Early Childhood Education Commons^™

The Influence Of Proximal And Distal Familial Factors On Preschool Children's Inhibitory Control And Social Emotional Skills, Amy Encinger

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Children in the United States experience higher rates of poverty than any other age group, including elderly adults and the poverty rate of young children (0-5 years) is considerably higher than that of older children (Proctor et al., 2016). There is an extensive body of research examining familial socioeconomic status (SES) and the influence on the skills and behaviors of young children; however, common key indicators of family SES may not fully depict the ways in which children living in poverty/low-income homes are influenced by economic disadvantage. The focus of the current study is to explore the ways in which …

The Effects Of Book Workshops On Emergent Reading Skills In Montessori Early Childhood, Antonia Rebori

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

The purpose of this action research study was to increase preliteracy skills, confidence, and interest in reading in a Montessori early childhood environment through a reading workshop model. Given the pressure on teachers to create stronger readers at younger ages, this work discusses developmentally appropriate language tasks for children ages three- to six-years-old using the Montessori method and emergent literacy theory frameworks. Research suggests children who exhibit confidence and interest in reading develop strong preliteracy skills. These factors predict capable and active readers. For six weeks, a Montessori early childhood classroom of 14 students and three adult guides participated in …

Literacy Approaches In Montessori 3-6: An Action Research Project, Margaret Beagle

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

The purpose of this research study was to examine connections between the early introduction of Montessori phonograms and increased student-led writing with the Movable Alphabet. This paper discusses the politics of literacy instruction and common literacy approaches used in Montessori early childhood settings, and examines best literacy practices for early childhood students. The study gathered data from Montessori early childhood educators and 19 students in a Montessori early childhood classroom. The classroom data was collected over four weeks, introducing phonograms alongside individual Sandpaper Letters. Children were then given the choice between using objects to guide their writing with the Movable …

Teaching Peace: The Effects Of Concentrated Interaction With Anti-Racist/Anti-Bias Media On A Montessori Guide’S Practice, Sarah Streyle

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

The purpose of this self-study was to examine the effects of concentrated interaction with anti-bias/anti-racist media on a Montessori guide’s practice. It was conducted over a total of six weeks. The intervention included a pre- and post- survey of understanding, nightly media interactions, daily reflection journaling, daily tallies of anti-bias/anti-racist thoughts during the school day, and a daily confidence scale to measure the participant’s confidence to integrate anti-bias/anti-racist concepts into her teaching practice. The study was completed at a private Montessori school in a medium-sized midwestern town, with an early childhood classroom of fifteen three- to five-year-old students of diverse …

The Impacts Of A Revised Handwriting Curriculum On Independent Letter Formation And Motivation In A Montessori 3-6 Classroom, Rebecca Junnila Baldini

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

The purpose of this action research project was to observe the impacts of a revised handwriting curriculum on motivation for handwriting and independent letter formation in a Montessori 3-6 classroom. Participants in the four-week study included eight students aged 3.6 to 5.9 in a private Montessori school located in a small New England college town. The revised curriculum utilized Orton-Gillingham sequencing, plus new handwriting materials and opportunities. Data sources included a daily tally sheet to track handwriting work, daily writing samples, student interviews, and lesson plan/reflection sheets. Data showed that the average daily participation rate for all optional handwriting work …

The Power Of Play In Early Childhood Education, Rachel Mary Nichols

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

This literature review synthesizes research on how early childhood classrooms use play as a learning tool for students. The review of literature examines different types of play and how children develop in relation to play. Play in the classroom is often viewed as a reward for completing schoolwork, but in preschool classrooms and beyond, play offers a wide variety of learning opportunities and aids in the development of new skills. This literature review uses scholarly articles and journals to examine the different types of early childhood play in the classroom and how children develop in relation to being able to …

An Investigation Of Early Childhood Staff And Their Transition To The New Western Australian Humanities And Social Sciences Curriculum, Jane Loxton, Christine Cunningham, Marianne J. Knaus

