Early Childhood Education Commons^™

Testing The Global Ratings Of Environments [Groe] In South Africa, Melissa Aives

Graduate Student Independent Studies

The author retested an observational tool called the Global Ratings of Environments. The tool was used in nearly six early childhood development (ECD) centers across two provinces. A detailed report of observations and findings are included in this paper. Also included are recommendations and revisions of the GROE for future use.

Quality Of Early Childhood Development Services Across Contexts : Experience With The Sithuthukile Trust, South Africa, Rachel Warren

Graduate Student Independent Studies

The purpose of this paper is to understand how the quality of early childhood development (ECD) programs is determined within two different contexts: western and South African.

Romps, Riots, And Revels In The Land Of Make-Believe : Imaginative Play As A Prerequisite For Social And Emotional Development In Early Childhood Through Adolescence, Shoshana Balk

Graduate Student Independent Studies

This paper explores the impact of imaginative play on child development, as well as its educational benefits when incorporated into the learning environment.

Implementing Culturally And Linguistically Responsive Strategies Using Children's Literature In The Urban Multicultural Preschool: Examining Teachers' Language Dialect Beliefs And Practices, Nicole Victoria Bailey Austin

Teaching & Learning Theses & Dissertations

This study examined preschool teachers' implementation of culturally and linguistically responsive strategies using children's literature in an urban multicultural preschool. Through a qualitative phenomenological design, this research aimed to expand understandings of language dialect and achievement in early childhood education and examine preschool teachers' knowledge, beliefs, and instructional practices regarding identified home languages—African American Vernacular English and Hispanic American English, Academic Language, and code switching. The phenomenon under investigation was early childhood professionals' beliefs and frequency of home language dialect use within the classroom and implementation of culturally and linguistically responsive strategies within the classrooms of an urban multicultural preschool …

California Community Colleges Child Development Laboratory Schools, Shari Yates

Dissertations

Community colleges in California are the primary source for preparing the early childhood care and education (ECE) workforce. The California child development lab school mission is to prepare ECE practitioners, provide a laboratory where college students can study and research child development/education, and offer a service to children and families. There are many benefits that are derived from laboratory schools but many community college lab schools have been reduced and/or closed over the past three years. The purposes of this Delphi study were (a) to examine the most pressing issues, problems and barriers facing California community colleges child development labs …

Power Of Equality Myths: A Transdisciplinary Study Examining The Influence Of Equality Policy On Teaching And Learning, Jennifer Gutiérrez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

There has been steady interest in the ideology of equity in schooling practices reflected in the written artifacts of the United States, especially in the last thirty years. However, equality-laden language is often used without definition or critical examination. The assumed meaning of equality terminology is problematic--especially for classroom teachers who are directly held accountable for the practice of equality policy. This inquiry critically evaluates the multiple implications of this common-sense usage of language related to issues of equality, equity, sameness, and even democracy. Using the combined methodologies of educational criticism, critical discourse analysis, and self-ethnography, this transdisciplinary investigation describes, …

Implementation Of The Ready! For Kindergarten Program, Sharon Bonnett

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Research has shown that nearly 50 percent of Minnesota children entering kindergarten are not well prepared with the skills necessary to be successful in the kindergarten curriculum (MinneMinds, 2014 ). This gap in kindergarten readiness creates an achievement gap causing students to face significant hurdles to academic achievement (MinneMinds, 2014) which are hard to improve over time. Investment in parent-focused early childhood education programs has been shown to create the heftiest gains for children across a wide range of outcome measures and is a critical step in ensuring that children are prepared for success in school (Neville et al., 2013).

