Early Childhood Education Commons^™

Sr. Irene: Teacher And Friend, Mary Ade

Ask a Sister: Interview Wisdom from Catholic Women Religious

This paper includes a short piece from interview conducted in December 2018 with Sr. Irene, who has worked in education for 40 years. She recalls her experiences as a sister in her congregation since entry.

Sr. Sara: 21st Century Catholic Education, Molly Bastida

Ask a Sister: Interview Wisdom from Catholic Women Religious

This paper gives a snippet of the life, discernment, and practices of Sr. Sara. Within this paper, Sr. Sara wrestles with her own discernment story and discusses how she believes Catholic education today should look like.

Reducing Racial And Gender Implicit Biases: The Effects Of Multicultural Education On A Child’S Preferences And Occupational Aspirations, Bryanna Paskowitz

Human Development Honors Papers

This project explored the effect of reducing implicit racial and gender bias and the impact on children’s occupational preferences and aspirations. Participants included fifty-two children aged three, four, and five years old from the Connecticut College Children’s Program in New London, Connecticut. The initial hypothesis theorized that children, regardless of race and gender, would have a preference towards White and male individuals as being “good or nice,” and for most occupational roles. The children would also have a prejudice against individuals of color as being “naughty or bad,” and for most occupational roles. The other hypothesis theorized that after children …

Connecting Little J And Big Cuz With A Kindergarten Education Program: Case Study 1: Morphett Vale East Kindergarten, Kathryn Moyle

Little J and Big Cuz

This case study explores how the television program ‘Little J and Big Cuz’ was incorporated into the education program at Morphett Vale East Kindergarten. Morphett Vale East Kindergarten in South Australia is a government-funded kindergarten for children aged between three and five years. Little J & Big Cuz was incorporated into the education program as the screen time activity, which was then followed with discussions about each story the children had seen. The choice of episodes was linked to the learning priorities of the Kindergarten. The viewing responses of the children are discussed as well as how Little J & …

Developing Written Language With Little J And Big Cuz : Case Study 5 : Saint Augustine's School, Kathryn Moyle, Kevin Mcrae

Little J and Big Cuz

St Augustine’s School is a Catholic primary school located in the town of Mossman in Far North Queensland. Jo Brooks is the Prep class teacher at St Augustine’s School, and she incorporated the Little J & Big Cuz television series into her teaching and learning program. Her Prep class has 21 students of whom five identify as being Indigenous; four as Aboriginal and one as a Torres Strait Islander. Jo found a valuable teaching resource in the Little J & Big Cuz series. This resource engaged her Prep class. It led to student directed conversations and to diverse student initiated …

Investigating Early Childhood Teachers’ Perceptions Of A Preschool Yoga Program, Kenya Wolff, Alicia Stapp

Faculty and Student Publications

© The Author(s) 2019. Yoga for young children has become a growing area of interest in early childhood settings across the United States. Evidence suggests that yoga has the ability to improve young children’s physical development, executive functioning, self-regulation, and can aid in decreasing stress and anxiety. While the scope of research on yoga for young children has primarily focused on the experiences and outcomes of the children who participate, far less is known about the experiences and perceptions of teachers who have engaged in such programs with their students. This study utilized a qualitative case study to investigate teachers’ …

Latent Growth Curve And Latent Change Score Modeling Of Developmental Relationships Between Executive Functioning And Math Achievement In Early Elementary School, Kerry-Ann Lewis Pearcy

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The current study compared latent growth curve (LGC) models and latent change score (LCS) models capabilities in modeling complex data in a development framework. Using the nationally representative ECLS-K:2011 dataset, LGC and LCS models explored the dynamic relationship between executive function and math achievement. The relationship between the two constructs has been extensively examined but little is understood about their dynamic relationship. The findings of this study indicated LCS to be more robust than LGC in modeling complex data and in examining dynamic relationship. The findings also suggested that one of the two executive functioning tasks, Dimensional Change Card Sort …

Retention Study And Fourth Grade Queer Book Study Curriculum, Victoria C. C. Elias

Graduate Student Independent Studies

This paper presents a queer literature unit for a fourth grade class within the context of a larger literature curriculum on identity.

Digital Storytelling And Young Children: Transforming Learning Through Creative Use Of Technology, Jessica Lantz

Libraries

Using Puentedura’s framework for transformative use of technology for learning, and the guidelines for developmentally appropriate practice, practitioner vignettes, and practical strategies highlight the possibilities for integrating digital storytelling activities in the PK-3 classroom in support of literacy learning. The chapter explores ways in which digital storytelling can be a transformational way for young children to develop an array of literacy skills. The vignettes share examples of teachers integrating digital storytelling activities in transformative ways to enhance children’s learning. The chapter provides suggestions for lesson ideas and digital tools for engaging young children in a variety of storytelling projects.

Eight Weeks And A Poetry Slam: A Poetry Curriculum For Second-Graders, Kate Hest

Graduate Student Independent Studies

This paper presents a rationale and an eight-week poetry reading and writing curriculum designed for second-grade students. At the heart of the curriculum is Owl Moon by Jane Yolen, used as a mentor text to guide students’ exploration of poetry. This central text is complemented by a diverse selection of poems and picture books.

Building The Case For Culturally Specific P-3 Strategies In Oregon: Listening To Voices From The Field, Callie H. Lambarth, Amanda Cross-Hemmer, Lorelei Mitchell, Beth L. Green, Kate Normand

Early Childhood

Oregon’s early learning and K-12 systems require transformative changes to address racial disparities in school readiness and success. Prenatal-through-Grade-3 (P-3) initiatives are an innovative way to align, strengthen and expand supports for this goal.

