ED364332 PS021875
Title: Public School Kindergarten Teachers' Views on Children's Readiness
for School. Contractor Report. Statistical Analysis Report. Fast Response
Survey System.
Author(s): Heaviside, Sheila; And Others
Author Affiliation: Westat Research, Inc., Rockville, MD.(LYR95205)
Pages: 204
Publication Date: September 1993
Sponsoring Agency: National Center for Education Statistics (ED),
Washington, DC. (EDD00004)
Report No: NCES-93-410
ISBN: 0-16-042030-X
Available from: EDRS Price MF01/PC09 Plus Postage.
Availability: U.S. Government Printing Office, Superintendent of Documents,
Mail Stop: SSOP, Washington, DC 20402-9328.
Language: English
Document Type: Reports--Research (143); Test/questionnaires (160)
Geographic Source: U.S.; District of Columbia
Journal Announcement: RIEAPR1994
Government Level: Federal
As one step
in the process of developing consensus on the definition of school
readiness, the National Education Goals Panel requested a survey
about the current beliefs and professional judgments of public school
kindergarten teachers regarding school readiness. Conducted by the
National Center for Education Statistics in the spring of 1993,
the survey covered three general areas: (1) public school kindergarten
teachers' judgments and beliefs about school readiness; (2) the
characteristics of the teachers' kindergarten classes and their
practices in these classes; and (3) the teachers' background characteristics.
This document details the results of that survey. Of the over 1,300
kindergarten teachers surveyed, the great majority (96%) held the
view that the most important factor, for kindergarten readiness
is for the
child to be physically healthy, rested and well nourished. A majority
also believe that children should be able to communicate wants,
needs, and thoughts verbally and that enthusiasm and curiosity are
more important for school readiness than knowledge of the alphabet
or counting ability. While most teachers believe that school readiness
cannot be pushed, 94% also believe that they can enhance a child's
readiness by providing helpful experiences; moreover, they are almost
universally agreed that parents should read to their children and
play counting games at home regularly to help children prepare for
school. More than half of the document consists of tables of estimates
and standard errors. Eight figures and five text tables are also
included, and a copy of the survey is appended. (MM)
Descriptors: *Classroom Techniques; *Kindergarten; Learning Readiness;
National Surveys; Parent Participation; *Preschool Teachers; Public
School Teachers; *School Readiness; *Teacher Characteristics; *Teaching
Methods
Identifiers: *Professional Judgment; Teacher Surveys
