Pre-Elementary, Early Childhood, Kindergarten Teacher Education Commons^™

From Seed To Mighty Tree: Susan Blow And The Development Of The American Kindergarten Movement, Madelyn Silber

Undergraduate Theses—Unrestricted

St. Louis is home to the first continuously running public kindergarten in the United States. In 1873, Susan Blow began teaching a small group of students at the Des Peres School using the methods of German educator Friedrich Froebel, “the father of the kindergarten.” Despite the rejection of Froebel’s ideas in Germany, Blow studied his pedagogy and implemented his curriculum into classrooms in America. Her first class was known as the kindergarten “experiment,” which would later become a standard in schools across the nation. Froebel’s kindergarten curriculum was unique because it was based on learning through play, an understanding of …

12 Museum Theorists At Play, Marian Howard, Lauren Appel, Nicole Ferrin, David Vining, Katherine Hillman, Marissa Corwin, Berry Stein, Nicole Keller, William Elliston, David Bowles, Tiffany Reedy, Kathryn Eliza Harris, Liat Olenick

All Faculty and Staff Papers and Presentations

Introduction by Lauren Appel
1. Learning by Do-weyan, by Marian Howard, with Nicole Ferrin
2: Dewey Defines Himself and Education, by David Vining
3. Benjamin Ives Gilman: Arts in People’s Lives, by Katherine Hillman
4. John Cotton Dana: The Social Construction of Museums, by Marissa Corwin
5. Piaget in the Art Museum: Constructing Knowledge Through Active Engagement, by Berry Stein
6. Lev Vygotsky: The Social Aspects of Learning, by Nicole Keller
7. Paulo Freire: Literacy, Democracy, and Context, by Nicole Keller
8. Maxine Greene: Aesthetic Education, by Lauren Appel
9. Howard Gardner and Multiple Intelligence Theory: A Practical Application of …

Connection Between Early Childhood Teachers' Beliefs And Practices Regarding Play, Robin L. Ploof

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research indicates play contributes to children's learning and development. The passage of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) changed early care and education by limiting time for play in early childhood classrooms. There is a gap in the literature concerning early childhood teachers' current beliefs about play and how those beliefs are connected to their practices. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to examine the connections between early childhood teachers' beliefs regarding play and their practices in the early childhood classroom. Lave's situated learning theory formed the conceptual framework for this study recognizing the early childhood classroom …

Writing Activity Objectives For Caring For And Educating Infants And Toddlers, Steven Reuter, Elizabeth J. Sandell, Amber Bissonette, Alyssa Nicholson-Hansen, Amanda Sterna

Elementary and Literacy Education Department Publications

No abstract provided.

Hope And Possibilities: Inspirations And Insight From Hosting "The Wonder Of Learning- The Hundred Languages Of Children" Exhibit In Indianapolis, Indiana, Ena Shelley

Scholarship and Professional Work – Education

Dr. Ena Shelley gives her remarks after "The Wonder of Learning- The Hundred Languages of Children" Exhibit in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Through Support Of Mothers, Khush Funer Murtaza

Professional Development Centre, Gilgit

No abstract provided.

Importance Of School Readiness And Early Childhood Education, Amanda L. Moore

All Graduate Projects

The need for childhood education was studied and, based upon experiences garnered as a Kindergarten teacher, Cub Club was created and implemented in order to begin to reduce the achievement gap. The program was designed to educate parents about the importance of family involvement and the benefits, lasting into adulthood, of working with children at home during their early years of learning.

A Strong Foundation, Khush Funer Murtaza

Professional Development Centre, Gilgit

No abstract provided.

Quick Listening Activities To Improve Phonological Awareness In The Kindergarten Classroom, Jill Florence Stephens

All Graduate Projects

Current research shows phonological awareness plays an important role in a kindergarten student's ability to read. Phonological awareness (PA) is identifying and manipulating parts of spoken language, such as words, syllables, onsets and rimes, and rhyming. Recent research also indicates a kindergartener's level of phonological awareness is connected to his or her ability to decode words, recognize vocabulary and comprehend text. Students lacking a sense of phonological awareness struggle learning to read. The good news is that kindergarteners' phonological awareness can improve with 10-15 minutes of focused instruction each day. This project guides kindergarten teachers through phonological awareness listening activities, …

Accountability And Collaborative Inquiry In A School-Based Early Childhood Program, Sherri Peterson

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this paper is to examine the development of a professional learning community and the way in which an early childhood team can follow the developmentally appropriate practice guidelines and early learning standards to improve student outcomes.

