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Winter 1999
How are the Minnesota Graduation
Standards Impacting Kindergarten Practice
1. How have you learned about using
the Minnesota Graduation Standards in your classroom?
Please check all that apply.
99% School inservice/faculty meetings
84% District meetings
58% Other teachers/administrators Families and Learning
38% Self study
Education Minnesota (formerly MEA/MFT) 32% newsletter
7% conference
Minnesota Department of Children, 27% workshops 5% website
Other ways not mentioned above -
Media: newspaper, TV, radio talk shows, internet
Professional organizations: Minnesota Kindergarten Association,
MEEP convention
Committees/district inservices: Language Arts committee,
Son's PAC meeting/ High School registration, IL meeting
Classes/courses/workshops: Graduate classes, Minnesota
Center for the Arts
Involvement with Standards: Developed some, pilot site
1a. Which of these was the most helpful?
Why?
School inservice/faculty meeting/district
meeting: 51%
Knowledgeable peers/presenters
Able to discuss informally/dialogue
Individualized to school/grade
Worked in a large group to get the large picture, and
made applications in small groups
Ongoing work
Other teachers/administrators: 8%
Learned how to apply this to my classroom
Minnesota Department of Children, Families and Learning:
0%
Knowledgeable instructor
Specific activities for kindergarten
Instructor's approach was "hands on"
Other: We do not formally use the Graduation Standards
in kindergarten
They try to explain before everything is in place, so
they are unable to answer questions
Information changed with every meeting
Not very relevant to kindergarten
2. The Basic Skills Tests and the
Comprehensive Tests
Minnesota students are required to take comprehensive
tests in 3rd and 5th grades, and the basic skills test
in 8th grade. Are these tests impacting what you do
in kindergarten?
Yes 41%
No 55%
The Basic Skills Tests and the Comprehensive Tests
ARE impacting what we do in kindergarten
We are building the foundation for future learning in
kindergarten.
Skills are sequential, and we are building them each
year.
There are positive outcomes from the testing:
We are relating curriculum to our district standards
We are adding more critical thinking and inquiry
There are more "hands on" activities, stressing application
We add more writing
We introduce vocabulary and processes needed later
Kindergarten teachers know what is included in the tests
and they have been teaching it.
The Basic Skills tests and the Comprehensive Tests
ARE NOT impacting what we do in kindergarten.
Experienced teacher report that they know what kindergarten
children need
There is more pressure to teach academics and skills
We are moving away from developmentally appropriate
practices
Kindergarten is an environment that supports individuals
at their own learning rate
Districts have mandated the time I spend in teaching
skills
Social Studies, Science, Music and Art are being left
out
Kindergarten programs have always supported developmental
learning for children
3. Impact upon your teaching
Have the High Standards had a positive
impact on your teaching?
Yes 45%
No 53%
3a. The High Standards
have had a positive impact upon my teaching.
There is a broader range and depth
of subject matter
The Standards challenge us to expect more
Parents are viewing school more seriously which shows
in the children
They have forced us to develop new teaching strategies
They have raised teachers' consciousness about teaching
and learning
They have helped guide curricular decisions
The High Standards have led to positive teaching and
influenced the children's learning:
Children's thinking is stretched
Lessons and activities have built vocabulary
Developed better questioning strategies
We look at children as individuals
Lessons built on what children know
Students demonstrate what they know
There is pressure to change
The Standards have encouraged professional growth:
The Standards confirm what we have always done
We are more organized and aware
We question reasons for including certain areas of curriculum
The Standards have led to important discussions among
teachers
The standards have caused us to reevaluate what we do
3b. Have the High Standards had a negative impact
on your teaching?
Yes 27%
No 66%
The High Standards HAVE HAD a negative impact
on my teaching
They encourage questionable practices in kindergarten
Kindergarten becomes a mini first grade
There is less time for socialization and play
Teachers are unable to teach Themes
Students may think they are failures
Now we have a reading series for kindergarten
Stress is placed on teachers and children
District expectations are too difficult for young children
Children are not ready for imposed curriculum
There is pressure to change
In addition the High Standards have had a negative
impact on teachers:
Too much assessment is required
There is too much inservice
It is discouraging to learn that CFL doesn't think we're
doing good work
There is too much required
The morale of staff is so low
There is pressure from upper grades
There is not enough time and support to figure it out
They require kindergarten teachers to do too much, especially
in half day program
3c. Have the High Standards influenced your students,
learning?
Yes 25%
No 65%
The High Standards have positively influences
my student's learning.
Students are having more opportunities to learn or be
involved with components of the High Standards:
They may draw or write about solutions
They have opportunities to have more in depth study
with topics
They read more nonfiction
They do more estimation and tallying
They can demonstrate their learning through a variety
of assessments
There is greater emphasis on student accountability
and responsibility
The High Standards have not influenced the student's
learning.