School Psychologists' Early Numeracy Training And Practices, Jia Liu-Trofimovsky

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

An emergent area of research pertains to early numeracy, or number sense. Early numeracy plays a significant role in the development of mathematics skills, and researchers have recognized its importance for overall academic achievement. This study surveyed practicing school psychologists to investigate current early numeracy training and practices. A nationwide sample of 279 school psychologists completed a Web-based survey modeled after the available early numeracy research. The majority of individuals reported receiving at least one professional development training for academic concerns per year. A larger number of participants had training for reading and early literacy compared to early numeracy. Related …

Being Different, Teaching Difference : Challenges And Possibilities For Non-Heterosexual Men In Elementary School Teaching, Jonathan Farmer

Graduate Student Independent Studies

This inquiry brought together the experiences of six male teachers working in NYC schools who identify as either gay, queer, or bisexual. The purpose of this study was to obtain rich qualitative data to create a portrait of these teachers, each with unique backgrounds and opinions about the challenges or responsibilities of working with young children.

A Study & Original Material On Peer Relationships & Concepts Of Friendship In Very Young Children, Maia A. Cannon

Graduate Student Independent Studies

Explores theory, observation, and practice dealing with friendship issues among three to four year old preschoolers. It sketches a portrait of the age group using general developmental and socio-cultural theories, and concludes that social emotional adjustment and relationships are crucial to young children's development. Also includes an original picture book by the author.

The Case For Anti-Bias Preschool And Curriculum For Teachers, Children And Families : Thriving And Learning In A Diverse Child-Led Environment, Nicole Robbins

Graduate Student Independent Studies

Attempts to make the case for the design of an anti-bias preschool. The paper looks at the specific age when young children begin to notice similarities and differences pertaining to physical characteristics, social-economic characteristics, cultural characteristics and developmental variations. It explores the impact formal anti-bias education can have in the preschool setting. This includes impacts on children, families, and teachers. Recommendations are provided in the form of a teacher -training module that includes practical tips as well as an example of an anti-bias curriculum.

Developmentally-Appropriate Practice In The Classroom, Rayna Kailynn Prothro

Theses Digitization Project

Early childhood research literature has shown that develpmentally-appropriate practice (DAP) has a multitude of positive effects on young children's development including emotional, social, cognitive, and neurological benefits. When DAP is practiced by teachers, children are engaged in low stress learning activities, their social development is supported, and their classroom envirornment supports their cognitive and brain development. DAP provides an environment that supports all children academically.

A Study Of The Coping Strategies Of Financially Vulnerable Families Facing The Child Care Cliff, Susan J. Roll

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

For many families child care is a necessity for economic self sufficiency, as without it caretakers cannot enter and stay in the workforce. However, for many low-income families childcare expenses are so high that they often cannot afford it without government support. The focus of this study was to understand how families make decisions about childcare in relation to government support. Of specific interest are low-income families who receive the government supported child care subsidy in Colorado known as the Colorado Child Care Assistance Program (CCCAP).

CCCAP is a part of work support benefits that are provided by the State …

Cortisol Reactivity Across The Day At Child Care: Examining The Contributions Of Child Temperament And Attachment To Mother And Lead Teacher, Lisa S. Badanes

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Previous work has shown that full-day center-based child care is associated with increased physiologic stress for many young children (e.g., Tout, de Haan, Campbell, & Gunnar, 1998; Watamura, Sebanc, & Gunnar, 2002). Specifically, increasing cortisol from morning to afternoon at full-day child care in contrast to decreasing cortisol across the day for these same children at home has been repeatedly demonstrated for toddlers and preschoolers. Factors that have been related to rising cortisol across the day at child care include the child's age (rising cortisol at child care between 2 and 5 years, but not for infants or older children, …

Efficacy Of Early Literacy Intervention Project For Early Literacy Development In Family Child Care Homes, Gloria Ruth Kinzler

Theses Digitization Project

This project focused on the concept that family childcare providers who completed "Building Literacy Bridges" intervention project, which included interactive early literacy classes on phonological and print awareness, dialogic and shared reading skills, as well as providing a literacy rich environment, would implement those concepts into their daily care with children. Nine family childcare providers completed the four-hour per week, four-week intervention project.

