Current Search: Levin, Judith (x)
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- Title
- BOY STUDENT/ GIRL STUDENT:EXPLORING EARLY CHILDHOOD TEACHER PERCEPTIONS OF GENDER AND THEIR INFLUENCE ON CHILDREN'S LEARNING.
- Creator
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Oliver, Elizabeth, Levin, Judith, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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ABSTRACT Brain development in children has always been fascinating to me; it was the reason I chose to major in Early Childhood Education. I have often wondered how the expectations and behavior of parents and teachers affect young children academically .Specifically, how do early gender messages from adults, peers, and the popular media have a powerful impact on the development of young brains? The professional responsibility of all educators is to help every child reach their full potential...
Show moreABSTRACT Brain development in children has always been fascinating to me; it was the reason I chose to major in Early Childhood Education. I have often wondered how the expectations and behavior of parents and teachers affect young children academically .Specifically, how do early gender messages from adults, peers, and the popular media have a powerful impact on the development of young brains? The professional responsibility of all educators is to help every child reach their full potential. This thesis explored the potential impact early childhood educators have in developing and reinforcing stereotypes that can affect children academically by surveying teachers about their own backgrounds, thoughts and feelings about their male and female students. Confirming my belief that most teachers had similar backgrounds I was able to find that among the 59 respondents surveyed; 98% were female, 81% attended mixed gender public schools, 85% grew up in a two-parent home and 90% had a father working full-time outside of the home. While looking for similarities in descriptive language I was able to find that given a choice of 14 words from a word bank teachers used the same terms over and over to describe their male and female students. Teachers chose words that described physical characteristics when recalling their male students and chose emotional words when they were asked to describe their female students. When teachers were asked to recall which students they believed to be the most challenging in their classrooms and to identify the gender of these students, they identified male students three times more than their female students. I was left wondering if the mostly female teachers who all shared similar backgrounds were transferring unconscious bias onto their students. Why was the descriptive language they used so similar? Why were males students identified as challenging so much more than female students?
Show less - Date Issued
- 2013
- Identifier
- CFH0004514, ucf:45174
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH0004514
- Title
- Do Variations in Service Delivery Models Influence Parents' Perspectives in the Early Intervention Program?.
- Creator
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Weiszhaupt, Andrasne, Levin, Judith, Macy, Marisa, Ehrli, Hannah, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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This study has multiple purposes. The first purpose is to investigate whether variations in the Early Intervention (EI) service delivery model influence parents' perceptions of the quality of their EI services. The second purpose is to compare parents' satisfaction level with the early intervention program in the selected counties from Pennsylvania and Florida. The third purpose is to reveal whether families' residency determines the level of access to services. The study subjects were...
Show moreThis study has multiple purposes. The first purpose is to investigate whether variations in the Early Intervention (EI) service delivery model influence parents' perceptions of the quality of their EI services. The second purpose is to compare parents' satisfaction level with the early intervention program in the selected counties from Pennsylvania and Florida. The third purpose is to reveal whether families' residency determines the level of access to services. The study subjects were parents and caregivers whose children received services through the Part C early intervention program between January 2013 and January 2017. The targeted population for the study were residents living in Florida and Pennsylvania. Participants were selected from three counties in Florida, and three counties in Pennsylvania. The result of this study revealed that parents' satisfaction level was higher in a state where families had access to multiple services, sessions were provided more than once a week, and the services were provided across disciplines. In addition, the results indicated that parents' level of satisfaction was influenced by the quantity of the provided services, and families residing in Pennsylvania had better access to services than did a comparative group of families in Florida.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2018
- Identifier
- CFE0007263, ucf:52179
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007263
- Title
- STEM Academic Engagement in Young Children with Autism: A Single Case Design Study.
- Creator
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Ji, Yixuan, Szente, Judit, Levin, Judith, Macy, Marisa, Pearl, Cynthia, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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The researcher examined the academic engagement in Circle Time activities and STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) activities for three young children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) who attended a large Orange County Public School, enrolled in an ASD preschool classroom. Given the increasing number of children diagnosed with ASD each year and many STEM job opportunities for individuals with ASD, it is becoming important to know how young children with ASD learn and...
