The Brookline survey states that the hours for the kindergarten session should coincide with the hours for the morning session of the other grades.

TIME SCHEDULE

Educators realize that young children can not be expected to give close attention for long periods of time when they are receiving formal instruction. On the other hand, they also realize that often there is a great loss of inspiration and energy when children are not given sufficient time to complete a piece of work in which they are interested. Cutting up the kindergarten day arbitrarily into small sections is not conducive to the development of good work or thought habits, and is severely criticized in certain surveys.

This criticism is made of schools in which the "daily session is divided into short periods of from 15 to 30 minutes duration.” (Philadelphia.) This report continues the criticism in the following

manner:

Very often there are two 30-minute work periods in a half-day program. In a few programs there are work periods of 50 minutes, but in general there are no long ones. A longer work hour is needed for constructive work or representative play when initiated and self-directed by the children.

Child-study has shown much of the old-time practice in relation to the rigid time schedule to have been opposed to the way a little child actually works and plays. A little child does not hold his interests within 15-minute periods or half-hour periods. Absorption in work is one of the best habits that can be encouraged, and recent kindergarten studies show that a child's span of interest increases steadily through one or two years as he works with kindergarten materials. Kindergarten work lends itself more readily to a flexible time schedule than does primary work, because of the organization into classes made necessary by the introduction of reading, but in both the kindergarten and the primary, there should be work periods where the children are given time to experiment with materials and to work out projects related to subject matter. (Winchester.)

PROMOTIONS

"Promotions are often a source of annoyance to the kindergarten and first-grade teachers." (Philadelphia.) Certain surveys state that teachers are not "in sympathy with the mode of sending children from the kindergarten to the first grade." (Cleveland.) This seems to be especially true where chronological age is the determining factor. There are States in which the law specifically requires children to be "admitted to the first grade at 6 years, but not all, however, are prepared to do the work of the first grade at that age.' (Cleveland.) Such a system of promotion

often floods the first grades with backward children and those who can not speak English. (Philadelphia.) There are some States in which it is possible to partially remedy this condition. (Richmond.)

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Often

children under 6 years of age may not enter the first grade, but since the compulsory school age is 7, children may be retained in kindergarten beyond the age of 6, if they are sufficiently immature to make a longer period of kindergarten training desirable. (Richmond.)

Where readiness for promotion is determined by chronological age and the

children are promoted only once a year, instead of twice a year, there is a tendency either to place immature children in the first grade or to keep them in the kindergarten until they are too advanced for kindergarten work. chester.)

(Win

To prevent this injustice, semiannual promotions are recommended as a means for "better adjustment between the kindergarten and first grade." (Winchester.)

An attitude toward promotion more in harmony with present-day tendencies is well stated in the following quotations:

There should be such a close relationship between the kindergarten and the primary school that children may not be compelled to remain in the kindergarten until the time of the half yearly promotions. They should be promoted when they give evidence of capability to do more advanced work. (Winchester.)

Effort should be made to promote children on the basis of intellectual maturity. (Philadelphia.)

RECORDS

One reason given for the difficulty of making satisfactory promotions from the kindergarten to the first grade is that few schools have kept records of children's activities and interests in the kindergarten. Record cards should be used to show the development of each child in the kindergarten, and to test the value of the curriculum. (Stamford.)

The following quotation shows that there has been some systematic study along this line:

A commendable experimental attack on the problem of records of children's progress is being carried on among the kindergarten teachers, and a more uniform method of keeping records is later to culminate from this experimental work. (Springfield.)

If definite objectives are not set up and if frequent records are not made as to what is being accomplished in establishing desirable habits and attitudes. mastery of skills, broadening of experience, growth in language and application of ideas, the teaching is certain to lack effectiveness. (Watertown.)

SUMMARY

Although specific recommendations for the betterment of local conditions, given in the survey reports, often differ in detail there is a certain similarity of thought about the fundamental characteristics of kindergarten organization.

Kindergartens are planned primarily for children 5 years of age, although in many places children are admitted at the age of 4. One

survey advocates the entrance of children into the kindergarten at 4, so that they may be admitted to the first grade as soon after they are 5 as they can be prepared for the work.

Children of the same age vary widely in ability; so it is recommended that they be grouped according to ability and that suitable work be given each group. Where there are enough children enrolled in the kindergarten to make it desirable, it is suggested that it would be well to establish two kindergarten grades. This plan would eliminate much repetition of work for those children who are to be in kindergarten two years.

One survey recommends that children be allowed to attend kindergarten all day, because of the economic and social situation in that particular locality. Other surveys suggest by implication that children shall be in kindergarten for a half day only, and preferably in the mornings.

An attendance of 32 children is the highest number mentioned as desirable. Fifteen to twenty in average daily attendance is considered the lowest desirable number. Between these extremes the standard is set at 25 for one teacher at each session. One survey recommends that not more than 50 children be in any one group even where there are several teachers, because of the great amount of inhibition necessary in larger social groups.

