The purpose of this study was to determine whether the effects of participation in the Florida Voluntary Prekindergarten Program are sustained in kindergarten reading readiness for those who participated in the research school district VPK, those who participated in another provider VPK, and compared to those who did not participate in VPK. Select stakeholder perceptions were also gathered and analyzed, to include research school district parents of VPK participants, research school district VPK instructors, and research school district administrators. Academic effects were analyzed for VPK participants and non-VPK participants in 2012-2013 within their kindergarten 2013-2014 school year using the FAIR-K portion of the Florida Kindergarten Readiness Screener as well as the Discovery Education Early Skills Assessment for Kindergarten English/Language Arts Performance Measurement Assessment 1. Using a one way analysis of variance (ANOVA) it was determined that participation in VPK produces greater reading readiness in kindergarten. Statistically significant differences were found among the means of research school district VPK participants, another provider VPK participants, and non-VPK participants. On average, VPK participants, regardless of provider, exhibited significantly enhanced reading readiness skills than their non-VPK participant peers within both measurements. Stakeholder perceptions included the successful and challenging elements of leading and teaching VPK within the research school district as well as how parents come to the decision of selecting the research school district as their VPK provider of choice over other available providers.

Peekaboo! Where is play? is a qualitative study that explores the extent kindergarten teachers implement play in light of increasing academic expectations. The increase in academics in young children’s schooling and the benefits of play have been well-documented. Unlike most of the research on play, this study was conducted in a town in the northeast region of the United States. Through questionnaires, interviews, and the kindergarten classroom schedules as the primary data collection of this case study, twenty-two active kindergarten teachers agreed to participate. The study centralized around three guiding research questions: 1) How have kindergarten teachers designed times for play, if at all? 2) How do kindergarten teachers’ views on play inform their practice? 3) What are the resources necessary for kindergarten teachers to maximize the educational benefits of play? An analysis of online questionnaires, weekly class schedules, and follow-up interviews allow the researcher to get an insight into the participants’ practice. The significant findings were grounded in the constructivist theory of learning. All the participants claimed to have adopted a learning-through-play methodology. They chose to implement time for play, providing a rich learning environment where students could interact cognitively and socially. Since the participants believed play to be an organic part of development and a tool for learning, teachers switched to a facilitator role during play. At the same time, children were led by their curiosity and interest. Participants also included elements of play in their teacher-directed lessons. However, they needed the district's unwavering support in professional development, financial resources, collegial assistance, and teacher input to maximize and sustain the benefits of play in their classroom. / 2025-05-16T00:00:00Z

The project "Loop Kindergarten" is designed a new mode for a kindergarten in Peking China. In my opinion and based on my own experience, Chinese children are always under quite high pressure and expectations, even during childhood. Even the attitude towards play is very different in China. Play center activities are also called guided play in western countries; on the contrary, it is called corner play in China. Play was seen as being conflict with learning, and thus as time wasting. That is why Chinese children are always lack of free play. In metropolis like Peking, children often don't have enough access to nature, unlike in Europe. Compared to Europe, nature in the middle of city is not under good conditions. How to provide a better environment for children to play in terms of nature is one of the main topics of my project My goal is to design a new mode of kindergarten that helps children have a better and happier childhood in terms of nature on the one hand, but also meets the needs from society on the other hand.

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