What Archetypes Of Representation Do Children Between The Ages Of Four And Seven Employ When Creating Route Maps Of Familiar Interior Spaces?, Christine G. Price

Educational Studies Dissertations

This study investigated the symbols of representation young children choose to incorporate when they draw route maps of familiar interior spaces, based on the premise that development of map-making skills might unfold in much the same stage-like manner as the development of the ability to draw the human figure. In this investigation, children between the ages of 4 and 7 enrolled in a small independent elementary school were each asked to draw a map showing the route a person unfamiliar to the school would take to travel from the child's classroom to the school gymnasium. Strategies during map-making were noted; …

The Well-Being Of Children As Viewed Through Their Conceptions Of Death, Jennifer Kampmann

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

An explorative study was conducted to try and understand how young children’s emerging death concepts form including, (a) what family demographics and child factors contributed to family well-being, (b) did family well-being influence children’s social competence, and (c) did family well-being and children’s social competence influence children’s death conceptions. Although the subject of death contains many unique characteristics, it is not easily separated from other aspects of life; death is inseparable from the whole human experience (DeSpelder & Strickland, 2002). It was the assumption of this paper that children develop their conceptions of death based on the appreciation they hold …

Activities For Elementary Libraries To Integrate Nonfiction Reading, Cynthia L. Debock

All Graduate Projects

The focus ofthis project was to create activities that would encourage Kindergarten through Fourth grade elementary students in the use of nonfiction texts for personal enjoyment and information gathering. The project consists of activities designed to increase reading of nonfiction by the early elementary student. The activities are developed based upon a review of research that indicates improved reading comprehension of expository text among students who are taught to use interactive strategies. The activities include activation of prior knowledge through K-W-L, various graphic organizers, and DR-T A/DL-TA and providing a method for the reader to discover the structure or organizational …

Special Focus Programs, Magnet Programs And Schools, And Early Childhood Education Centers: Equal Access In Portland Public School's Elementary Options, Nancy Seidule Hauth

Dissertations and Theses

As parents and educators demand more choice programs in their school districts, it is important for district officials to govern issues around equal access. When specialty programs are designed by grassroots groups and school staff without district-level guidance or funding, as it is in Portland, Oregon, equal access provisions can be overlooked resulting in lower ethnic and socio-economic diversity.

The purpose of this study was threefold: to determine if all families in Portland Public School district have equal access to special focus/magnet programs at the elementary grades; to better understand the link between Portland's past desegregation policies and current choice …

The Influence Of An Early Childhood Program On The Academic Achievement, Attendance, And Attitudes Of Urban At-Risk Students, Daisy Mccray Murphy

Theses and Dissertations in Urban Services - Urban Education

The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of an early childhood preschool program on the achievement, attendance, and attitudes of at-risk students in an urban Southeastern school division in Virginia. The study compared two groups of Title I eligible four-year-olds, those who participated (n = 88) and those who did not non-participate (n = 54), in a preschool program. A review of the literature revealed that early intervention efforts have addressed the school success dilemma for at-risk students with varying degrees of effectiveness. Increased attention toward the implementation of developmentally appropriate learning environments have afforded at-risk students …

Resilience Profiles Of Young Children In Special Education And Poverty-Related Programs: The Role Of Protective Factors, Evelyn Reed-Victor

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

No abstract provided.

The Home-School Connection: Parental Influences On A Child's Esl Acquisition, Catharine Jauhiainen

Dissertations and Theses

Few would dispute the tremendous impact that parents have on the intellectual, emotional, and social development of their children. An important issue in child second language acquisition is whether, or to what extent, parental attitudes and behaviors are associated with the success of language minority children in elementary ESL and mainstream classroom settings. The effects of parental educational values and expectations, and parental perception of ability to assist in the educational journey of their offspring, have been the focus of much research regarding majority language children. However, research exploring the beliefs and behaviors of language minority parents and their relationship …

A Comparison Of The Effects Of Head Start With And Without The Use Of A Newly Developed Resiliency-Based Curriculum, Elizabeth Holt Mcgee

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

No abstract provided.