Experienced teachers feel that present practices are
appropriate
Teachers' perceptions that the High Standards do not
meet individual students' needs
Teachers feel that they are locked in to prescribed
curriculum
Additional comments for discussion:
We need full day every day kindergarten
Kindergarten teachers have always been performance based
I feel fortunate not to have to complete Packages
The Standards have not yet impacted my teaching
The High Standards, the ten areas of learning, happen
in kindergarten all the time
I think the Early Childhood Standards are much more
appropriate for kindergarten and first grade
There is "nothing new"
4. The High Standards (The Profile
of Learning)
Have you considered the 10 areas
of learning when planning your curriculum?
69% Yes
25% No
Below are the primary standards (K-3). Please indicate
the level of use:
Rate: 1 (never) 2 (somewhat) 3 (more than once) 4 (often)
Learning Area One: Read, View and
Listen
Rating scale: 1 (never)=3%
2 (somewhat)=17% 3 (more than once)=10% 4 (often)=69%
A student shall demonstrate comprehension of literal
meaning through
reading, viewing or listening to nonfiction and fiction
selections.
A student shall interpret and evaluate information from
age-appropriate
nonfiction and fiction selections by reading, viewing
and listening.
Learning Area Two: Write and Speak
Rating scale: 1 (never)=10%
2 (somewhat)=25% 3 (more than once)=25% 4 (often)=39%
A student shall demonstrate the ability to write and
speak for a variety of academic and technical purposes.
Learning Area Three: The Arts
Rating scale: 1 (never)=29%
2 (somewhat)=43% 3 (more than once)=17% 4 (often)=9%
A student shall describe at least three of the art forms;
dance, visual art, music, theater using the vocabulary
of the art form and identifying similarities and differences
between forms.
Learning Area Four: Mathematical
Applications
Rating scale: 1 (never)=4%
2 (somewhat)=20% 3 (more than once)=20% 4 (often)=54%
Number sense: A student shall use number relationships
to represent information and solve problems.
Shape, Space and Measurement: A student shall apply
concepts of shape, space and measurement to solve problems
involving two and three dimensional shapes.
Learning Area Five: Inquiry
Rating scale:1 (never)=3%
2 (somewhat)=25% 3 (more than once)=25% 4 (often)=47%
A student shall demonstrate the ability to categorize,
classify and record information.
Learning Area Six: Applied Scientific
Methods
Rating scale: 1 (never)=7%
2 (somewhat)=31% 3 (more than once)=35% 4 (often)=25%
A student shall demonstrate knowledge of basic science
concepts of physical science, life science and earth
and space science through direct experience.
Learning Area Seven: People and Culture
Rating scale: 1 (never)=5%
2 (somewhat)=31% 3 (more than once)=31% 4 (often)=33%
A student shall demonstrate knowledge of the interaction
of location, family, school and community.
Learning Area Eight: Decision Making-
Personal Health and Fitness
Rating scale: 1 (never)=8%
2 (somewhat)=22% 3 (more than once)=32% 4 (often)=38%
A student shall demonstrate an understanding of activities
that promote personal fitness, health, nutrition, and
safety.
Learning Area Nine: Resource Management-
Introduction to Technology
Rating scale: 1 (never)=21%
2 (somewhat)=31% 3 (more than once)=25% 4 (often)=22%
A student shall use appropriate computer technology
to access information and to produce products.
Learning Area Ten: World Languages
Rating scale: 1 (never)=39%
2 (somewhat)=45% 3 (more than once)=5% 4 (often)=9%
Communicate in a language other than English.
4a. My district is not requiring
kindergarten teachers to use the High Standards. 36%
(check if true)
Comments:
I am required to work in all areas.
Kindergarten teachers are required to be familiar with
the Ten Areas of Learning and provide age-appropriate
activities.
5. Performance Packages
The performance packages are lessons
and assessment ideas written at the third grade level
for teachers to use with their students. Below is the
list of the names of the Primary Performance Packages.
