program at all, it's play school. The things my younger children were faced with being expected to know already, were well beyond anything they had been taught in Kindergarten back there.
I think the real concern should be that kindergarten should be overseen by real teachers with a real curriculum that is fouond in other provinces.
I mean no malice to any of the wonderful ECE's that I know back in PEI or that taught my two oldest children, but really, we need to be concerned with catching up, not with how much money parents are saving or the fact that x number of children will be starting elementary school in the fall that wouldn't have been if the cut off date hadn't been pushed back.
Again, I mean no malice, just trying to wake people up.
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