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Discussion on Early Learning
Are you an educator or administrator who has questions about Ontario's plans for full-day kindergarten? Are you curious about where to find more information? What does full-day kindergarten mean to your current kindergarten class?
To find the answers you're looking for check our Frequently Asked Questions below. If you don't see the information you're looking for there, ask us a question.
- I am having trouble finding the policy about Kindergarten reports. My SK son received a progress report in Nov., and I was expecting a report yesterday. I was told that SKs do not get a report at this time. Could you please direct me to the policy regarding Kindergarten reporting. Many thanks.
Parents are invited to read the Draft Version of The Full Day Early Learning – Kindergarten Program which provides direction to schools on reporting (see page 32). (PDF, 933 KB)
At this time, the specific method of reporting, the format and use of a Kindergarten report card, and the reporting schedule, are decisions which are made at the local Board level. It is recommended that parents bring these specific questions to the principal of the school their child is attending.
- I would like to know what would happen if a qualified teacher who has been working as an ECE in a kindergarten classroom for 7 years cannot get registered in the College of ECE's because they do not have an ECE diploma? Will that person now lose their job? Is there a grand fathering clause that would consider this person's work experience as an equivalent? Or is this new legislation going to cost someone a job? Thank you for your time.
Thank you for your question. The new legislation does specify that, if there are 16 or more pupils in a full-day kindergarten classroom, a qualified ECE registered with the College of Early Childhood Educators will work alongside a certified teacher, registered with the Ontario College of Teachers. Any individual who works within the scope of practice of early childhood education, using the title "early childhood educator" or ECE must be registered with the College of Early Childhood Educators (CECE). For individuals who do not have an ECE diploma from an approved post-secondary institution, the CECE carries out individual assessments of educational credentials to determine whether an applicant possesses qualifications and experience which is equivalent to the ECE. To find out more about the equivalency process, refer to the CECE website at www.collegeofece.on.ca.
- Can I still send my child to JK and SrK for half a day eventhough the school offers a full day kindergarten program? I think that a full day especially for JK will be too much.
Full-day kindergarten is not mandatory. At the nearly 600 schools where full-day kindergarten is being offered this year, parents can chose to remove their child for part of the day if that is what works best for them.
Similar to existing kindergarten programs, parents will continue to have the choice about whether to enrol their four- and five-year olds in full-day kindergarten. In Ontario, children are required to attend school once they turn six years old. Although kindergarten is voluntary, 90 per cent of eligible children are enrolled.
Many boards that currently operate full-day kindergarten programs report that students who begin on a half-day model often transition to full-day by mid-fall, because they enjoy the program.
- Due to the age that the children will be starting whole days; wondering if a nap/quiet time will be integrated into the day. With my other older children I found that their full days were quite exhausting for them.
The Full-Day Early Learning Kindergarten Program encourages the early childhood educator and the teacher to provide opportunities in the daily program for children that best matches their individual needs and interests. With the support of the classroom team, the children will make choices about when to choose a quiet activity, such as taking a nap, going to the listening centre, or doing a puzzle.
- If I prefer will it be possible to send My JK or SK child to school for a half day only?
Full-day kindergarten is not mandatory. At the nearly 600 schools where FDK begins this September, parents can chose to remove their child for part of the day if that is what works best for them. Like existing kindergarten programs, parents will continue to have the choice about whether to enrol their four- and five-year olds in full-day kindergarten. In Ontario, children are required to attend school once they turn six years old. Although kindergarten is voluntary, 90 per cent of eligible children are enrolled.
Many boards that currently operate full-day kindergarten programs report that students who begin on a half day model often transition to full-day by mid-fall, because they enjoy the program.
- How will student progress be reported to parents? I've heard there are no report cards for 2010/2011. What will they be replaced with?
Young children show their understanding by doing, showing, and telling. Early Learning–Kindergarten teams will use assessment strategies such as observing, listening, and asking probing questions in order to assess and evaluate children’s achievement.
In the Full-Day Early Learning–Kindergarten program, team members work together to monitor, document, and assess children’s learning. Formal reports to parents are based on evaluations of children’s progress in relation to the Full-Day Early Learning–Kindergarten program expectations. Although it is ultimately the duty of the Kindergarten teacher to ensure that these reports are completed, the information contained in them should be generated through ongoing, day-to-day collaboration and consultation among members of the Early Learning–Kindergarten team.
Members of the team should meet with parents together, in both formal and informal contexts, to help them understand how their children develop and learn, to provide information about how to support learning at home, to share evidence of learning that has been observed at school and at home, and to discuss their children’s progress towards achievement of the expectations.
- How will the responsibilities of the ECE and the Classroom teacher be clearly communicated.
- Who will be determining the roles and responsibilities of the EL team members? Can a school offer both EL program and half day/alernating program until space in the school becomes available? Will EL programs still be involved in TLCP's (Teaching Learning Critical Pathways)?