Sitka School District Kindergarten Literacy Curriculum Handbook, Jacqueline Elizabeth Hedrick

All Graduate Projects

The intent of this handbook is to provide support to a teacher and be used as a resource. This document is intended to guide a Baranof Elementary Kindergarten teacher, through the year, with the use of a theme document. However, the scope and sequence contains the skills and content that must be addressed by the end of the year. The literacy curriculum handbook was developed based on Froebel's kindergarten philosophy and Bruner's educational philosophy that early childhood education should be hands-on and developmentally appropriate. The handbook includes programs available to kindergarten teachers in Sitka, Alaska while continuing to be content-based, …

Value Of Traditional Games, Saima Khalid

Institute for Educational Development, Karachi

No abstract provided.

An Integrated Nutrition Unit For Half-Day Kindergarten, Erin Spencer

All Graduate Projects

The obesity rates among children in the United States have been rising rapidly over the past thirty years. Children are getting messages from the media to eat unhealthy foods. This epidemic is beginning to be addressed in schools. A nutrition curriculum was developed and implemented in a half day kindergarten program. Core academic subject were integrated using Washington State GLEs as a guide. Parent involvement was a component to strengthen student's understanding of cultural diversity as it pertained to food.

Using A Balanced Reading And Spelling Approach To Enhance The “Spell To Write To Read” Program For Preschool To Fifth Grade, Dawn A. Heer

All Graduate Projects

Reading is the foundation of much that society aspires to, even now in the age of technology. The teacher plays a key role in facilitating the learning of reading in an elementary school. By using a balanced reading approach through the use of spelling, phonics, writing and language, teachers will be able to apply user-friendly principles of reading with the curriculum, Spell to Write to Read. A handbook will be used to present this information during a workshop for teachers and para-professionals of preschool to fifth grade students.

All “Homework” And No Play…, Shamsah Raheem Dhanani

Institute for Educational Development, Karachi

No abstract provided.

Staff Perceptions Of Structure, Process, And School Readiness Outcomes In Private South Florida Child Care Centers, Deborah Mazzeo

Graduate Student Dissertations, Theses, Capstones, and Portfolios

The quality of child care centers and school readiness outcomes continue to be important topics in the State of Florida since policymakers, school districts, and child care centers, in August 2005, began to implement the Voluntary Prekindergarten Program. The problem area of child care is whether various characteristics of child care center programs result in different outcomes for children's development.

Qualities of child care centers can be attributed to structure and process variables. A theoretical framework that is grounded in Bronfenbrenner's ecological theory is discussed. The structure-process-outcome model of quality and Spady's outcome-based education model were combined to explain the …

From Solos To Symphony: The Indianapolis Reggio Collaborative, Ena Shelley, Connie Sherman, Ron Smith, Denna Renbarger

Scholarship and Professional Work – Education

In this NAREA Column, the founding members of the Indianapolis Reggio Collaborative share the development of their work together.

Breaking The Math Barrier, Bilqees Patel

Institute for Educational Development, Karachi

No abstract provided.

Phonemic Awareness: The Nature And Role In Reading Acquisition, Toni Michelle Paganelli

All Graduate Projects

Phonemic awareness and its link to reading are a current topic in education. Research has shown that the two are interrelated and those students lacking in phonemic awareness are at a higher risk for reading failure. The terms phonemic awareness and phonics tend to be used simultaneously, but phonemic awareness is not the same as phonics. Children can naturally acquire phonemic awareness through their environment. However, children who are lacking phonemic awareness can be taught using many different methods and materials in the classroom. Within phonemic awareness there are many different skills. These skills can be tested using commercially produced …

Once Upon A Time: A Model Literature Based Approach To Teaching Social Studies In Early Childhood, Kristi Louisa Martone

All Graduate Projects

The purpose of this project was to design an early childhood social studies curriculum that integrated the use of children's literature, to be used in early childhood classrooms. Listening to and reading stories about social studies topics helps students to see the importance of various social studies issues and will allow them to connect personally with the theme by completing a wide range of related activities. National and state standards require students to understand many social studies concepts and using children's literature as a vehicle for learning the required standards can help students see the idea that social studies relates …

The Impact Of Abbott V. Burke On Community-Based Preschool Teachers Education Employability, And Pedagogical Competencies, Collen Malleo

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

.