The law in many States requires that 6-year-old children be admitted to first grade even though many of them are not ready to profit by the work of the primary grade, and others are ready at an earlier age. Consequently many teachers in both the kindergarten and primary grades are not in sympathy with the methods of promotion used in their schools. This feeling is especially strong when promotions are made annually. Semiannual promotions are recommended, but if the work of the kindergarten and primary grades is closely articulated it would be possible to promote children at any time they are considered ready to profit by more advanced work.

It would be easier to know when promotions should be made if more adequate records of children's achievements were kept. These records would also help the primary teacher to base her work for the children upon the attitudes, habits, and fund of knowledge they bring with them from the kindergarten.

Chapter III

EVOLUTION OF THE CURRICULUM

The evolution of the kindergarten curriculum has been rapid and is by no means completed yet.

The kindergarten of to-day realizes the

futility of giving its children in

tellectual food which they can not digest. In planning the course of study,

therefore, its tendency is to limit the source of subject matter to everyday experiences of the particular group of children concerned. It selects from these experiences those which are worth interpreting and extending, and it seeks to help the children to organize them through the different play activities and modes of expression which the kindergarten offers. (Richmond.)

Where there is no prescribed course of study—

the work is planned by the directors and varies in value according to the training and viewpoint of the individual. (Baltimore.)

A common understanding among teachers is necessary if there is not to be undue emphasis of one kind of experience to the neglect of other experiences of equal importance; the neglect of children developing certain conducts and appreciations of value; and an unbalanced evaluation of the needs and uses of certain supplies and equipment. (Springfield.)

There are indications that there are many kindergartens in which the conception of the curriculum is entirely too narrow or too static. Where such conditions exist the kindergarten does

not sufficiently justify itself in bringing the experiences to the children which would meet the particular needs of the group and connect with an acceptable first-grade curriculum. (Stamford.)

One survey recommends

that the teachers and the supervisors concerned work out a kindergartenprimary curriculum which shall provide for continuity in each of the subjects, namely, community life, industrial and fine arts, language, music, physical education, nature study, and number work. (Richmond.)

Other surveys recommend also that the-

curriculum should show the fundamental skills, appreciations, and knowledge necessary for the development of the social and physical needs of the kindergarten children. (Stamford.)

Standards should be defined without imposing uniformity of curriculum. (Baltimore.)

Where teachers are well equipped for their work "freedom of the individual teacher might be made to serve the highest interests of both kindergarten and grade schools," in developing a desirable curriculum. It is unfortunate that although some teachers "are more liberal in spirit and practice than others, there are fewer evidences of independent investigation and initiative on the part of the teachers than should characterize" (Brookline) the work in the kindergarten.

OBJECTIVES OF KINDERGARTEN EDUCATION

The need of determining objectives for kindergarten-primary or kindergarten first-grade classes, together with the experiences necessary for children to have and with definite achievements to accomplish from those experiences, is (the) greatest immediate need for progress in the future. (Stamford.) There seems to be a lack of—

common understanding among the teachers of the importance of all the objectives necessary for complete development. The result is an apparent

emphasis of one kind of experience to the neglect of other experiences of equal importance. (Springfield.)

In certain places the

curriculum in its present form gives over-emphasis to skills and knowledge which is not conducive to a complete, well-balanced development. The problem of education is to make desired changes in thought, feeling, and action. Any curriculum must provide experiences which will bring changes in this three-fold aspect of behavior. (Springfield.)

Constructive thinking.-In the later surveys emphasis has been put upon the need for more constructive thinking and for less dictated. work.

The great value in using materials for expression is in thinking one's way through to a result that is satisfactory. (Winchester.)

For this reason—

occupations should be planned for the children, whether in the kindergarten or in the first grade, which appeal to children as worth doing and which demand concentration and effort on their part. (Richmond.)

Practice in constructive thinking and in proving the value of the results of thinking are definitely seen in the manual activities and the original games of the kindergarten. But they are quite as necessary in making social adjustments. Sympathy for and with our neighbors is greatly increased by planning with them, working with them, and rejoicing with them over a common problem and its satisfactory solution. (Radnor.)

Development of attitudes. One great criticism of the kindergarten by primary teachers is that children "think of the schoolroom as a playroom." (Philadelphia.) There are kindergartens in which the play spirit seems "to be rather indiscriminately present in al! the activities." (St. Louis.) In those schools in which this situation prevails the exercises are "a kind of universal and unorganized recreation," in fact, are agents "for scattering not for focusing energy." (St. Louis.) The same survey reports, in describing a manual-arts lesson, that the "teacher made no serious attempt to establish in this exercise a different spirit or a different control from that in any exercise that might properly have the play spirit." (St. Louis.)

While this severe criticism is deserved in some kindergartens, there are others in which children are helped to realize the difference between work and play. A kindergarten of the better type

establishes the beginnings of a work attitude toward the things the children do and (the beginnings) of an ability to evaluate skill, cooperation, and high standards of attainment. * * * Children's activities will degenerate in the kindergarten or any grade is there are not enough worth-while things provided for them to do. (Swarthmore.)

On the other hand, it is just as true that they

like to be held up to their highest ability. It gives them a sense of responsibility for accomplishment which helps to hold their interest in what they are