Early childhood professional culture: Social networks and beliefs among pre-kindergarten educators

2020 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 306-320 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sascha C Mowrey
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
The United States ◽  
Professional Culture ◽  
Local Context ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Instructional Coaches ◽  
Lead Teachers ◽  
Childhood Professional ◽  
Assistant Teachers ◽  
Kindergarten Educators

As efforts are made in the United States for public school districts to implement pre-kindergarten programs and centers, there is a growing need to attend to the aspects of the local context that may influence the ways that teachers and staff make sense of their work. Yet, the professional cultures in which early childhood teachers and other educators make sense of their practice are multi-faceted and not well understood. This study explores the network structures and beliefs among educators in three pre-kindergarten centers. In particular, the mentorship relationships among lead teachers, assistants, instructional coaches, and administrators were explored along with individuals’ beliefs about themselves and others. Findings indicate that early childhood mentoring networks aligned with formal role hierarchies, and were similar to networks seen in elementary school research. Trust among lead and assistant teachers and autonomy were particularly important in the pre-kindergarten settings where two individuals work together as part of a classroom teaching team, and the school serves a single grade level. Suggestions for future research expanding the work on professional culture in early childhood settings are addressed.

scholarly journals Reconceptualising and (re)forming early childhood professional identities: Ongoing transnational policy discussions

2020 ◽  
pp. 147821032097601
Author(s):  
Sonja Arndt ◽  
Kylie Smith ◽  
Mathias Urban ◽  
Tomas Ellegard ◽  
Beth Blue Swadener ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Teacher Identity ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The United States ◽  
Professional Identities ◽  
Early Childhood Professional ◽  
Education And Care ◽  
Childhood Professional ◽  
Professional Self ◽  
Teacher Professional

Problematic policy constructions of the purpose of education implicate professional identities and working conditions of professionals working with the youngest children. This paper builds on our earlier writing, to contest teacher professional identities in Australia, Ireland, Denmark and the United States of America, to illustrate the crucial importance of contextualised policy landscapes in early childhood education and care. It uses prevailing policy constructions, power imbalances and tensions in defining teacher identities, to ask crucial questions, such as what has become of the professional ‘self’. It questions the fundamental ethics of care and encounter, and of worthy wage and other campaigns focused on the well-being of teachers when faced with a world-wide crisis. The cross-national conversations culminate in a contemporary confrontation of teacher identity and imperatives in increasingly uncertain times as evolving in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

scholarly journals Dynamic Language Use in Bi/Multilingual Early Childhood Education Contexts

2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 158-178
Author(s):  
Ryan W Pontier ◽  
Ivian Destro Boruchowski ◽  
Lergia I Olivo
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Early Childhood Education ◽  
Language Use ◽  
The United States ◽  
Early Years ◽  
Bilingual Children ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Childhood Education ◽  
Emergent Bilingual ◽  
Dynamic Language

The population of bilingual students learning and using more than one language in the United States has more than doubled in the past 30 years. This is especially true in early childhood, which makes it crucial that educators of young emergent bilingual children understand and support these young children’s bi/multilingual development, including critically understanding the implication of adopting different perspectives of bi/multilingualism. Although much is known about classroom practices in support of emergent bilingual children in Kindergarten and beyond, little is known about those practices in the early years. This article provides a systematic review of relevant empirical studies that investigated teachers’ and children’s dynamic language use in bi/multilingual early childhood education settings. The authors identify several strategic languaging practices enacted by both teachers and children, and strategies for fostering these practices; as well as ways in which teachers leveraged their agency through their languaging practices. Implications for future research, practice, professional development, and policy are discussed.

The current state of early literacy for deaf and hearing children: A survey of early childhood educators

2016 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 373-395 ◽  
Author(s):  
Annie M Moses ◽  
Debbie B Golos ◽  
Brynn Roemen ◽  
Gabrielle E Cregan
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Early Literacy ◽  
The United States ◽  
Early Childhood Educators ◽  
Deaf Children ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Chi Square ◽  
Literacy Activities ◽  
The Government ◽  
Hearing Children

Children, from birth, acquire literacy within various contexts, including in early childhood educational settings. In the United States, there has been renewed attention from the public, the government and educators to increase the quality of early childhood education. Particular focus has been on settings serving children who are at risk for of later literacy failure. This can include deaf children who typically fall well behind their hearing peers in literacy during the school years and beyond. However, little is known about the frequency and types of literacy experiences offered to deaf children as compared to those offered to hearing children. The current investigation aimed to account for the literacy activities and materials provided to hearing and deaf children through a survey of early childhood educators ( N = 155) who work primarily with one of these populations. Descriptive statistics and Chi-Square Tests of Independence comparisons indicated that, although there is room for improvement in both populations, deaf children in particular may not be receiving access to high quality literacy activities in EC settings. Based on the study’s findings, directions for future research and also the preparation and continued development of all early childhood educators are identified.

