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