Show moreThe researcher examined the academic engagement in Circle Time activities and STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) activities for three young children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) who attended a large Orange County Public School, enrolled in an ASD preschool classroom. Given the increasing number of children diagnosed with ASD each year and many STEM job opportunities for individuals with ASD, it is becoming important to know how young children with ASD learn and engage in STEM activities. Strengths of individuals with ASD in the STEM field have been reported in several research studies (Chen (&) Weko, 2009; Kirchner, Ruch (&) Dziobek, 2016; Samson (&) Antonelli, 2013). Although this study focuses on academic engagement of young children with ASD, there has been limited research investigating the learning in academic activities for this population. Moreover, there is a distinct gap in the literature specific to young children with ASD and the academic engagement in STEM learning. A single case study with an alternating treatment design and three participants was used to investigate the difference in academic engagement of children with ASD in STEM activities compared to Circle Time activities. Data were collected using observations and a social validity questionnaire. Data were analyzed and then presented using a Time Series Line Graph. The results of this study indicated all three young children with ASD had more engaged time during STEM activities than during Circle Time activities. Furthermore, the teacher's social validity questionnaire revealed she strongly agreed that STEM activities were beneficial for children with ASD. Overall, findings from this study gave direction for future studies and intervention programs focusing on improving academic engagement and learning in STEM activities for children with ASD that may support better learning outcomes. Implications and recommendations for teachers of students with ASD were discussed.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2018
- Identifier
- CFE0007198, ucf:52259
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007198
- Title
- Phenomenological study of urban elementary teachers with proficient English language learners.
- Creator
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Webley, Tracy, Martin, Suzanne, Levin, Judith, Grissom, Donita, Theis, Elizabeth, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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The purpose of this qualitative, phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of fourth grade teachers working in a large urban school district, where the achievement gap between English Language Learners (ELLs) and non-ELLs was smaller when compared to other schools within the district. The problem originated from the need to consider factors beyond teacher training that potentially influenced academic achievement. The research question guiding this study asked: What are the...
Show moreThe purpose of this qualitative, phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of fourth grade teachers working in a large urban school district, where the achievement gap between English Language Learners (ELLs) and non-ELLs was smaller when compared to other schools within the district. The problem originated from the need to consider factors beyond teacher training that potentially influenced academic achievement. The research question guiding this study asked: What are the lived experiences of 4th grade teachers who have taught at identified elementary schools, where ELL students have demonstrated proficiency on the ELA portion of the state standards assessment? The framework in this study was based on previous research that utilized models rooted in social interactionist theory, sociocultural theory, and social constructivism.Participants in this study were selected from Title I schools with the most narrow achievement gap between ELL sub-groups and non-ELL sub-groups, compared to other schools in the district. Purposive sampling was used to identify 10 participants, including at least one teacher from each of the five identified schools. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to answer the research questions. Five themes emerged and included: (a) language as a barrier to traditional teaching methods; (b) student growth as a primary success; (c) using visuals and other non-verbal instruction; (d) small groups; and (e) building relationships with parents. The themes confirmed findings from previous research, aligned to the theoretical framework, and the themes were used to inform effective teaching practices and guide future research.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2019
- Identifier
- CFE0007741, ucf:52397
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007741
- Title
- Health Literacy Intervention to Influence Choices Made by Students in a Title I School Who Receive Free Lunch.
- Creator
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Kent, Melissa, Levin, Judith, Quelly, Susan, Szente, Judit, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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This study seeks to influence choices made by Kindergarten students in a Title I school who receive free breakfast and lunch through a health literacy intervention with the intent of decreasing daily added sugar consumption. Fruit and milk choices, either with naturally occurring sugar (NOS) or added sugar (AS), were recorded for 70 Kindergarten students among six classes in a Title I school for ten days before a four-week health literacy intervention. Three of the classes were randomly...
Show moreThis study seeks to influence choices made by Kindergarten students in a Title I school who receive free breakfast and lunch through a health literacy intervention with the intent of decreasing daily added sugar consumption. Fruit and milk choices, either with naturally occurring sugar (NOS) or added sugar (AS), were recorded for 70 Kindergarten students among six classes in a Title I school for ten days before a four-week health literacy intervention. Three of the classes were randomly selected to learn about 'sometimes' and 'anytime' choices through the Healthy Habits for Life curriculum delivered by representatives from Nemours Children's Hospital. Following the intervention, milk and fruit choices were recorded for ten more school days to determine differences among the control and intervention groups. Pearson Chi Square test results concluded that the health literacy intervention lead to statistically significant improvements in milk choices for the intervention group, but fruit choices were inconclusive due to inconsistencies in significance. Hierarchical loglinear analyses were run to determine if there was a difference in response to intervention between male and female students, and the results indicated that the effectiveness of the intervention was not moderated by gender. The success of this intervention for milk choices will help students who receive free school breakfast and lunch to decrease their daily consumption of added sugars, and additional research needs to be done to help students make choices that will further decrease their daily added sugar consumption.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2019
- Identifier
- CFE0007662, ucf:52466
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007662
- Title
- Role Play and Social Stories: An Intervention for Increasing Verbal Initiations in children with Autism.