The work of early childhood coaches in one US state

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 137-152
Author(s):  
Amy Hnasko
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Early Childhood ◽  
Organizational Factors ◽  
The United States ◽  
The State ◽  
Master Teachers ◽  
Early Childhood Programs ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Instructional Coaches

PurposeThis paper discusses the findings of a mixed-methods study of early childhood instructional coaches employed in state-funded preschool (aged three and four years) programs in the state of New Jersey (NJ) in the United States (US), highlighting a case study of one coach that provides an example of individual and organizational factors influencing the work.Design/methodology/approachAn online survey was distributed to all coaches (master teachers) in 35 districts' early childhood programs. Two master teachers were then studied for a period of five months. During that time, three structured interviews were conducted, focused observations occurred each month, and coach logs were collected.FindingsThe findings of the data analyses illuminated both individual (i.e., a coach's own professional development) and organizational (i.e., varying interpretations of role) factors that influenced the work of the early childhood coaches.Research limitations/implicationsThe data in this paper is limited to one US state's approach to early childhood coaching. The case study data examined is limited to the contexts of the specific participating districts and master teachers involved. It is suggested that future research be conducted on a nationwide pool of instructional coaches.Practical implicationsThe findings of this study highlight the role of the state in providing more guidance surrounding the primary responsibilities of the master teacher. It is suggested that further attention be placed on creating and sustaining a professional development network for the master teachers serving NJ's early childhood programs.Originality/valueAs one of the few statewide studies of instructional coaching in early childhood, this study provides insights into how policy is translated into practice.

Oral Microbiome in Children with Caries: A Systematic Review

2020 ◽  
Vol 981 ◽  
pp. 271-279
Author(s):  
Muhammad Zaki Ramli ◽  
Nina Suhaity Azmi
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Early Childhood Caries ◽  
Public Health Problem ◽  
The United States ◽  
Oral Microbiome ◽  
16S Rrna Genes ◽  
Rrna Genes ◽  
Careful Examination ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Childhood Caries

Oral caries remains a significant public health problem and affects children with early childhood caries (ECC) and severe early childhood caries (S-ECC). However, the mechanisms of these complex multi-species communities are not well understood. This article systematically reviews the studies involving children with caries to learn the demographics of the subjects, their subjects and types of sample, the methodological approaches undertaken, the main findings, and eventually to make recommendations for future research. A search using a designated search string in the Web of Science resulted in 148 articles. A careful examination of each article based on the inclusion criteria resulted in a final 40 articles. Most of the studies were conducted in the United States and China. The studies involved mostly, but not exclusively, children with primary dentition and were having caries. Different types of subjects were sampled from different racial backgrounds and diseases. Different samples were collected, such as supragingival plaque, saliva and biofilm. Clonal analyses and anaerobic approaches were used to characterise the oral microbiome, including shotgun sequencing, pyrosequencing of 16S rRNA genes, and Pacbio sequencing. Firmicutes, Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, and Proteobacteria were among the phyla commonly reported by the studies. Streptococcus mutans was a key aetiologic agent in the development of caries, besides Veillonella, Prevotella spp. and Lactobacillus spp. Some studies developed models and discussed the applications of oral microbiome in relation to diseases. We recommend further reviews on studies strictly on children with caries and studies involving children only for a better generalisation of the findings. More studies relating oral microbiome with dietary intake and other diseases can also be conducted.

Refining Evidence-Based Treatments for Late-Life Depression

GeroPsych ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 67-76
Author(s):  
Grace C. Niu ◽  
Patricia A. Arean
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Brain Plasticity ◽  
Late Life ◽  
Aging Population ◽  
The United States ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Late Life Depression ◽  
Evidence Based Treatments

The recent increase in the aging population, specifically in the United States, has raised concerns regarding treatment for mental illness among older adults. Late-life depression (LLD) is a complex condition that has become widespread among the aging population. Despite the availability of behavioral interventions and psychotherapies, few depressed older adults actually receive treatment. In this paper we review the research on refining treatments for LLD. We first identify evidence-based treatments (EBTs) for LLD and the problems associated with efficacy and dissemination, then review approaches to conceptualizing mental illness, specifically concepts related to brain plasticity and the Research Domain Criteria (RDoc). Finally, we introduce ENGAGE as a streamlined treatment for LLD and discuss implications for future research.

