Student readiness: Preparing children for kindergarten

This study examined if children who participated in prekindergarten education programs were better prepared for the kindergarten classroom. Children enter the kindergarten setting at various levels of readiness. A mixed method concurrent transformative study design was employed. Data were collected that provided clarity on how preschool environments affected a child's readiness for kindergarten. The qualitative portion of the study consisted of analyzing teacher questionnaires and portions of a family survey. The quantitative aspects of the study included analyzing the family surveys for information such as the demographics and economic status of the participants. A survey was distributed to each family with a kindergarten student enrolled and kindergarten teachers at a Title I elementary school. Participating students' academic progress and assessment scores were used to determine the trends that emerged based on each child's preschool experience and their academic progress. Both research strategies were triangulated in order to identify reemerging themes and patterns that would assist in discovering if different preschool environments affected the participating students' ability to transition successfully into kindergarten. The data indicated that students who received no educational experiences prior to kindergarten struggled with basic academic skills and were not prepared for the classroom environment. Their lack of previous knowledge affected teachers' ability to begin teaching the curriculum designed for their classrooms. Recommendations include universal prekindergarten classrooms that would expose children to basic reading and mathematics skills and socialization with peers. Implementing prekindergarten classrooms in the elementary school setting would have implications for social change, by providing a solid foundation for all children entering kindergarten, assist in closing the readiness and achievement gap, and prepare students for the academic rigor and challenges of the elementary school setting.