The purpose of this thesis is to provide an analysis of the history, purpose, utility, and effects of deliberate delayed kindergarten, known colloquially as "academic redshirting" or, simply, "redshirting." This thesis discusses and examines the history of kindergarten, the definition of school readiness, factors that led to the emergence of academic redshirting, demographics of children who are typically redshirted, and the consequences of the redshirted population within the kindergarten classroom. Also examined are trends in state and district mandated kindergarten age minimums over the last 50 years. The paper concludes with a policy recommendation for the improvement of early childhood education in the United States and a challenge to those who care about the future of American public education.

The purpose of this project was to develop an open education kindergarten curriculum guide utilizing learning centers. This curriculum guide consists of a discussion of specific aspects of implementation of learning centers and a detailed analysis of twelve learning centers. Whether learning centers are implemented gradually, moderately, or totally, the following factors are essential to consider prior to implementation: physical environment, materials, classroom management, evaluation and record keeping, and parental involvement. The following learning centers are discussed in-depth with respect to goals, objectives, enabling activities, and materials and supplies: math, science, language arts, social studies, art, music, block building, dramatic play, sand and water, woodworking, cooking and sewing, and movement. Successful implementation of learning centers in kindergarten appears to be a result of the implementing teacher's attitude toward open education. The attitude of openness is vital in order to successfully develop and implement learning centers.

L’objectif de cette étude est de vérifier s’il existe un lien entre les conditions de défavorisation extrême associées à la pauvreté familiale telles que vécues par l’enfant en maternelle et son engagement en classe en 3e année du primaire. Pour ce faire, nous avons analysé des données portant sur un groupe de 341 enfants provenant des régions les plus défavorisées de Montréal à partir des observations rapportées par leur enseignant. Plusieurs régressions multiples ont permis de mettre en évidence des indicateurs sur l’engagement en classe, soit la concentration, la persistance et l’autonomie des participants avec quatre indicateurs liés à la défavorisation extrême soit la faim, les retards à l’école, l’habillement inadéquat et les signes de fatigue. Les résultats de cette étude ont montré que chacun de ces indicateurs pouvait indépendamment contribuer à l’engagement en classe, mais, que deux indicateurs ont un pouvoir prédictif supérieur et fiable, soit le retard en classe et les signes de fatigue. D’autres recherches plus poussées étaient les résultats de la présente étude et suggèrent comment une intervention précoce des enseignants, au début du primaire, pourrait encourager l’engagement en classe d’enfant provenant d’une population défavorisée urbaine. / This study sought to verify the link between certain conditions indicating deprivation in kindergarten children attending school in low income neighbourhoods and subsequent classroom engagement in third grade. Participants are from the Montreal Longitudinal Preschool Study (n = 341). For the deprivation variable, kindergarten teachers reported upon the frequency that children arrived to school hungry, not adequately clothed, late to school or tired. For the classroom engagement variable, third grade teachers reported on children’s task-orientation, persistence, and autonomous learning behaviour in the classroom at the end of the school year. A series of multiple regression analyses were used to verify the possibles links, first by the unique contribution of each deprivation variable and subsequently by attempting to determine which specific deprivation variable which contributed the most weight in the prediction of classroom engagement. Each deprivation variable made its unique contribution independent of child and environmental controls; however, arriving late and being tired seemed to matter most in terms of predictive power. Although cognitive skills and behavioral skills matter in school readiness, this study suggests the importance of teacher input when identifying children at risk of later learning-related behavioral difficulties. More inferential research needs to be conducted on this prospective relationship in order to better understand its dynamics and offer strategies for preventive intervention.

Mémoire numérisé par la Division de la gestion de documents et des archives de l'Université de Montréal.