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

In 2017, a new Humanities and Social Sciences (HASS) curriculum was introduced into all of Western Australia’s classrooms. The aim of this study was to investigate how teachers transitioned to that new HASS curriculum. Using case study methodology, the experiences, opportunities and challenges faced by the early childhood (EC) staff in two Perth schools were investigated as they prepared for and implemented a new HASS Curriculum. The results suggested the need for strong leadership in times of change. The results also indicated that these small, independent schools needed good resources and professional development to help understand the changes. The research …

How Can Teachers Support School Readiness Skills Through Social And Emotional Development For Male Students?, Tara Funseth

Graduate Teacher Education

Gender has an influence on how children learn. According to data, preschool males fell behind females in social and emotional development (Kent and Pitsia, 2018). Teachers support school readiness skills through social and emotional development for male students. To ensure male student learning styles are supported, teachers need to modify teaching methods. One challenge is educators are female dominant and expectations of children may have been designed for females. This paper synthesized peer reviewed journal articles and book research on why children needed social and emotional skills and how males and females differed in social and emotional development. The research …

The Effects Of Technology In Early Childhood, Krista Werling

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

This literature review examines the effects of technology in early childhood. This literature review uses scholarly journals and articles to show the advantages and disadvantages of technology in early childhood. The research examines how technology can impact a child's development in the areas of (a) social emotional, (b) physical, (c) cognitive, (d) language, (e) mathematics, and (f) literacy skills. The advantages and disadvantages of technology will be reviewed in each of these early childhood developmental areas. Parents and teachers must be aware of screen time guidelines. Recommendations from the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) and the …

Social And Emotional Development To Foster Academic Growth In English Language Learning Preschoolers, Donna Mangone

Graduate Teacher Education

The fastest growing population of students entering preschool classrooms are English language learners (Winsler et al., 2014). Not only is the population of English language learners growing (Winsler et al., 2014), but there is a steady increase in the academic achievement gap. Further, the growth of ELL students corresponds with the gap. Related to both is social and emotional development. Social and emotional skills provide the apparatus for all learning. The early childhood educator is well-versed in teaching these skills. Therefore, an early childhood educator teaching social and emotional development to English language learners provides opportunities to remedy the academic …

Review Of Pre-K Stories: Playing With Authorship And Integrating Curriculum In Early Childhood, Harmony Petty

The Language and Literacy Spectrum

This book review discusses salient themes within Bentley and Souto-Manning’s (2019) Pre-K stories: Playing with authorship and integrating curriculum in early childhood. Bentley and Souto-Manning present a case study of one pre-K classroom in which a teacher-researcher endeavored to honor young children’s strengths and authentic stories as they co-constructed an emergent curriculum together. This text considers researchers and practitioners as it includes theoretical discussions in addition to teacher reflections and classroom vignettes. The first three chapters explore the researchers’ theoretical foundation of emergent curriculum and a sociocultural view of play-based authorship. The following four chapters trace the development of the …

Understanding Early Childhood Engineering Interest Development As A Family-Level Systems Phenomenon: Findings From The Head Start On Engineering Project, Scott Pattison, Gina Svarovsky, Smirla Ramos-MontañEz, Ivel Gontan, Shannon Weiss, VeróNika NúÑEz, Pam Corrie, Cynthia Smith, Marcie Benne

Journal of Pre-College Engineering Education Research (J-PEER)

There is growing recognition that interest is critical for engaging and supporting learners from diverse communities in engineering and other science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) topics. Although interest research has historically focused on older children, studies demonstrate that preschool-age and younger children also develop persistent, individualized interests in different objects, activities, and topics and that these early interests have important implications for ongoing learning and development. Unfortunately, there is relatively little research on engineering learning in early childhood and almost no work specific to the concept of interest. To begin to address this need, we conducted in-depth case study …

Introducing Science Education In Early Childhood, Marissa M. Arciniega

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The increasing focus on literacy development and kindergarten readiness in preschool has created a lack of science education in early childhood education. In recent research, Head Start found that of the four academic readiness domains for preschoolers (i.e., language, literacy, math, and science), science is the lowest-performing area amongst students in their program (Bustamante, White, & Greenfield, 2018). Research is showing that declining performance in science is partly due to the lack of science education in classrooms. Lack of science is not only affecting school performance down the road, but it also limits children in receiving the benefits of early …

