Kindergarten Then and Now: Perceptions of Ten Long Term Teachers

Abstract

This article compares developmental kindergartens of the past to current academic kindergartens through the voices of kindergarten teachers who taught in both types. Data were obtained from interviews of ten public school kindergarten teachers from California with experience in kindergarten ranging 18–34 years (M = 24). Teachers indicated that many of their students succeed in an academic program; however, students who are not competent in oral language when they enter kindergarten often struggle during kindergarten and beyond. Teachers described a rushed and stressful curriculum for both themselves and their students. Most participants believed that the English Language Arts Standards were too numerous to master, except by their most ready students. They believed that large classes, excessive testing, a short day, and lack of a partner teacher inhibit the achievement of unprepared students. It was generally agreed that the prior kindergarten structure, a transition from home to school, had advantages for the well-rounded development of young children.