Article Review: Crisis in the Kindergarten

Quantitative Article Review:
Crisis in Kindergarten
Why Children Need Play in School
Erica
Liberty University

Summary The purpose of this study was to identify the lack of play in kindergarten classroom, why areas of play were lacking and also the effect that taking play out of kindergarten had on a student’s academic and social development. This was a descriptive study that was conducted by survey and took place in both New York and in Los Angeles and measured by a t-test. In New York City 142 teachers responded to the survey and 112 teachers from Los Angeles responded. All of these teachers taught full day kindergarten. In New York City teachers spent 76% of their day teaching literature and 23% of them spent more than an hour daily teaching math and only 2% of teachers reported that their students had an hour of choice time daily. In this study choice time was defined as the time children were able to choose activities for themselves by going to various centers or creating open ended project with the materials provided in the classroom the average amount of choice time was 29.2 minutes. 79% of teachers spent time testing or doing test preparation every day37% of teacher spent more than 30 minutes a day on testing or test related activities. However, 86% did say that their classes had outdoor recess if the weather permitted. In Los Angeles 92% of teachers spent more than an hour a day of literacy instruction and 17% of them spent more than an hour a day on math instruction. Almost none gave more than an hour of choice play. The average amount of daily choice play 19.1 minutes and 1 out of every 4 teachers in Los Angeles said that there was no time in their day for free play but they did not explain the difference between choice time and free play. 97% of the teachers did say that their children had recess if the weather permitted. When interviewed both New York and Los Angeles 12%-13% said that their classroom had enough dramatic play materials and over 50% of the teachers reported not having enough for even half of the class Sand and water table are practically non-existent in kindergarten with 80% not having them. However, open ended art supplies were more readily available. The majority of materials listed in the teachers surveys were instructional or published materials. Even though the majority of the teachers agreed that these are essential in kindergarten learning. When they were asked why these materials were not available it was stated that administrators believed that play happened at home and learning should happen in the classroom. They did not believe that blocks, sand and water tables, and dramatic play were important. In conclusion that majority of kindergarten teacher would still like to promote play in their classrooms however, based on the current desire for testing and test scores administrators are pushing for solely academics stating that is the road to success.
Analysis
Research could continue on this study by not only surveying more schools in various areas including private schools and higher-income schools. Another way to continue to research would be to find a school that promotes play vs. one that doesn’t and present them both with kindergarten assessments based on common core and see how their scores vary. Play vs. non-play could be observed in the classroom and see how the children interact with each other and be able to observe more of their skills. One thing that could be used to prove this research wrong is that schools surveyed were in two areas that were majority title one school where the majority of students received free lunch. When gathering data from schools of other demographics it may vary because of material availability and curriculum as well. It appears as if even though teachers (some with no early childhood background) are still able to see the importance of play in a kindergarten classroom but by being help so tightly to test scores as well as not being provided the materials it makes it difficult for them to incorporate it daily. Overall the implication of this article is that most teachers of children of young ages are not allowed to promote play in the classroom and wish they would still be allowed to.

Bibliography
Miller, E., & Joan, A. (2009). Crisis in Kindergarten Why Children Need to Play in School. In E. Miller, & A. Joan, Crisis in Kindergarten Why Children Need to Play in School (pp. 7-32). College Park: Alliance for Childhood.

Bibliography: Miller, E., & Joan, A. (2009). Crisis in Kindergarten Why Children Need to Play in School. In E. Miller, & A. Joan, Crisis in Kindergarten Why Children Need to Play in School (pp. 7-32). College Park: Alliance for Childhood.