The Effects Of Earth-Conscious Art Materials On Early Childhood Montessori Students’ Environmental Awareness, Danni Wei

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

This action research project investigates the effect of providing earth-conscious materials in the art curriculum on early childhood Montessori students' environmental awareness. The participants for this study were seven preschool students at a private, home-based Montessori school in the urban Western United States. The research design was qualitative and quantitative, utilizing field notes, observational notes, behavioral tally sheets, and group conversational questionnaires to gather information on students' environmental awareness. The students' mean eco-affinity responses increased by 16%, while their mean environmental awareness responses increased by 23%. The frequency of material usage positively correlated with the frequency of environmental actions. The …

Witnessing The Unlimited Potential Of Children Being Peaceful: Impact Of Proactive Restorative Circle Practice On Early Childhood Students In A Montessori Setting, Maya Soriano

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

The purpose of this action research was to study the effects that daily proactive restorative circle practice (PRCP) had on speaking skills, listening, and positive classroom culture amongst Montessori Children's House students. The research took place over a four week period of time in a two way immersion Children's House in a Montessori public charter school in the Midwest. The population included 8 students ages 4-5.5 years. Students participated in a daily proactive restorative circle each afternoon. The researcher also observed students during lunch to collect data on any influence the PRCP had outside of circle time. Data was collected …

Looking For Trouble And Causing Trauma, Marquita D. Foster

Occasional Paper Series

The purpose of this paper is to examine the genuine but misguided efforts to address the behaviors of Pre-K students in a Texas public school. After espousing the concept of building strong children through correction, evaluation, and intervention in my role as assistant principal, I began to question how these methods tended to lead to pathologizing the behaviors of Black pre-kindergarteners in my school. In an attempt to find solutions to the children's perceived misbehavior, Pre-K teachers were charged with utilizing PBIS strategies and the RTI process for behavior. Social and emotional learning (SEL) was also considered. We discovered that …

The Level Of Engagement Of Typically Developing Students Versus Students Enrolled In Special Education And Their Response To Teacher-Led Music Instruction Versus Technology-Led Music, Candice Haugen

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

Technology comes in many forms and is more accessible than ever before. There are many notable benefits of using technology. However, there are also negative effects when used incorrectly or not in moderation. There are various views on when technology should be incorporated into a classroom, the types of classrooms and how early within the educational setting it should be used. Based on research gathered, technology should be used within the classroom to enhance learning, not replace face-to-face interactions or experiences. Music within the early childhood classroom is beneficial to all learners within the environment. There are various ways to …

Executive Function And Self Regulation In Early Childhood, Jill Casey

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

There has been a shift in the kindergarten classroom from one filled with play and exploration to one filled with academic rigor. In response to this, the focus of many preschool classrooms have also shifted to focus more on academic development rather than social emotional development. Executive function skills, which include inhibitory control, working memory and cognitive flexibility have been found to predict academic success and school readiness more than IQ. Self-regulation which refers to controlling behavior in response to a stimulus is interrelated with executive function and also is a predictor of success. Caregivers and early childhood classrooms must …

Planting Seeds Of Numeracy: Supporting Quantitative Literacy In Young Children, Jennifer Ward, Victoria J. Damjanovic

Numeracy

This paper aims to present how quantitative literacy was made a focus in a preschool classroom of three- and four-year-old children. With a focus on examining two areas of quantitative literacy, number knowledge and counting (Jordan, Kaplan, and Locuniak 2007) we seek to explore how educators, within an early childhood setting, used a project approach (Katz, Chard, and Kogan, 2014) and inquiry-based practices to build and extend upon the emerging competencies of the children. Utilizing narrative inquiry (Clandinin & Connelly, 2000), we draw from planning meeting notes, lesson plans, and lesson artifacts to construct a story that chronicles the journey …

Tracing Diverse Pathways To Teaching: Tales Of Nontraditional Immigrant Women Of Color Becoming Teachers Of Young Children, Seung Eun Mcdevitt