Culturally specific organizations (CSOs) are uniquely poised and expertly prepared to meet the needs of communities of color while helping Oregon achieve its goals for reducing disparities in kinder­garten readiness and other educational outcomes.

The proposed Early Childhood Equity Fund, which is included in the governor’s recommended 2019 budget, would move Oregon closer to eliminating the opportunity gap in kindergarten readiness and school success by investing …

Little J & Big Cuz: A School Readiness Initiative: Final Report And Case Studies, Kathryn Moyle

Little J and Big Cuz

The purpose of this study was to identify potential social and behavioural changes in individuals, schools and communities that could result from the implementation of the School Readiness Initiative (SRI) television project Little J & Big Cuz. This study comprised the preparation of a literature review, and the development of case studies drawn from early childhood, preschool and junior primary school settings. Little J & Big Cuz is a 13-part animated television series that was commissioned as a SRI television project to build the school readiness of children and to support the successful home to school transition of Indigenous children …

Preparing Socially And Emotionally For Preschool With Little J And Big Cuz: Case Study 2: One Tree Community Centre Yera Children's Service, Kathryn Moyle

Little J and Big Cuz

The Yera Children’s Service in the Northern Territory is located within the campus of Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education (BIITE) in the township of Batchelor, 98 kilometres south of Darwin. Yera Children’s Service at Batchelor has 34 places for children from birth to three years of age and a ‘kindy’ room that caters for children aged three to six years of age. The early childhood educators prepare development programs for the children, including programs to develop children’s social and emotional wellbeing and prepare them for their transition to junior primary school. Keiryn Christodoulou has been an educator at the …

Supporting Social And Emotional Learning With Little J And Big Cuz: Case Study 3: Marion Primary School, Kathryn Moyle, Kevin Mcrae

Little J and Big Cuz

Marion Primary School is located 10 kilometres south of the Adelaide CBD. There is a high level of student transience due in part to the mobility of families in short-term rental accommodation, which includes parents who are students at the nearby Flinders University. Students come from a diversity of cultural backgrounds with more than 14 countries represented in the school. In 2018, there were 21 students enrolled who identified as being of Indigenous descent. To support these Indigenous students and their families, the school has an Aboriginal Community Education Officer, Eileen Butler, known to everyone as ‘Aunty Eileen’. A team …

Teachable Moments: Planning Early Childhood Programs For Indigenous Children That Incorporate Little J And Big Cuz : Case Study 4: Batchelor Institute Of Indigenous Tertiary Education, Kathryn Moyle

Little J and Big Cuz

Students in the Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care course at Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education (BIITE) incorporated the children’s television program Little J & Big Cuz into their early childhood programs and family life in the respective communities in which they live and work. This course is a three year program and enrolment requires that the students are working in early childhood settings. The BIITE students who planned and incorporated Little J & Big Cuz into their early childhood programs live in Yarralin and the Tiwi Islands.

Is Little J And Big Cuz Suitable For Children In Preschool? Case Study 6: Wulagi Family Centre, Wulagi School, Kathryn Moyle

Little J and Big Cuz

The Wulagi Family Centre and Wulagi Preschool in Darwin in the Northern Territory provide programs for children and adults that emphasise the importance of language development and high quality interactions between children and adults, informed by the Abecedarian Approach. This case study of the Wulagi Preschool asks the question: is the Little J and Big Cuz television program suitable for children in preschool? At Wulagi Preschool Little J and Big Cuz was trialled with 40 children, aged between 3 and 4 years of age. About a third of these children identify as being Indigenous. Due to the timing of this …

Shades Of Black: Topics Of Self-Love And Appreciation, Natasha Harris

Graduate Student Independent Studies

This Integrative Master’s Project presents a curriculum designed to support the development of student-led affinity groups for African American or Black students attending predominantly White schools.

Electronic Field Trips For Science Engagement: The Streaming Science Model, Jamie Loizzo, Mary J. Harner, Deborah J. Weitzenkamp, Kevin Kent

Southeast Research and Extension Center: Reports and Administration

While institutions of higher education work to engage PK-12 youth in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) concepts and careers via in-person programming, PK-12 teachers and students face many logistical and access constraints for physically traveling to sites off of school grounds during the school day. Throughout the years, electronic field trips (EFTs) have offered a digital way for schools to engage in meaningful ways with museums, parks, laboratories, and field research sites. In order for EFTs to be effective, they should be cost effective and created collaboratively with teachers, students, subject matter experts, and instructional design and communication professionals. …

Buffett Early Childhood Institute: Five Year Report 2013-18, Buffett Early Childhood Institute

Buffet Early Childhood Institute Reports and Publications

The Buffett Early Childhood Institute began operations in June 2013. We were charged with creating a new model for how public higher education can engage in early education by helping to transform the lives of young children and their families. This report presents a by-thenumbers profile of who we are and what we’ve accomplished in our first five years. Following the numbers you’ll find brief descriptions of programs, initiatives, financials, and the Institute itself.

The Nebraska Panhandle: An Assessment Of Birth-Grade 3 Care And Education, Panhandle Birth – Grade 3 Leadership Team

Buffet Early Childhood Institute Reports and Publications

This report summarizes the collaborative work of the Panhandle Partnership, Inc., Educational Service Unit (ESU) 13, and the Buffett Early Childhood Institute at the University of Nebraska in documenting and assessing birth through Grade 3 programming in the Nebraska Panhandle. The report summarizes findings from 15 school-community conversations and includes data snapshots from local communities that provide information about the status of young children and the services and supports that exist to serve them and their families. Work in the Panhandle was undertaken on the basis of an agreement between the three organizations to work together to better understand and …