Kindergarten Academic Standards

Could you help me with this?

On the first day of kindergarten, some children will be able to read and write while others will not recognize their written name. Have the kindergarten academic standards been raised too high or have we just realized the potential of five-year-olds?

On June 24, 2010 the Illinois State Board of Education adopted new, more rigorous learning standards for Math and English Language Arts to better prepare students for college and the workforce. Prior to the Board's actions in June, the Illinois Learning Standards had not changed since their adoption (ISBE, 2010) in 1997. It is important to understand that when standards are raised for upper grades, they are changed all the way through the system so that by the time students reach an upper grade, they meet the requirements. The Illinois Early Learning Standards are excellent because they recognize the interconnectedness of emotional, social, cognitive, and physical development and learning â?" the whole child. Like all good standards, they should be used as the base for reflective teachers as they create learning experiences that build on what children already know and capture their interest in learning (Bowman, 2000)."

The Early Learning Standards also states that "All children are capable of positive developmental outcomes. There should be high expectations for all young children, regardless of their backgrounds and experience (Henderson, 2004)." It states too that "All children within an age group should not be expected to arrive at each benchmark at the same time or to show mastery to the same degree of proficiency (Henderson, 2004). However, there is also a statement that "Each grows and develops skills and competencies at their own pace. Some children may have a developmental delay or disability that may require program staff members to adapt expectations or experiences so that individual children can successfully achieve a particular benchmark (Henderson, 2004)". To me, this may signal the fact that faculty may be instructed to watch for deviations from the norm and possibly refer children quickly.

I believe the standards have been raised too high for kindergarten students. This grade level today is what first grade used to be like. If I were to teach this grade level, I would use a lot of grouping in the classroom. The children who are already reading and writing can be placed in one group and challenged to do more. The children who barely recognize their letters and sounds will need more of a structured grounding in this area. Alternatively, children can sometimes sit in more heterogenous groups. The more adept child can work together with the struggling student. Help is sometimes more acceptable coming from one's peers.

References

Bowman, B. (n.d.). Illinois Early Learning Standards. Retrieved from http://www.isbe.net/early_learning_standards

Henderson, K. (2004). Illinois Early Learning Standards. Retrieved from http://www.isbe.net/early_learning_standards