Education Specialties Faculty Publications

Situated in New York City, this qualitative case study investigates nontraditional teachers, particularly immigrant women of color, and their diverse pathways into early childhood classrooms. Against the backdrop of the city’s expansion of public preschool programs and its efforts to ensure high quality through narrowly defined measures of professionalization for the early childhood workforce, I traced the lived experiences of nontraditional immigrant women of color, their becoming teachers of young children, and the ways in which their funds of knowledge shape their teaching practice. Findings reveal that although nontraditional immigrant women of color enter teaching with unique and valuable life …

Virtual Coaching Chinese Parents To Use Naturalistic Communication Intervention With Children With Special Needs, Lin Zhu

Theses and Dissertations--Early Childhood, Special Education, and Counselor Education

Effective early communication intervention is essential for preventing long-term, language-related problems for children with special needs. Particular for young dual language learner, supports provided family members in their home language can effectively promote development of communication skills in both home language and English. To help Chinese parents better support their children’s communication needs at home, this study applied a multi-component coaching intervention to teach parents to use a naturalistic communication intervention.

Using multi-probe single subject design, this study experimentally evaluated the effects of coaching intervention on parents’ acquisition of naturalistic intervention. The coaching intervention included a video-based training session, pre-practice …

Teacher Perception Of Inquiry-Based Teaching In Mathematics In Early Childhood, Nadim Farooqi

CUP Ed.D. Dissertations

Inquiry-based instruction has been pivotal in transforming classrooms into engaging student-centered learning environments. Utilizing inquiry-based instruction in mathematics in early childhood can help build a strong foundation in mathematics. This qualitative study examined the perceptions of teachers and administrators on inquiry-based instruction in early childhood mathematics. This study was guided by three research questions. This study took place at two public schools in NYC. Data was collected through a preinterview survey and interviews. The participants included nine teachers and three administrators. During the analysis process five themes were revealed: professional development, planning and preparation, student engagement, building foundational skills, and …

Early Childhood Educator Knowledge: An Exploratory Study Regarding Giftedness And Students Of Color, Stephanie A. Peralta

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine general early childhood educator knowledge and perceptions of curricula relevant for early childhood gifted students of color. The research questions that guided the study were the following: How does preschool through second grade curricula support or impede academic success for gifted students of color? How does preschool through second grade curricula support or impede social emotional learning for gifted students of color? What are the perspectives of educators regarding inclusive practices including Critical Race Theory, within a preschool through second grade gifted curricula?

In reviewing the literature and national data concerning representation …

The Impact Of Unexpected Chaos On The Development Of A Child With Cognitive, Social, And Emotional Delays: A Case Study, Sarah Brown

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The purpose of this thesis is to examine the impact of environmental, educational, and household chaos on the development of an atypically developing child. The study evaluates the contribution and change of parental stress during the COVID-19 pandemic and school closures. Following Case Study methodology, this is an in-depth evaluation of one mother and child's experience, including data analysis of the child's social, emotional, and cognitive development before and after chaos. The results of this case study identified the development of a child before and after chaotic events occurred. Parental stress was also identified as a contributing factor in the …

Growth Mindset And Agency In The Preschool Classroom, Isaac Rowan Coppock

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Mindsets, or how we as individuals characterize intelligence and our ability to attain it, are deeply connected to motivation. Those who employ a fixed mindset view intelligence as set and effort as fruitless. Conversely, those who utilize a growth mindset have healthy attitudes about challenges and view effort as a necessary part of learning. For educators working with children, finding ways to encourage growth over fixed mindsets is incredibly indicative of the future academic success individual children might experience. This study explores the foundations of mindset attainment through a teacher’s ability to affect individual preschool-aged (three to five years) children’s …

Lessons From The Prekindergarten Movement, Clare Huntington

Faculty Scholarship

I am deeply grateful for the ambition of Nancy Dowd’s book, Reimagining Equality. Professor Dowd offers a powerful and essential vision for addressing the entrenched inequalities that pervade our society. And she is unapologetic about the breadth and depth of change needed to achieve this vision. I do not want to distract from her inspiring call for a New Deal for Children by introducing questions about political feasibility, but thinking about what is possible in the here and now is a useful place to begin the conversation about systemic change.

So, what is possible in this era of Trump? …