Please refer to the Full-Day Early Learning Kindergarten Program for Four- and Five-Year-Olds: A Reference Guide for Educators, found here: http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/curriculum/elementary/kindergarten.html
It is our expectation that schools that offer Full Day Kindergarten will be operating daily, since we are taking a whole school approach to implementing Full Day Kindergarten. Please note that a criterion of year 1 site selection was the availability of space.
It will be up to boards to decide their involvement in programs such as TLCP. (July 21, 2010)
- This program is for 4 year olds and 5 year olds. Whats the cut off date for 4 year olds? My daughters birthday is January 2007 – can she start school of Sept 2011? Is it just one level of kindergarten (unlike two levels of JR and SR KG). That means, she will be in grade 1 of Sept 2012, right?
Children can begin school in Junior Kindergarten in September of the calendar year in which they turn four. Since the cutoff date in Ontario is December 31, this means that children can actually begin school in Junior Kindergarten when they are three years and eight months old. (July 21, 2010)
- Our EA time has been cut down for next year. I have a special needs child in my class presently and he will be in my class again next year. I was told I would not have any EA support for this child because there will be an ECE person in my room and they will beable to take of it for me. I was under the understanding that the ECE was in the classroom to work together with to deliver programming ...not do an EA's job. Can I have some clarification on this please?
The ECE in each Full Day Kindergarten class is part of the delivery of program along with the teacher. The ECE is not a replacement for a special needs EA. (July 21, 2010)
- If kids stay in school for lunch time will parents pay for it?
Boards will develop their own lunch supervision programs, but there is no fee associated with a child who remains at school during the lunch period. (July 21, 2010)
- I was wondering how much choice a parent has in terms of sending their child (ren) full days for the whole week?
Full-Day Kindergarten is a full day program with an extended day option.
Like existing kindergarten programs, Full-Day Kindergarten will remain optional for four- and five-year-olds. Parents will continue to have the choice about whether to enrol their four- and five-year olds.
In Ontario, children are required to attend school once they turn six years old. Although kindergarten is voluntary, 90 per cent of eligible children areenrolled. (July 21, 2010)
- Why is it only going to be the "teachers" role to be responsible for the formal reporting and ECE exclusive role for extended day programs?
The Education Act recognizes that the teacher has the responsibility for formal reporting on the progress of students. Both professionals will have input to the report card and discussions with parents. Since there will only be ECE's in the extended day, it falls to the ECE to be the prime contact with the parents and to ensure that observations about the progress and development of each child are passed along to the parents as well as their teacher partner. (July 16, 2010)
- The Ministry mandates that ECEs and teachers work as a team when teaching the combined JK/SK classes. Teachers have prep time allotted for programming. ECEs do not have any prep time. How are we to work together to plan for programming? This cannot possibly happen during a school day in the classroom.
We are funding a program that involves a teacher and an ECE working together in the classroom. Where there is a before and after school program, the FDK model includes two ECEs over the course of the day, which will allow for sufficient overlap so that the teacher and ECEs can meet to plan out their program. In situations where there is no before and after school program, boards will work with schools to find alternate options. (June 14, 2010)
- Why does the board of education before and after school program for JK/SK aged children cost $5 more a day than other programs. Isn't the school board offered care supposed to be not for profit?
The extended day program is optional for parents and is intended to be funded by revenue from parent fees. Some subsidies will be available to eligible families.
School boards will not profit from fees; the extended day will be operated on full cost recovery. Once approved, board fees will be completely transparent, and posted online on board websites. (June 11, 2010)
- How will lunch hour be supervised? Will children have the opportunity to go home?
This will be a school decision. We would expect that, where possible, parents would have the choice to have their children home for lunch with a guardian, or stay in the supervised program at the school. (May 27, 2010)
- Will the children remain in the same classroom for the entire day, or are schools expected to provide alternate locations within the school for the extended portion of the day?
The extended day program location will be determined at each school with the intended goal of providing as seamless and integrated a full learning experience as possible. (May 27, 2010)
- Will there be funds provided for outfitting classrooms with appropriate materials and equipment required for an early learning program (e.g., sand/water tables, various manipulatives, math and literacy resources geared to a play-based, early learning program)?
There is a new funding allocation to support capital needs of school boards as related to the Early Learning Program. This allocation is a formula-based approach intended to support first-time furniture and equipment purchases, and to address minor renovations for ELP classrooms. More information can be found here < http://faab.edu.gov.on.ca/Memos/B2010/B_7.pdf > (May 27, 2010)
- How does the new Growing Success document and new reporting system for GR 1-12 connect with ELKP? As a principal but foremost an educator, viewing student learning from K - 12 in the past....with the inception of two new documents, but also two separate documents....how will you support administrators and teachers in connecting ELKP to Gr 12? What will the report for ELKP look like?
