Can someone explain Denver school enrollment and Kindergarten?

[Idlewile]

Originally Posted by maciesmom

Huh? How do you figure if Kindergarten is 1/2 day it must be "just a daycare"? Traditionally, Kindergarten has been 1/2 day. In some cases full day is offered if the school has the demand and the resources to offer it. Typically it is offered as space is available (and often there is also a cost).

Great point. 30 years ago, when I attended public Kindergarten in L.A., it was half-day. 30 years later in SoCal and the Bay Area, where I'm from originally, it's still half-day.

There are plenty of Montessori options here offering full-day. Separately, I would argue full-day options, public or private, are MORE of a day care option than half-day as the majority of kiddos attending full-day have two, full-time working parents who require FT care coverage.

[gjeppesen]

I'm not "figuring" anything. I just asked the question. Someone posted something recently say that kindergarten in CO was just "glorified daycare". I'm assuming it's not, but I did have to ask the question....

[bogotrep]

Full day is not daycare; heck neither is half day. If you have a full day option most studies would guide you to take advantage of it.

Here are some highlights from an interesting study.

Full-day and Half-day Kindergarten in the United States - Findings from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of 1998-99 - Selected Highlights

From the above link some reasoning behind why people from the west coast and northeast may not be accustomed to full day kindergarten.

A larger percent of public schools in the South offered full-day kindergarten (84 percent) compared to public schools in other regions of the country (57 percent in the Midwest, 38 percent in the West, and 37 percent in the Northeast).

[Dorthy]

My district only offers full day. I wish they had a half day option.

[Moonwalkr]

Originally Posted by gjeppesen

I'm not "figuring" anything. I just asked the question. Someone posted something recently say that kindergarten in CO was just "glorified daycare". I'm assuming it's not, but I did have to ask the question....

What's the difference between "glorified daycare" and kindergarten? I would hazard to guess that for some kids the entire elementary school system is a daycare, as they may not need to learn anything academically or socially from it and they are just biding until middle school. And then there are two year olds in Montessoris who are learning two languages, art, music, and various physical education in a full day curriculum seemingly more demanding than elementary school (which ends early afternoon).

Again, it's probably based on what each kid is exposed to. In kindergarten, some kids will have been to preschool. Others have stayed at home. Some will have been to 'daycare' - basically babysitters. Each group probably will distinctly deem kindergarten to be tough or easy. For kids who's never been to daycare, I'm sure they may feel relieved to acclimate to elementary school via this glorified daycare. I see it every year at the beginning of the school year, there are bound to be a number of clingy teary kindergartners leaving their parents for the first time.

[Katarina Witt]

Originally Posted by Moonwalkr

What's the difference between "glorified daycare" and kindergarten? I would hazard to guess that for some kids the entire elementary school system is a daycare, as they may not need to learn anything academically or socially from it and they are just biding until middle school. And then there are two year olds in Montessoris who are learning two languages, art, music, and various physical education in a full day curriculum seemingly more demanding than elementary school (which ends early afternoon).

Again, it's probably based on what each kid is exposed to. In kindergarten, some kids will have been to preschool. Others have stayed at home. Some will have been to 'daycare' - basically babysitters. Each group probably will distinctly deem kindergarten to be tough or easy. For kids who's never been to daycare, I'm sure they may feel relieved to acclimate to elementary school via this glorified daycare. I see it every year at the beginning of the school year, there are bound to be a number of clingy teary kindergartners leaving their parents for the first time.

I seriously doubt that any kids start elementary school reading at a middle school level, doing math at a MS level, having the science and social studies knowledge to do MS work. To think that there are kids who learn nothing their entire elementary career is a stretch. Also, I don't have so much faith in Montessori as you do. My daughter worked in a Montessori school, and her stories confirmed my beliefs that kids are just kids. Actually, the infant Montessori stuff doesn't seem to be based on child development principles,e.g. making kids hold their bottes, etc. I'm also not sure what "glorified day care" is supposed to mean.

[thedfly]

I wish Kindergarten was more of what it used to be when I was a kid...coloring, playing games, learning to share and sit in a circle, playing with playdoh and using scissors to develop those fine motor skills, taking turns, stringing macaroni necklaces, listening to stories, painting and putting on cute plays. Five year olds are expected to not only know all their letters but be able to read by the end of kindergarten, count to 100, do basic math problems, etc. Basically all the things that used to be taught in 1st grade. Most of this is accomplished in a half day program. It's such a struggle for most kids that more and more parents are holding their children until they are 6 to enroll into Kindergarten. Do a quick search on redshirting and kindergarten and see some of the debates both for and against the issue. I'm right in the middle of it with my son. It's a very difficult decision.

[Mike from back east]

I just gotta vent a bit....

I'm 62, never sat foot in a kindergarten, none of us did and we all did fine. Never wore a helmet while riding a bike either.

My dad was born in 1905, made it through 8th grade. My mother was born in 1916, made it through 6th grade. They were part of a generation that beat the great depression, fixed the dust bowl, built Hoover Dam and many more marvels (WITHOUT computer help), brought electricity to Appalachia, made the desert bloom, won WW-II, kicked butt in Korea, conquered Polio, put men on the moon and put big fins on Cadillacs. Now, our nation can figure out how to run a kindergarten? Good grief.

[Kibbiekat]

Originally Posted by gjeppesen

Yes, I talked to them today. Apparently, you're guaranteed enrollment in your neighborhood school, but only "half-day" guaranteed. But probably full-day. I'm frustrated because my kid's been going to a private montessorri type school for 2 years now for full day and he's starting to read already. He'll be 5 next month. Is kindergarten really just a "daycare" here?

no. It is half day kindergarten. If anything, all day K would be more like "daycare."

[bogotrep]

I just gotta vent a bit....

I'm 62, never sat foot in a kindergarten, none of us did and we all did fine. Never wore a helmet while riding a bike either.

My dad was born in 1905, made it through 8th grade. My mother was born in 1916, made it through 6th grade. They were part of a generation that beat the great depression, fixed the dust bowl, built Hoover Dam and many more marvels (WITHOUT computer help), brought electricity to Appalachia, made the desert bloom, won WW-II, kicked butt in Korea, conquered Polio, put men on the moon and put big fins on Cadillacs. Now, our nation can figure out how to run a kindergarten? Good grief.

Yes, life was so much better when we were pooing in outhouses and dying from common infections. I too was raised without helmets but that does not make not wearing a helmet smart. We didn't know, ignorance is an excuse the first time around, not the second.

Kindergarten has many advantages, research is fairly conclusive that the longer the duration the better. What is the argument again?

I would say count your blessings that people have come to realize that early childhood education is very important and sets the tone if you will for future educational success. If you have to pay a small amount for the full-day versus the half-day, again, just about all research indicates that doing so is very beneficial.