- Creator
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Dinon, Andrea, Culp, Rex, Pearl, Cynthia, Levin, Judith, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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The effect of a treatment package consisting of social stories and role play on the verbal initiation of one 4-year old girl with autism was examined. Using a multiple baseline across activities treatment design, the investigator measured the number of verbal initiations during 10-minute sessions while the participant engaged in one of three activities, board games, pretend play, or constructive play. Baseline data, baseline probes and treatment data were collect for the three activities. The...
Show moreThe effect of a treatment package consisting of social stories and role play on the verbal initiation of one 4-year old girl with autism was examined. Using a multiple baseline across activities treatment design, the investigator measured the number of verbal initiations during 10-minute sessions while the participant engaged in one of three activities, board games, pretend play, or constructive play. Baseline data, baseline probes and treatment data were collect for the three activities. The results indicate that the treatment package was effective in increasing the participant's verbal initiations across all three activities.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2013
- Identifier
- CFE0005093, ucf:50726
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005093
- Title
- An Examination of Movement between Preschool and Kindergarten Classrooms for Young Children with Developmental Disabilities.
- Creator
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Ezekiel-Wilder, Faith, Dieker, Lisa, Little, Mary, Marino, Matthew, Levin, Judith, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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The researcher in this investigation describes the similarities and differences of movement in preschool and kindergarten classrooms for young children with developmental delay. Through the use of a mixed method research design, the researcher examined how movement is integrated throughout a school day and integrated into teacher-directed mathematics activities. This study used a multiple case study method that included observations of preschool (n= 3) and kindergarten (n= 3) classrooms to...
Show moreThe researcher in this investigation describes the similarities and differences of movement in preschool and kindergarten classrooms for young children with developmental delay. Through the use of a mixed method research design, the researcher examined how movement is integrated throughout a school day and integrated into teacher-directed mathematics activities. This study used a multiple case study method that included observations of preschool (n= 3) and kindergarten (n= 3) classrooms to determine similarities and differences in movement. In addition, a quantitative measure was embedded within the multiple case study design to compare movement of children with developmental delay. A thematic analysis resulted in themes connected to movement and teachers' perceptions in preschool and kindergarten. Preschool case themes included the use of videos with music for movement, literacy movement, physical transitions, fine motor activities, free play and fine motor manipulatives. Kindergarten case themes included: physical transitions, special areas, fine motor activities, and fine motor workbook activities. The researcher determined that while young children with disabilities in kindergarten classrooms exhibited higher levels of physical activity, as measured by steps taken, than young children with disabilities in preschool classrooms, preschool teachers consistently integrated a variety of movement activities at a higher rate. The results of this study exposed the need for a shared community interest of developing a scaffolding structure between preschool and kindergarten to ensure an effective transition between settings for children with DD.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2018
- Identifier
- CFE0007177, ucf:52257
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007177
- Title
- The Sustained Impact of Prekindergarten Participation on Third Grade Academic Performance.
- Creator
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Melin, Marissa, Johnson, Jerry, Clark, M. H., Levin, Judith, Rodriguez, Jordan, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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In this study, the researcher investigated whether the impact of participating in a prekindergarten program on academic achievement persists through third grade. The study compared three groups of students: students who participated in voluntary prekindergarten, private prekindergarten, and students who did not participate in any prekindergarten program. Using a series of two-factor multivariate analyses of variance (MANOVAs), this investigation found no interaction effects among...
Show moreIn this study, the researcher investigated whether the impact of participating in a prekindergarten program on academic achievement persists through third grade. The study compared three groups of students: students who participated in voluntary prekindergarten, private prekindergarten, and students who did not participate in any prekindergarten program. Using a series of two-factor multivariate analyses of variance (MANOVAs), this investigation found no interaction effects among prekindergarten participation and race, gender, socioeconomic status, presence of a discipline referral, or chronic absenteeism on academic achievement in the third grade. However, there was a main effect for the type of prekindergarten program on academic achievement. Both participants of voluntary prekindergarten and private prekindergarten programs outperformed their peers on both third grade mathematics and third grade reading assessments. Thereby, indicating that prekindergarten participation had sustained effects on academic achievement through third grade regardless of student characteristics. Recommendations for future research include evaluating data collection practices, replicating the study annually to continue to evaluate the prekindergarten programs, and following the same cohort to determine the continued impact prekindergarten participation has on students.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2019
- Identifier
- CFE0007686, ucf:52489
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007686
- Title
- A Quasi-Experiment Examining Expressive and Receptive Vocabulary Knowledge of Preschool Head Start Children Using Mobile Media Apps.