In January 2008, the ministry began a process to update, clarify, coordinate and consolidate assessment, evaluation and reporting policies for Kindergarten to Grade 12. Ministry staff conducted a lengthy consultation process and a review of existing policies. The process included Kindergarten writing teams. The first draft of the Growing Success policy document included policy for Kindergarten in most chapters (i.e., fundamental principles; learning skills and work habits; assessment, evaluation, performance standards, reporting, ELL, and Special Education). A Junior Kindergarten Observation Report, a Senior Kindergarten Progress Report, and a Junior and Senior Provincial Report Card were drafted. The existing Kindergarten Program, 2006 (revised) was used as the basis for the policy and report cards.
In January 2010, a decision was made to remove from the draft of Growing Success all references to the JK, SK policy and report cards pending the completion of the Early Learning Kindergarten Program (ELKP) consultation process. Growing Success was titled: Growing Success: Assessment, Evaluation and Reporting In Ontario Schools, First Edition, Covering Grades 1 to 12, 2010. A note was included in the introduction stating: "A forthcoming edition, planned for release in 2011 will complete the document, including information pertaining to the curriculum for the new full-day Kindergarten program (planned for release in 2011)."
In the interim, schools will continue to use whatever procedures and strategies they now have in place to connect JK-SK to Grade 1 and on. There will be no revised or updated policies specifically on assessment, evaluation, and reporting other than those which may be developed as part of the spring consultation sessions on the ELKP. No new Provincial Report Cards will be issued.
Following the spring 2010 field consultations on ELKP, staff responsible for Growing Success policy development are to meet with the ELKP curriculum development team to discern how best to align the two initiatives.
In the upcoming school year there will be on-going consultation with the Phase 1 sites for full day ELKP. These discussions would include assessment, evaluation and reporting policies and procedures and could include the extent to which the policies drafted in 2009 would be applicable to the new program. Based on that review, it is anticipated Growing Success Second Edition would be developed incorporating ELKP policies and practices. (May 27, 2010)
- I noticed that there is a new curriculum document coming out that is for the full day learning program. How does this curriculum differ from the present one that is used in the half-day kindergarten program? Are there any significant changes in expectations for both the full day and half day students?
The Full-Day Early Learning-Kindergarten Program has been released in draft to allow for ongoing feedback from teachers, ECEs, principals, parents, and other education stakeholders throughout the first year of implementation.
The new program is a wonderful combination of The Ontario Curriculum: The Kindergarten Program (Revised 2006), Early Learning for Every Child Today (ELECT) from the child care sector, and Dr. Pascal's report Every Child, Every Opportunity (ECEO).
The new program document therefore incorporates the existing kindergarten program with play-based learning to support the seamless integration of the core and extended day components of the new full-day learning model. The response from teachers and ECEs to the introduction of the new program as been exceptionally positive. (May 27, 2010)
- With 'before and after' school programming happenning, when will teachers set up the learning centres for the teaching day?
In most cases across Ontario, the extended day program uptake will be modest in the first year. It is anticipated that Principals will do their very best to find suitable locations in the school for the extended day that enable a strong program to be delivered and the children dropped off and picked up safely. In most cases, the extended day program can be accommodated in a location that does not hinder the access for set up and planning purposes in the classroom before and after school. (May 27, 2010)
- I am a Kindergarten teacher with the WRDSB and am looking forward to implementing the new Early Learning program in September 2010. I am concerned that the number of students in the classes must be reconsidered. Although there will be two teachers in the classroom it will be almost impossible to run a high quality program when space/crowd control must be considered. One child who has behaviour problems could effect the learning of 29 other students. How long will it take to gather 26-30 students on a carpet for a read aloud or a music time? A lot longer than 20 students. I even question how 26 children will ever fit into the coatroom upon entry to the class every day. I do have 30 hooks (something that was counted by the Ministry people) however, some of the hooks are only 2" apart from each other not taking into account that children are wider than 2". I can't imagine winter when there will be a 30 backpacks, snow coat, snow pants, 60 boots, mittens and hats in a room that is 5' x 12'. I think that classes with a smaller ratio of students to teacher is a more effective teaching strategy than putting two teachers (teacher and ECE) in each room.
As you know the Ministry is funding full day programs with an average of 26 students and two adults in the classroom working with children. Both teachers and early childhood educators bring individual strengths and perspectives -- as well as a set of professional competencies -- that have been shown to be highly effective in helping to lower some of the student risks identified by the Early Development Index (completed by kindergarten teachers in every school in Ontario). Clearly we want to do everything possible to help more children be more ready for life.
The 26:2 or 13:1 adult/student ratio over a full day will enable each child to have a greater number of contacts and observations by the Early Learning Professional Team. I understand your point regarding the size of your classroom and the necessity to have suitable cubbies and hooks and space for the larger number of children.
The Ministry has already provided some modest capital funding to Boards so they can make minor renovations that could help situations such as yours. (May 27, 2010)
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