A Silenced Population

Crisis ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 38 (6) ◽  
pp. 433-442 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kim Gryglewicz ◽  
Melanie Bozzay ◽  
Brittany Arthur-Jordon ◽  
Gabriela D. Romero ◽  
Melissa Witmeier ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
At Risk ◽  
Depressive Symptomatology ◽  
The United States ◽  
Future Research ◽  
At Risk Youth ◽  
Peer Relationship ◽  
Student Records ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Method Student

Abstract. Background: Given challenges that exceed the normal developmental requirements of adolescence, deaf and hard-of-hearing (DHH) youth are believed to be at elevated risk for engaging in suicide-related behavior (SRB). Unfortunately, little is known about the mechanisms that put these youth potentially at risk. Aims: To determine whether peer relationship difficulties are related to increased risk of SRB in DHH youth. Method: Student records (n = 74) were retrieved from an accredited educational center for deaf and blind students in the United States. Results: Peer relationship difficulties were found to be significantly associated with engagement in SRB but not when accounting for depressive symptomatology. Limitations: The restricted sample limits generalizability. Conclusions regarding risk causation cannot be made due to the cross-sectional nature of the study. Conclusion: These results suggest the need for future research that examines the mechanisms of the relationship between peer relationship difficulties, depression, and suicide risk in DHH youth and potential preventive interventions to ameliorate the risks for these at-risk youth.

Strengthening the Services in Early Childhood Development in the Roma Communities

2018 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 54-60
Author(s):  
Alma Tasevska
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Focus Group ◽  
Early Childhood Development ◽  
Recent Decade ◽  
Childhood Development ◽  
Joint Project ◽  
Pedagogical Documentation ◽  
Methods And Techniques ◽  
Kindergarten Educators ◽  
And Training

Abstract The realistic state of the education of the Roma community illustrates the need for serious investments in resources of a human and material kind. Although the recent decade proved to be a decade of educational needs of the Roma, analyses still show the necessity for sustaining the continuity in advancing the developments of everything connected to early childhood development, as a basic sub-system in education. The research that was done had the aim of exploring the needs for strengthening the competencies and the sensibilities of work in environments with social, language and cultural specificities. The research was conducted in several stages, with focus groups as well: a questionnaire for kindergarten educators was conducted; research with a focus group of kindergarten educators was conducted; research with a focus group of parents whose children attend the kindergarten was conducted; research with a focus group of NGO representatives was conducted. The methods and techniques applied are the method of analysis, the inductive, descriptive and the method of generalization, as well as techniques of analysis of pedagogical documentation, observation,and surveying. It can be concluded that: kindergarten educators show a need towards professional development and training related to early childhood development and learning; kindergarten educators show a need towards cooperation with the community; parents showed their dissatisfaction withthe difficult adaptation of children in the kindergarten; NGO representatives stated the need for infrastructural investments, as well as investments in joint project activities between the children, educators,and parents.

“State standards and IEP goals. A lot of TPT products.” What Early Childhood Educators Report Using to Plan Mathematics Instruction

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Corey Peltier ◽  
Tiffany K Peltier ◽  
Taylor Werthen ◽  
Andy Heuer
Keyword(s):  
Special Education ◽  
Early Childhood ◽  
Special Education Teachers ◽  
Mathematics Instruction ◽  
State Standards ◽  
Early Childhood Educators ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Exceptional Children ◽  
What Works ◽  
What Works Clearinghouse

Access to high-quality resources is integral for educators to provide research-aligned mathematics instruction. Identifying the supplemental resources educators use to plan mathematics instruction can inform the ways researchers and organizations disseminate research-based practices. The goal of this study was to identify the frequency in which early childhood educators (i.e., pre-Kindergarten through third grade) reported using various resources to plan for mathematics instruction. Furthermore, we investigated whether differences were observed based on teacher factors (i.e., general or special education, route to certification, years of experience) and locale (i.e., rural, urban, suburban). We retained data from 917 teachers for data analysis. The three most frequently reported resources by educators were colleagues, Teachers Pay Teachers, and Google/Yahoo. The three least frequently reported resources were the typical outlets researchers use to reach teachers: What Works Clearinghouse, Teaching Exceptional Children, and Teaching Children Mathematics. General and special education teachers differed on their self-reported usage of five resources: colleagues, Google/Yahoo, teaching blogs, Teaching Exceptional Children, and the What Works Clearinghouse. Rural educators self-reported that they were less likely than suburban educators to use colleagues or specialists at the district to plan instruction. Implications for future research and practice are discussed.

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