An Extension Of Dyadic Counseling To Multi-Family Group Training With Application For Head Start Families, Janet J. Zanetti

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of one short-term training model, Parents and Children Together (PACT), on parent stress and child behavior for families enrolled in the Head Start program. PACT is a program of structured play activities designed to replicate the interactions between parents and children during the first developmental stage of life. PACT has been adapted, by the researcher, from a program called Theraplay developed for Head Start children by Ann Jernberg (1967).;Thirty families completed the study. Experimental and Control groups were formed from volunteer participants. Only Experimental subjects received training. Sessions were held …

The Effects Of Two Models Of Positive Feedback Of Children's Motivation, Judith Margaret Lynch

Student Dissertations & Theses

The purpose of this investigation was to determine whether the type of written or verbal positive comment regarding a child's accomplishment influences subsequent interest in a task. A preliminary investigation of literature revealed that often rewards and praise negatively alter children's behavior. The writer tested the hypothesis derived from this investigation that non- evaluative descriptive comments, commonly called encouragement, positively affect children more than evaluative praise comments. 32 kindergarten and 36 third grade children received evaluative praise comments and 31 kindergarten and 42 third grade children received non- evaluative descriptive comments on drawings for three days. The fourth day, children …

The Parent Checklist For New Kindergarten Pupils: A Validation Study, Willis Glen Miller Jr.

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

State and federal guidelines for implementing programs for the gifted have required that placement into such programs being as early as kindergarten. In order to help determine whether a child was functioning significantly above age level on certain tasks through multiple sources, a checklist for parents was developed and validated.;The parent checklist was analyzed for reliability and validity. Analysis of pre-school scores on the instrument was also conducted to determine whether or not placement into programs for the gifted could be predicted from the results. Parental responses were also investigated in an effort to determine the reliability of parents as …

Making The Most Of Volunteer Help: A Handbook For Parents And Teachers, Janet Lynn Bond

Student Dissertations & Theses

This project is concerned with the importance of parental involvement in children learning to read. Research shows children who view reading as an important and valuable process develop a more positive attitude toward learning to read. Children involved in reading activities at home learn to read earlier and have improved comprehension over children who have no experiences reading in the home. Parent involvement can take place in the home or at school as classroom volunteers. This project contains a volunteer handbook for parents and teachers. Included are characteristics of a volunteer, tips for teachers, suggested activities for the classroom and …

The Effects Of Self-Evaluation Procedures On The Numbers And Accuracy Of Alphabet Letter Writing Behavior Of Preschool Children, Kevin R. Coleman

Masters Theses

This study assessed the effects of self-evaluation procedures on the rate and accuracy of alphabet letter writing. Three preschoolers served as subjects. During Phase I, students were given instructions, and the experimenter modeled accurate letter writing. During Phase II, instructions and modeling were again presented. Additionally, the students were given a rule statement that instructed them to use a stamper and a stamp pad to stamp their paper after first writing each of a row of four letters. The results indicated that the introduction of self-evaluation procedures was associated with immediate increases in frequency of attempts, but a decrease in …

Patterns And Influences Of Peer Interaction In An Integrated Cultural Center For Primary Students, Mary Wood

Student Dissertations & Theses

A series of observations was made on students attending a cultural center during the third of three visits scheduled throughout the school year. A single observer made 444 one minute observations on kindergarten/ first, second, and third grade students participating in two learning areas. The group activity area emphasized group participation where small groups were formed consisting of students from each school and ethnic group represented. The individual activity area offered the students a choice of center activities as well as the freedom to choose with whom they wanted to work. The results indicate that interethnic interaction in the group …

Teaching Self-Protective Behaviors To Preschool Children Using A Videotape Training Program, Paul James Yoder

Masters Theses

This study investigated the effectiveness of a videotape training program to teach self-protective skills to preschool children. Children were taught to say, "I have to ask my teacher/parent," and to run to their teacher/parent when presented with one of two lures commonly used by child molesters. The videotape incorporated the direct instructional techniques of active pupil responding; the model, lead, and test format; and use of minimally different stimuli to teach children to discriminate between correct and incorrect responses. The results showed that although none of the subjects showed any improvement in responding after only one viewing, five of the …