- Creator
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Vatalaro, Angela, Culp, Anne, Szente, Judit, Hahs-Vaughn, Debbie, Levin, Judith, Goodman, Jill, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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The American Academy of Pediatrics (1999, 2011) recommends no screen time for children under two years and limited screen time for three- and four-year-olds. Despite these recommendations, most young children have easy access to various types of screens. In particular, children's use of mobile media, including tablets and other touch screen devices, is increasing (Common Sense Media, 2013). Even though scholars have highlighted positive uses for mobile media (Christakis, 2014; Radesky,...
Show moreThe American Academy of Pediatrics (1999, 2011) recommends no screen time for children under two years and limited screen time for three- and four-year-olds. Despite these recommendations, most young children have easy access to various types of screens. In particular, children's use of mobile media, including tablets and other touch screen devices, is increasing (Common Sense Media, 2013). Even though scholars have highlighted positive uses for mobile media (Christakis, 2014; Radesky, Schumacher, (&) Zuckerman, 2015) and there are recommendations in place for using mobile media with young children in active, open-ended ways (NAEYC (&) Fred Rogers Center, 2012), there has been very limited research conducted on the impact of mobile media on young children's development. What is more, as early childhood professionals are beginning to incorporate mobile media into their classrooms, they are struggling with the ability to use these devices in developmentally appropriate ways (Marklund, 2015; Nuttall, Edwards, Mantilla, Grieshaber, (&) Wood, 2015). The primary purpose of the present study was to examine the efficacy of using different types of mobile media apps to increase the receptive and expressive vocabulary development of preschool children living in economically disadvantaged communities. Children and teachers in four Head Start classrooms participated in the quasi-experimental study, which included an eight-week intervention in which the children interacted with one of two types of apps: one classroom used direct instruction vocabulary apps (n = 16) and one classroom used open-ended vocabulary apps (n = 15). Two classrooms served as control groups (n = 18; n = 14) which used apps that were chosen by the Head Start program with no specific instructional method. Children's vocabulary was assessed pre- and post-intervention. To assess receptive vocabulary, the PPVT-4 (Dunn (&) Dunn, 2007) and an iPad Receptive Vocabulary Assessment (Vatalaro, 2015a) were used. To assess expressive vocabulary, the EVT-2 (Williams, 2007) and an iPad Expressive Vocabulary Assessment (Vatalaro, 2015b) were used. Using a repeated measures analysis of variance with split plot analysis, children who used direct instruction apps performed statistically significantly higher on the PPVT-4 than children who used open-ended apps. Children in the direct instruction app group also performed statistically significantly higher than both control groups on the iPad Receptive Vocabulary Assessment. There were no statistically significant differences between groups for receptive vocabulary as measured by the EVT-2. However, when children were credited for describing a function instead of the iPad vocabulary word, the analysis of the iPad Expressive Vocabulary Assessment revealed that the children using direct instruction apps performed statistically significantly higher than children using open-ended apps and the children in one of the control groups. A secondary purpose of the present study was to examine the use of apps in mobile media by Head Start teachers. The teachers in the two intervention classrooms participated in weekly meetings with the primary researcher for support in using mobile media in their classrooms in order to ensure that the child intervention was carried out with fidelity. After analyzing data from teachers' self-report daily logs across the eight-week intervention, it was determined that the children received instruction on the assigned apps in both intervention classrooms. Although caution is given to the findings due to some limitations such as the quasi-experimental choice of a research design and the number of participants, the present study contributed to the early childhood research literature with the findings that interactive, animated apps which provide the meanings of vocabulary words in a direct instruction manner may have the ability to increase a child's receptive vocabulary, and to increase a child's descriptive definitions of iPad functions. This information increases the chance that teachers in Head Start will begin using direct instruction apps, in the hope of increasing a child's vocabulary knowledge.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2015
- Identifier
- CFE0005896, ucf:50859
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005896
- Title
- iPads for Students with ASD: Comparing Delivery Modes for Visual Activity Schedules.