Le rôle du parent est important dans le développement de la compétence en lecture de jeunes enfants et lire à son enfant est une pratique de littératie familiale fortement encouragée par la société. Cette étude a pour objectif de décrire cet accompagnement parental notamment en lien avec les stratégies de compréhension utilisées entre un parent et son enfant lors de la lecture à voix haute. Nous avons observé 10 parents lire un abécédaire, un texte narratif avec intrigue, un texte narratif sans intrigue et un texte informatif à leur enfant de cinq ans. Il s’avère que les stratégies utilisées par les parents et leurs enfants diffèrent selon le genre de texte. Les élèves ayant de faibles résultats (reconnaissance des lettres et de leurs sons, rappel du texte, compréhension du vocabulaire réceptif et de la morphosyntaxe) utilisent également moins de stratégies de compréhension lors de la lecture à voix haute que les enfants présentant de meilleurs résultats. Nous avons également vérifié l’étayage offert par les parents d’enfants présentant de bonnes et de faibles compétences en lecture. Ces deux groupes de parents se distinguent par la qualité et la fréquence de l’utilisation des stratégies de compréhension. En effet, nous remarquons que les parents qui guident leurs enfants dans l’utilisation des stratégies de compréhension sont davantage associés aux enfants démontrant une bonne compétence en lecture. Finalement, nous avons aussi vérifié les pratiques de littératie familiale (temps d’exposition et accessibilité à la lecture, modélisation par les membres de la famille, attitude des parents envers la lecture et mise en place d’activité favorisant la conscience phonologique de l’enfant). Seule la mise sur pied d’activités favorisant la conscience phonologique a pu être liée au rendement des enfants. / A parent’s role in their child’s reading development is important, and reading to your child is a family literacy practice that is strongly encouraged by society. This research describes parental support specifically in relation to reading comprehension strategies used between the parent and child while the parent is reading out loud. We observed 10 parents read aloud an alphabet book, a narrative text with an element of suspense, a narrative text without suspense, and a non-fiction text to their five year old child. It turns out that the reading comprehension strategies used by parents differed according to the type of text being read. The children with the lowest results (letter sound recognition, story recall, and comprehension of vocabulary and syntax) used less comprehension strategies during read alouds than the children with higher results. We also observed support offered by parents of children with lower and higher results. These two groups of parents differ by the quality and the frequency of their use of reading comprehension strategies. In fact, we noticed that parents who guide their child in using reading comprehension strategies are associated with their children having better results in reading. Finally, we verified the family literacy practices (time exposed to reading, accessibility of books, family members modelling reading, attitude of parents toward reading, and activities that promote letter sound knowledge/phonemic awareness). Only the family practice of creating activities to further develop letter sound knowledge/phonemic awareness was directly linked to the child’s results.

STRAŠÁKOVÁ, Lenka. Topical walks with preschool children oriented to environmental activities. [Diploma Dissertation]. Praha: Fakulty of Education University of Praha, 2010. 126 pp. The main goal of this diploma thesis is the global observation of the nature while going out with children at kindergarten. Current curriculum is part of this thesis because kindergarten teachers have to plan and realize all the activities in relation to the recent curriculum. New possibilities for the pedagogical activities are compared as well. In the theoretical part of my thesis, I am dealing with the main issues in relation to the chosen topic. The idea is backed up by available literature. In the practical part of my thesis, I am using questionnaires. The purpose is to find out whether the kindergarten teachers globally plan the observation of the nature in their education programs. The evaluation is included as well. The evaluation should be used to plan the activities which will be further planned and carried out. Key words: child at kindergarten, walk, animals, plants, watching and cognition of nature, program for preschool education

The aim of this work is to look into the issue of interpretation of the term public service in preschool education. The main goal is to find out how this service is understood by parents who use this service - whether their interpretation corresponds with the needs of children and to what extent they recognize the social mission of kindergarten. In addition, ttthe ambition here is to show the neccesity of change the traditional perception of education which has become part of market environment. Therefore the works highlights positive benefits of marketing management of school. The work is also focused on effective school communication as a way to reach the basic mission of school. Key words Kindergarten, public service, preschool education, school law, education goals, parents, communication, marketing

The thesis is focused on providing pre-kindergarten education as a public service. The theoretical part deals with the characteristics of the parent school as educational institutions, legislative pre-school education and the role of the state as a public service provider of preschool education, the means of financing and providing services based on the founder's position of pre-school, the family as a partner in the educational impact. The practical part is based on research in two kindergartens. The portion of research findings confirmed that the parents understand the provision of preschool education in kindergartens as a public service, and consider state funding of preschool education for granted. The survey showed that what is provided the extra by kindergarten, parents understand the guaranteed services, without realizing that these services at kindergarten are beyond the educational work in kindergartens. Nursery school wants to draw attention to themselves, to get more students in the competition. According to the Framework Educational Programme for the provision of preschool education school activities is not a public service.

Title: The importance of nature as a learning environment in Czech forest kindergartens and forest kindergartens abroad from the perspective of pedagogues. Objektive: The aim of this thesis is to obtain specific information about functioning of forest kindergartens abroad and compare them forest kindergartens in the Czech Republic. My next target was get from the general public in the Czech Republic specific information about their awareness of nature and forest kindergartens. Results: The result of the processing of literature related to preschool pedagogy, alternative pedagogical directions, forest kindergarten. We approached the issue. Through the questionnaire investigation compared the forest kindergarten in the Czech Republic and abroad. Thanks questionnaire investigation results we should recognized in self-knowledge and awareness, that we are part of nature. Keywords: education, relationships with nature, alternative pedagogical directions, forest kindergarten, nature, child abroad, questioning

The aim of the thesis is to determine whether there are limits that may restrict kindergarten headmaster in the strategic management of the school, considering a six-year term in office. The thesis consists of two main parts. In the theoretical part, the concepts such as strategic management of the school, position of the kindergarten headmaster and a six-year term in office are explained. The research part describes the processes at the school. Methods of observation, interview, questionnaires and document analyses, are used in order to collect the data which are coded, categorized, and then used to form a story.