Please write your level of use for each on the line:
1(never), 2(looked at), 3(used part/adapted), 4(completed)
__Author Study 1 (never)= 39%, 2 (looked at)= 9%, 3
(used part/adapted)=16%, 4 (completed)=0
__Board Game 1 (never)= 50% , 2 (looked at)= 8% , 3
(used part/adapted)=3%, 4 (completed)= 0
__Book Illustration 1 (never)= 45%, 2 (looked at)= 8%,
3 (used part/adapted)= 6%, 4 (completed) =0
__Can a Sinker Float? 1 (never)= 34% , 2 (looked at)=
8%, 3 (used part/adapted)=22%, 4 (completed)= 0
__Gift Wrap and Postage 1 (never)= 41%, 2 (looked at)=
13%, 22% 3 (used part/adapted)=8% , 4 (completed)= 0
__Hand in Hand Stamp 1 (never)= 50%, 2 (looked at)=
8%, 3 (used part/adapted)= 0, 4 (completed)= 0
__Marker Combinations & Square Numbers 1 (never)=
54%, 2 (looked at)= 4%, 3 (used part/adapted)= 5%, 4
(completed)= 0
__Method Improvising 1 (never)= 58% , 2 (looked at)=
1%, 3 (used part/adapted)= 0 , 4 (completed)= 0
__Planning and Carrying Out & Invest 1 (never)=
55%, 2 (looked at)= 3%, 3 (used part/adapted)= 4%, 4
(completed)= 0
__Properties of Earth 1 (never)= 50% , 2 (looked at)=
6%, 3 (used part/adapted)=4%, 4 (completed)= 0
__Rhythm & Poetry 1 (never)= 46%, 2 (looked at)=
3%, 3 (used part/adapted)=10%, 4 (completed)= 0
__Sunrise and Sunset Objects Journal 1 (never)= 60%,
2 (looked at)= 0, 3 (used part/adapted)= 0, 4 (completed)=
0
__Systematic Observation 1 (never)= 49%, 2 (looked at)=
8%, 3 (used part/adapted)=2%, 4 (completed)= 0
__Tally Sheet 1 (never)= 41%, 2 (looked at)= 13%, 3
(used part/adapted)=12%, 4 (completed)= 0
__Technology 1 (never)= 49%, 2 (looked at)= 7%, 3 (used
part/adapted)= 8%, 4 (completed)= 0
__The Food Pyramid 1 (never)= 34%, 2 (looked at)= 13%,
3 (used part/adapted)=14%, 4 (completed)= 5%
__Watching the News 1 (never)= 52%, 2 (looked at)= 7%,
3 (used part/adapted)=2%, 4 (completed)= 0
__Wolves-Fact and Fiction 1 (never)= 49%, 2 (looked
at)= 8%, 3 (used part/adapted)= 4%, 4 (completed)= 0
__Word Processing 1 (never)= 53%, 2 (looked at)= 4%,
3 (used part/adapted)=3%, 4 (completed)= 0
__Dramatizing a Story, Fable or Folktale 1 (never)=
34%, 2 (looked at)= 10%, 3 (used part/adapted)=17% 4
(completed)= 0
__Exploring Language 1 (never)= 56%, 2 (looked at)=
3%, 3 (used part/adapted)= 2%, 4 (completed)= 0
__Food Chains 1 (never)= 47%, 2 (looked at)= 8%, 3 (used
part/adapted)=5%, 4 (completed)= 0
__Marvelous Music 1 (never)= 54%, 2 (looked at)= 5%,
3 (used part/adapted)=0, 4 (completed)= 0
__Personal Symbol-Making Project 1 (never)= 60%, 2 (looked
at)= 1%, 3 (used part/adapted)= 0, 4 (completed)= 0
__The Shapes and Colors of Dance 1 (never)= 50%, 2 (looked
at)= 5%, 3 (used part/adapted)=3%, 4 (completed)= 0
__Story Quilt 1 (never)= 50%, 2 (looked at)= 8%, 3 (used
part/adapted)=3%, 4 (completed)= 0
__Writing and Speak 1 (never)= 51%, 2 (looked at)= 8%,
3 (used part/adapted)= 10%, 4 (completed)= 0
5a. Has your district required you to complete
any entire package/s?
Yes 7%
No 86%
Which one/s?
We adapted some of the existing Packages.
We are not required to do Packages.
Packages are not appropriate in kindergarten.
5b. Have you created performance packages which
you use with your students?
Yes 11%
No 80%
Please describe:
Winter was created for the Minneapolis
kindergarten teachers
Why are you asking me about 3rd grade requirements?
We have created appropriate tasks for kindergarten children
We have modified or adapted existing Packages.
Additional comments:
Great to have High Standards, but
forget the Performance Packages.
Survey Background: 500 surveys were mailed to a random
sample of the 1,784 Minnesota public school kindergarten
teachers. 131 were returned. Some teachers included
examples of Performance Packages they have adapted for
use in kindergarten. They will be added to this website
by June 1. This project was funded by a Membership Action
Grant offered by the National Association for the Education
of Young Children. Thank you to all of the kindergarten
teachers who responded to the survey. For further information
about this survey, please contact:
Gretchen Kranz Irvine, Augsburg College, 2211 Riverside
Ave. , Minneapolis, MN 55454
612-330-1315
irvine@augsburg.edu
Betsy Halden, Macalester College, 1600 Grand Ave., St.
Paul, MN 55106
651-696-6327
halden@macalester.edu
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