Testing 123

In the United States, kindergarten has generally been considered an educational setting that provides opportunities for children to ready themselves for the academic and social worlds of formal education. However, the twenty-first-century drive toward increased academic standards has been felt even in the earliest grades, leading some researchers to express concern that the kindergarten experience is being compromised.

Carefully read the following six sources, including the introductory information for each source, and consider the implications of transforming kindergarten into a more academic environment than it has been in the past. Then synthesize material from at least three of the sources and incorporate it into a coherent, well-written argument in which you take a position on what kindergarten should be. Your argument should be the focus of your essay. Use the sources to develop your argument and explain the reasoning for it. Avoid merely summarizing the sources. Indicate clearly which sources you are drawing from, whether through direct quotation, paraphrase, or summary. You may cite the sources as Source A, Source B, etc., or by using the descriptions in parentheses.