ERIC ED424987: Dimensions of Quality: Beliefs and Practices of Texas Prekindergarten Teachers.

19 Pages·0.26 MB·English

by  ERIC

DOCUMENT RESUME
PS 027 169
ED 424 987
Kelly, Katherine T.
AUTHOR
Dimensions of Quality: Beliefs and Practices of Texas
TITLE
Prekindergarten Teachers.
1998-01-23
PUB DATE
17p.; Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the Southwest
NOTE
Educational Research Association (Houston, TX, January
23-25, 1998).
Speeches/Meeting Papers (150)
Research (143)
Reports
PUB TYPE
MF01/PC01 Plus Postage.
EDRS PRICE
*Administrator Attitudes; *Administrators; Comparative
DESCRIPTORS
Analysis; Educational Practices; *Educational Quality;
*Kindergarten; *Preschool Teachers; Primary Education;
*Teacher Attitudes
Developmentally Appropriate Programs; Texas
IDENTIFIERS
ABSTRACT
Research suggests that children benefit from preschool
programs only when the programs are of high quality. This study sought to
ascertain if Texas public prekindergarten teachers and administrators
recognized standards for high quality preschool consistent with nationally
recognized standards, and to determine if their level of acceptance was
significantly higher than the quality level in program implementation.
Participating were 244 prekindergarten teachers from 18 public school
districts, reflecting geographical and demographic diversity in Texas and
including those with various student populations. A second group of study
subjects included 66 administrators of schools with prekindergarten programs
in the selected districts. Participants were mailed questionnaires assessing
beliefs related to four areas of quality in preschool programs and their
practice in the classroom: high quality curricula; family and community
involvement; teacher-child interactions; and inservice and staff development.
Return rates for teachers and administrators were 39 and 67 percent,
respectively. Findings indicated that both groups demonstrated a high level
of acceptance of preschool quality standards. However, belief scores were
significantly higher than implementation scores for both groups and for all
areas. Further, compared to administrators, teachers evidenced greater
acceptance of high quality preschool curricula standards and of the
importance of family and community involvement, and showed greater belief
that high quality standards were being implemented in the curricula and in
the implementation of inservice and staff development. Also, the
prekindergarten programs did not align with many of the standards of quality
noted by the National Association for the Education of Young Children.
(Contains 16 references.)
(KB)
********************************************************************************
Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made
from the original document.
********************************************************************************
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Office of Educational Research and Improvement
EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION
CENTER (ERIC)
)(This document has been reproduced as
received from the person or organization
originating it.
0 Minor changes have been made to
improve reproduction quality.
00
Points of view or opinions stated in this
document do not necessarily represent
official OERI position or policy.
Csi
Dimensions of Quality:
Teachers
Beliefs and Practices of Texas Prekindergarten
Katherine T. Kelly
I.S.D.
Early Childhood Specialist, Waco
Paper presented at the
Association
Southwest Educational Research
Annual Meeting
Houston, Texas
January 23, 1998
PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE AND
DISSEMINATE THIS MATERIAL HAS
BEEN GRANTED BY
U=1
TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES
INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC)
1
T COPY MOIRE
2,
Dimensions of Quality:
Prekindergarten Teachers
Beliefs and Practices of Texas
becoming aware of
before, the American public is
Today as perhaps never
children. Several factors
and education of young
the importance of the care
Dramatic findings in the
heightened public awareness.
have contributed to this
Articles
of media attention today.
research are in the forefront
area of brain
Mother (Jabs,1996) and
Time (Nash,1997), Working
have appeared recently in
focusing on learning in
special edition of Newsweek
Newsweek (Begley,1996). A
special
showing the ABC-TV
published in conjunction with
the early years was
April 28,1997.
"I Am Your Child" on
occurred at a
and education has also
Attention to the state of early care
shown
Rodham Clinton has
First Lady Hillary
national level. In particular,
sponsored a first-ever
President and Mrs. Clinton
great attention in this area.
and Learning" in
"Early Childhood Development
White House Conference on
Village, on
book, It Takes a
(1996) has also authored a
Apri1,1997. Mrs. Clinton
children.
the topic of raising young
the issue of high
public awareness has been
One of the key aspects to
much on
centers not so
early education. This issue
quality in child care and
effectiveness can
how program
but how it happens,
the need for high quality,
existence
research studies the
will cost. This author's
be assessed, and what it
by
Texas, as evaluated
prekindergarten programs in
of quality indicators in
to
quality are compared
Their perceptions of
teachers and administrators.
quality in early
researched dimensions of
national-recognized and solidly
philosophical
differences in
study also examines the
childhood programs. This
quality in
implementation of high
standards and actual
beliefs about quality
prekindergarten classrooms.