From The Co-Editors

Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities

No abstract provided.

Effective Letter Identification Activities For K-1 Children: A Handbook For Teachers, Luann Nicole Jensen

All Graduate Projects

The purpose of this project is to provide K-1 teachers with a handbook of effective letter identification activities. Letter identification is a pre-requisite reading skill that students must have in order to be successful readers and to prevent reading difficulties later on. This handbook can be implemented by teachers of kindergarten or first grade children who need a letter identification intervention. The lessons in this project were developed to be paired with explicit, intensive teaching during the intervention to help remediate a child's weakness in identifying letters.

The Effect Of Funnix Math On Pre-Kindergarten Student's Achievement In Mathematics, Michelle E. Andreoli

Theses & Honors Papers

It is imperative that mathematics education in the United States be effective and comprehensive in nature. Mathematical skills are a necessary component to functional and independent living. Much debate has aroused over which instructional methodologies to adopt, but the research clearly supports the use of explicit instruction. Direct Instruction is an expository approach to learning, which encompasses critical design principles that enable it to be sequential and thorough. Funnix Math is the newest program, which utilizes this methodology. The present study investigates the efficacy of Funnix Math on the pre-kindergarten population. The results of this study contradict previous research on …

Divorce: A Teacher's Perspective On How It Affects Primary Age Children And Their Behavior In An Elementary School Setting, Reina Moriah Beere-Kuklinski

Honors Capstones

Capstone submitted as a graduation requirement for the BSU Honors Program.

Interpretations Of Progressive Education: A Comparative Study Of The Philosophies Of Education Of The Municipal Early Childhood Schools Of Reggio Emilia And The Bank Street College Of Education, Monica Della Croce

Graduate Student Independent Studies

Compares the progressive philosophies of education of the municipal infant-toddler centers and preprimary schools of Reggio Emilia, and Bank Street College of Education and its School for Children. The histories and theoretical origins of each philosophy of education are introduced. Elaborations on the fundamental principles of each are provided, including discussions of the creation of learning environments, the perception of children's learning, the roles of teachers, and the place of the community. Throughout the text, cultural frameworks are made evident, in order to reflect on the influence that culture and history have on the ways in which progressive philosophies of …

Technology And Its Implications For Early Childhood Educators: Considering The Microcomputer In The Kindergarten, Linda Lasalle Campbell

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Kindergarten teachers can effectively and sensitively integrate the microcomputer into a curriculum which strives to meet the needs of the total child. This study indicates, through a review of professional journals and current books on the microcomputer in education, the need for technological skills. It demonstrates the presence of microcomputers in today's schools, even in the early years. Uses of the microcomputer in the kindergarten classroom are presented for consideration. Recommendations are included which call for informed and caring teachers to use the microcomputer to meet the social, emotional, and cognitive needs of the individual child.

An Item Analysis Of Selected Subtests On The Project Palatisha Development Checklist, Kitty A. Hollow

All Graduate Projects

The Project Palatisha Developmental Checklist (PPDC) is a preschool screening instrument that is used by many different tribal Head Start programs throughout the western United States. An item analysis was made on the Cognitive, Fine Motor, and Language subtests of the PPDC. The sample population consisted of 202 children ages 3 through 5 who were enrolled in Head Start programs. The Head Start programs who participated were located on the Hualapai, Hopi, Salt River Pima-Maricopa, Makah, Quileute, Chehalis, and Yakima Indian Reservations. One Mexican American Head Start program, Campesinos Unidos Inc., also participated in the study. The item analysis consisted …

What Makes A Good Kindergarten?, Shirley Jean Riel

All Master's Theses

The problem is to find what constitutes a positive kindergarten program; and the purpose of this study is to analyze the value of kindergarten as a necessary part of every school program.

A Study Assessing Changes Occurring In Kindergarten Children At Central School, Hoquiam, Washington, During The School Year 1967-1968 In Terms Of Readiness And Academic Growth, Elizabeth Pinkley Morris

All Master's Theses

A group of fifty-one kindergarten children (23 boys and 28 girls) from Central School in Hoquiam, Washington, were studied for the purpose of evaluating changes occurring during the school year in terms of readiness and academic growth. A series of tests were given in October and November as an inventory of the child's background of skills and readiness in the fall, and the tests were repeated in May to measure any change occurring during the school year.