Date of Award:

5-2012

Document Type:

Thesis

Degree Name:

Master of Science (MS)

Department:

Human Development and Family Studies

Department name when degree awarded

Family, Consumer, and Human Development

Committee Chair(s)

Shelley L. Knudsen Lindauer

Committee

Shelley L. Knudsen Lindauer

Committee

Kaelin M. Olsen

Committee

Elizabeth B. Fauth

Abstract

This study was conducted to understand what mothers with children enrolled in a developmentally appropriate preschool program believe and are actually doing to help prepare their children for kindergarten, something of key importance, as kindergarten success is a foundation for later school success. There is very little research on the topic of parental perceptions and practices in kindergarten readiness and the transition into kindergarten.

A survey was sent home to 60 families who had their child enrolled in the Adele and Dale Young Child Development Laboratory at Utah State University during the 2010-2011 school year. In the survey, parents were asked to rate the importance of, as well as how often their child participated in a variety of activities, such as reading stories, playing outside, and building with blocks, to help prepare for kindergarten. Parents were also asked to rate the importance of parent involvement in children’s education. The relationship between maternal perceptions/practices and both mothers’ educational levels and the child’s birth status was also examined. Thirty-three mothers returned completed questionnaires.

Results showed that mothers were mostly developmentally appropriate in their responses about the importance of using literacy and math in their children’s lives. It was also found that mothers was most developmentally appropriate in their perceptions of parent involvement, literacy, and social development.

Checksum

6bd8ed10f692a8caf9c818129a93f727

Comments

This work made publicly available electronically on April 12, 2012.

Download

Share

COinS

Copyright for this work is retained by the student. If you have any questions regarding the inclusion of this work in the Digital Commons, please email us at .