1
Dimensions of Quality in Pre-K
public
two-fold: (a) to ascertain if Texas
The purpose of this study was
for
administrators recognized standards
prekindergarten teachers and program
standards, and,
with nationally-recognized
high quality preschool consistent
preschool standards
of acceptance of high quality
(b) to determine if the level
higher than the
administrators was significantly
among teachers and program
changes in the Texas
implementation. Suggestions for
quality level in program
into closer
which would bring these programs
public prekindergarten programs
discussed in the
quality standards were
alignment with nationally-recognized
study.
Methodology
research design utilizing survey
This study was a nonexperimental
high quality pre-k
relationships between beliefs about
methodology to examine
Texas.
pre-k classrooms in
of quality occurring in actual
programs and levels
programs.
and administrators of pre-k
Subjects included pre-k teachers
eighteen public school
the state of Texas, in
The study was conducted in
Education Agency. The
teachers certified by the Texas
districts employing pre-k
(less than
with small student populations
districts chosen included those
students), and
populations (2,000-25,000
2,000 students), medium student
These districts were
(25,000 or more students).
large student populations
geographical and demographic
and reflected both
located throughout the state
diversity in Texas.
school pre-k teachers,
sampling of Texas public
In order to obtain a wide
of Texas was
used by the researcher. A map
the following selection process was
cities in each
sections. Then the largest
divided into six geographical
in each
the name of one large city
geographical area were pooled and
selection of the large
selected. Following the
geographical area was randomly
which the selected cities
determine the counties in
cities, an atlas was used to
2
Dimensions of Quality in Pre-K
districts in
1996-97 Texas Schools Directory, all school
are located. Using the
their student populations. The
those counties were listed, accompanied by
population into small districts
districts were then divided according to student
(2,000-25,000 students), and large
(less than 2,000 students), medium districts
random drawing process, one
districts (25,000 or more students). Using a
then selected from each of the
district from each of these categories was
counties.
employed by the school
Subjects included a sample of 244 pre-k teachers
received a Teacher Survey with a
districts chosen for the study. Each teacher
enable the
pre-addressed envelopes were included to
cover letter. Stamped,
researcher.
teacher to return the survey directly to the
office
66 campus and central
The second group of study subjects included
in the selected
administrators of schools with prekindergarten programs
Surveys, cover letters, and pre-
districts. These subjects received Administrator
addressed, stamped envelopes.
consistently occurring
Characteristics of high quality preschool programs
reviewed by the
research were extensively
in early childhood literature and
constructs
based on well-researched
researcher. Items.in the surveys were
programs. The
literature on high quality preschool
occurring in early childhood
Pre-k Survey of
this study were modeled on Marcon's
survey forms used in
about high
that they measured beliefs
Beliefs and Practices (Marcon,1988) in
quality preschool programs.
of 1
Likert scale. A response
Survey responses were recorded on a
"disagree," 3 was "neither agree nor
indicated "strongly disagree," 2 was
items were
"strongly agree." The survey
disagree," 4 indicated "agree," and 5 was
belief of
addressed the philosophy or
developed in pairs. One item in each pair
each pair
while the second item of
the pre-k teacher or administrator,
3
5,.
Dimensions of Quality in Pre-K
that belief as being practiced in the
questioned whether the respondent viewed
used on both the Teacher
pre-k classroom. A total of 25 paired items were
Survey and the Administrator Survey.
Results and Analysis
teachers,administrators, and
The return rates of surveys from pre-k
parents are indicated in Table 1.
Table 1
Prekindergarten Study Survey Return Rates
Surveys Returned
Surveys Distributed
Subject Category
96
(39%)
244
Prekindergarten Teachers
44
(67%)
66
Administrators
were combined into
Item responses on Teacher and Administrator surveys
These were labeled Belief 1
factor categories based on theoretical concepts.
Practice 4. Belief 1 measured
through Belief 4 and Practice 1 through
curricula. Practice 1 measured occurrence
acceptance of high quality preschool
2
classrooms. Belief 2 and Practice
of high quality curricula in the subjects'
3
involvement. Belief 3 and Practice
measured family and community
measured
and Belief 4 and Practice 4
measured teacher-child interactions
inservice and staff development.
data.
utilized in analysis of the
A Rank Transformation approach was
the Beliefs
analysis was used to assign scores on
The Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney
Teachers and
administrators.
portion of the surveys to teachers and
belief' (mean
categories of "high
were divided into
administrators
belief'
Inclusion in the "low
belief' (mean scores < 4.0).
scores of >4.0) and "low
standards in
of recognized quality
category indicated lack of acceptance
indicated
in the "high belief' groups
preschool programs, while inclusion
of Teacher Group
Table 2 indicates results
acceptance of quality standards.
4
Dimensions of Quality in Pre-K
and Administrator Group belief scores.
