Digital story – Benefits of the fifteen hours kindergarten program
Kirsty, Teacher, Syndal Preschool:
Research shows that children benefit from a quality pre-school program and
obviously fifteen hours you’re going to have lot more opportunities to offer
them so much more than eleven hours, so just embrace it.
What are your thoughts about 15 hours of kindergarten?
Kate, Coordinator of Early Learning and Care, Latrobe City Council:
I was initially very excited because I was very keen for what that would offer
the children in our community, having fifteen hours of funded pre-school a
week.
Allan, parent, Glendonald Park Preschool:
It didn’t worry me at all actually, because Shalimar already enjoyed kinder so
much, and I’ve got a really high opinion of the teachers here that I thought it
would be terrific for her.
Patricia, parent, Syndal Preschool:
I was really pleased to hear that there would be more hours because I was
thinking about how my son… and the other two children as well, how they
were going to transition from a kinder program that was not necessarily fulltime contact hours into schooling, which is a significant jump in contact
hours. So it wasn’t that necessarily wanted them to have those full contact
hours at that pre-school age, but an increase in hours, I thought was going
to be beneficial in the long run in terms of preparing them for school and
transitioning to school.
Su, parent, Syndal Preschool:
Personally, I thought it was great. I found that Jin Ha, my son, I thought he
would be tired at the end of it but he actually wanted more. So I don’t think
that’s enough. But it’s great. It’s a good start.
What benefits have you seen for the children?
Allan, parent, Glendonald Park Preschool:
Shalimar in herself has done very well at the Glendonald Kinder, and she just
comes home with amazing things and I suppose in this last half of the year,
I’ve seen more and more of that to the point where she is reading. She is
actually reading at the moment, and wanting to read and every so often if I
come in she will be pretending to read to the other children at the kinder,
and I think that’s terrific.
Just the excitement in her and to have more of that during the day, I think, is
just better for her.
Kylea, parent, Glendonald Park Preschool:
…I just think that yeah Joy just benefits way more having 15 hours and gets
more one on one time with Mrs Maryann and Mrs Lorraine and just loves it.
And he sort of interacts more with the kids. You know, 12 hours a week isn’t
a lot, and they need, you know, it’s more about social skills as well as
education.
So I just felt that for Jye being a child that has not really been in daycare or
those sort of facilities before it was a huge transition for him in kinder, and I
just felt that yeah his social skills have come along a lot more as well, which I
think is really important.
Jumoke, Early Childhood Educator, Apex Preschool:
They don’t have to rush and they’ve got that variety of things to do. And
we’re quite happy to do that, and I reckon, the moment we start with that,
the children were quite happy knowing the fact that “If I don’t finish this
today, I can do it later,” or, “If we do indoor-outdoor program, whatever
activity I’m doing inside can be extended outside." And it’s because we’ve
got that length of time to do that which I think, it’s yes, the right way to go.
Lisa, President, Syndal Preschool:
I think the 15 hours been fantastic. I think it gives more consistency for the
kids. I think it gives them a better idea of then moving into school the
following the year because obviously that’s full-time schooling and it gives
them better relationships, it teaches them more resilience and also activities
at kinder are fun - they’re highly educational and I just think it gives them
that extra base that they need to then start school with all these kids again
and get into that, I guess, formal learning part of their lives. So for me highly
successful and also I guess research shows that it’s great for the kids and a
good start to their learning in life.