Below are published paraphrases of teachers’ beliefs about
kindergarten readiness and practices (Smith & Shepard,
1988, pp. 316–319). Identify the line numbers for categories of the following:
• Beliefs about child development
• Beliefs about the possibility of catching up
• Beliefs about the possibilities of influencing a child’s
preparation for school
• Beliefs about what teachers can do
Also list any other categories you see in the data.
Mrs. Willis:
1. “Because development constitutes physiological unfolding, rates of
2. development are smooth, continuous, with no spurts
or discontinuities. The
3. child who is 6 months behind in September will be
6 months behind in
4. June. . . . There is little likelihood that a child who
is developmentally behind
5. his agemates would close the gap that separates
them. . . . Intervention is
6. futile with a developmentally unready child. Extra
help or remediation
7. causes pressure, frustration and compensation. Teachers
cannot influence
8. psychomotor abilities, ability to attend, social maturity,
and so
9. forth. . . . Teachers can provide the child with more
time to mature; place the
10. child in developmental kindergarten or preschool,
send him home another
11. year; place the child in a slow group in class; reduce
instruction below [the]
12. frustration level, lower expectations, boost self-concept,
use
13. manipulatives; retain in kindergarten; providing academic assistance is
14. irrelevant and harmful.”
Miss Johnson:
15. “Within broad limits of chronological age, children’s
readiness is a
16. function of their experience, learning program, and
environment. . . . A child
17. who is less prepared than his peers can close the gap
given the right
18. educational circumstances; academic assistance is
required. . . . The teacher
19. can make a difference, as can the parent and other
aspects of [the] environment;
20. within a broad range of pupil abilities, what the pupil
learns is largely a
21. function of opportunities and experiences. . . . The
teacher can provide
22. additional academic help; accommodate differences
in achievement; hold high
23. expectations, reinforce and train; work hard and
encourage the pupil to work
24. hard.”