Table 2
Beliefs Scores
Teacher and Administrator Groups
Low Belief
High Belief
N
Group
%
N
N
0/0
8.3
8
91.7
88
96
Teachers
6.8
3
93.2
41
44
Administrators
administrator), subjects demonstrated a
In both groups (teacher and
quality standards in preschool
significantly high level of acceptance of
of high quality standards in
programs, indicating that they were aware
preschool programs.
quality
of the two groups' acceptance of
To examine the relationship
of the
actual classroom implementation
standards ("beliefs") as compared to
test
Ranks analysis was done. This
standards ("practices"), a Wilcoxon Signed
of
(acceptance of standards) with mean scores
paired mean scores of "beliefs"
for both teacher and administrator
"practices" (implementation of standards)
be seen in
reflected in Tables 3 and 4. As can
groups. Results of these tests are
"belief' and
differences between the scores of
these tables, there are significant
practice
of standards) higher than
"practice," with belief scores (acceptance
of the standards).
scores (implementation
groups
the teacher and administrator
A rank MANOVA was then run on
effects of teachers and pre-k program
to determine between-subjects
significantly
Teacher Group scores are
administrators. As evidenced in Table 5,
quality
Belief 1 (acceptance of high
higher than Administrator Group scores on
and community
Belief 2 (importance of family
preschool curricula standards),
preschool
implementation of high quality
involvement), Practicel (classroom
staff development
(implementation of inservice and
curricula), and Practice 4
5
,7
Dimensions of Quality in Pre-K
specific to early childhood education).
Table 3
and "Practices"
Pre-k Teacher Group: Paired "Beliefs"
Sig.
Z
SD
.4025
4.6385
Belief 1
.001
-7.552
.4395
4.1611
Practice 1
.4368
4.4375
Belief 2
-7.734
.001
.6742
3.6458
Practice 2
.3453
4.5830
Belief 3
.001
-8.395
.4790
3.4298
Practice 3
.6081
4.2309
Belief 4
.001
-7.645
.8503
3.3646
Practice 4
*<.001
Table 4
"Beliefs" and "Practices"
Pre-k Administrator Group: Paired
Sig.
Z
SD
.3406
4.5432
Belief 1
.001
-5.556
.5105
3.9273
Practice 1
.4605
4.5852
Belief 2
.001
5.244
.6293
3.7784
Practice 2
.3666
4.4830
Belief 3
.001
5.716
.4257
3.4508
Practice 3
.4240
4.5455
Belief 4
.001
-5.443
.9187
2.9356
Practice 4
*<.001
6
Dimensions of Quality in Pre-K
Table 5
Administrator Groups
Difference in Beliefs and Practices of Teacher and
Sig.
.049*
3.951
BELIEF 1
.040*
4.284
BELIEF 2
.138
2.227
BELIEF 3
.768
.087
BELIEF 4
.010*
6.733
PRACTICE 1
.285
1.151
PRACTICE 2
.644
.214
PRACTICE 3
.007**
7.463
PRACTICE 4
administrator groups are reported in
Note. Real mean scores for teacher and
Tables 3 and 4.
Discussion and Implications
well-researched indicators of high
There exist nationally-recognized,
indicators are noted in the NAEYC
quality in preschool programs. These
Practice in Early Childhood Programs
publication Developmentally Appropriate
staff development, family
(1996). Such factors as child/adult ratios,
and styles of teacher/child
involvement, appropriate assessment styles,
Texas
determinants of program quality.
interactions are shown to be strong
these
to align with many of
prekindergarten programs, however, do not appear
and
study, while pre-k teachers
standards of quality. As evidenced in this
standards,
high level of awareness of quality
program administrators have a
7
/A
Dimensions of Quality in Pre-K
standards in program practices. Public
they are less able to implement these
greatly in quality at both
prekindergarten programs across the state may vary
well-researched high quality
district or campus levels. The following compares
prekindergarten programs.
standards with current standards in Texas
other High/Scope staff offer
Dr. Schweinhart, Dr. Weikart, and
quality preschool programs
recommendations about the components of high
model of quality preschool is a
(1985). One important component of their
theory, research, and practice.
developmentally based curriculum, grounded in
actual
allow for great diversity in the
The philosophical framework should
for teachers to make consistent
curriculum, and should provide the basis
and long-range objectives.
decisions about a program's day-to-day operations
mood and tone of the educational
This underlying philosophy sets the
internalize values about their own
environment, allowing children to
skills they will need to acquire to
importance in the world and about the
participate in it fully.
defined by a set of standards
Curriculum in Texas public schools is
divided
Prekindergarten Essential Elements are
known as Essential Elements.
Social/Emotional
Cognitive Development,
into areas, or Domains, including:
The
and Physical/Motor Development.
Development, Aesthetic Development,
but do not
which children should master,
Essential Elements list specific skills
of these
detail how to assess mastery
define a basic educational philosophy,
subject matter. Essential Elements are
objectives, nor suggest how to teach
and will
for the1998-99 school year,
currently in the process of being rewritten
and Skills (TEKS).
be called Texas Essential Knowledge
appropriate ongoing staff
In high quality early childhood programs,
(Schweinhart &
engaged in by teachers
development must be offered to and
childhood staff development is not
Weikart,1993). However, ongoing early
8
1 0