- Creator
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Gourwitz, Jillian, Martin, Suzanne, Vasquez, Eleazar, Pearl, Cynthia, Levin, Judith, Vince Garland, Krista, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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Visual Activity Schedules (VAS) are tools that present an abstract concept, such as time, in a more concrete and manageable form. VAS allow students to anticipate upcoming events and activities, develop an understanding of time, and facilitate the ability to predict change. Prior investigations have used VAS to increase on-task behavior while enhancing the student's ability to independently make transitions from one activity to another and are particularly appropriate as they capitalize on...
Show moreVisual Activity Schedules (VAS) are tools that present an abstract concept, such as time, in a more concrete and manageable form. VAS allow students to anticipate upcoming events and activities, develop an understanding of time, and facilitate the ability to predict change. Prior investigations have used VAS to increase on-task behavior while enhancing the student's ability to independently make transitions from one activity to another and are particularly appropriate as they capitalize on the visual strengths exhibited by many students with autism. Mobile devices such as the iPad are becoming a tool for teaching students with disabilities, and research is currently underway to determine the effectiveness of specific applications on student performance. This research examined the impact of VAS delivered via the iPad, compared to a paper-based VAS, on the percentage of on-task behavior and median transition time for students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) during academic center activities in an inclusive classroom setting. An alternating-treatment, single-subject research design was used to determine whether a divergence exists between the paper-based VAS and the iPad VAS. This study included three student participants who (a) had a diagnosis of ASD as stated on the Individualized Education Plan (IEP), (b) were in grade level K-1, (c) received instruction through Language Arts activity centers taught within one classroom, and (d) had difficulty with independent on-task behavior as reported by the participant's teacher. Visual analysis of the data for on-task behavior revealed mixed results. Student 1 had a divergence between on-task behavior, with the paper-based VAS being a superior treatment condition to the iPad VAS 80% of the time. Student 2 also had a divergence between percentage of on-task behavior, with the iPad VAS being a superior treatment condition to the paper-based VAS 80% of the time. Student 3 had no clear divergence in percentage of on-task behavior between the iPad VAS and the paper-based VAS. All three participants had highly variable baseline and intervention data for transition time with a level stability range of 20% to 60%. Student 1 and Student 3 had no clear difference in transition time when comparing the paper-based VAS to the iPad VAS. Student 2 had a divergence in transition time data between the iPad VAS and the paper-based VAS, with the paper-based VAS being a superior treatment condition 90% of the time.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2014
- Identifier
- CFE0005339, ucf:50471
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005339
- Title
- Staffing Practices of Elementary School Principals for Teachers in Primary Grades and Implications for the PreK-3rd Continuum.
- Creator
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Albers-Biddle, Laura, Boote, David, Culp, Anne, Levin, Judith, Hayes, Grant, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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Principals are considered the educational leaders of their schools and face pressure to improve the quality of education across all levels and disciplines. Principals were interviewed to understand their beliefs, knowledge, and dispositions on staffing teachers in the primary grades. A purposive sample of elementary school principals was drawn from one mid-size suburban district in Florida. Data were analyzed using Bolman and Deal's four-frame organizational theory framework, Cohen's...
Show morePrincipals are considered the educational leaders of their schools and face pressure to improve the quality of education across all levels and disciplines. Principals were interviewed to understand their beliefs, knowledge, and dispositions on staffing teachers in the primary grades. A purposive sample of elementary school principals was drawn from one mid-size suburban district in Florida. Data were analyzed using Bolman and Deal's four-frame organizational theory framework, Cohen's cognitive frame, and Boote's theory of professional discretion.The data strongly suggest that principals do not understand the foundations of early childhood practice. In addition, they do not understand the differences between Early Childhood Education (ECE) and Elementary Education (EE). The principals tend to hire teachers with EE certification as opposed to ECE training. This is partially due to their lack of understanding of ECE and to the perceived advantage of being able to place teachers in a wide range of grade levels. Although all principals stated that primary teaching requires specialized knowledge, most principals consider flexibility to move teachers into the upper grades more important.Three main implications for practice are suggested based on recommendations for advocacy and public education for young children within PreK(-)3rd continuum initiatives. (1) Professional development in ECE should be implemented at the district level for principals to learn and understand the differences in preparation between ECE and EE teacher preparation and to demonstrate the importance of the early years of child development and education. (2) Curriculum enrichment in ECE needs to be added to higher education, graduate teacher leadership programs to demonstrate the importance of the early years of child development and education. (3) The policy for hiring should be centralized at the district level and require teachers with training in ECE for the primary grades. The limitations of the study and recommendations for future research are also discussed.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2014
- Identifier
- CFE0005294, ucf:50547
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005294