Teachers' Perceptions of Developmentally Appropriate Practice in Early Learning Programs PDF
Preview Teachers' Perceptions of Developmentally Appropriate Practice in Early Learning Programs
TEACHERS’ PERCEPTIONS OF DEVELOPMENTALLY APPROPRIATE PRACTICE IN EARLY LEARNING PROGRAMS A Thesis by ANDREA WATSON ANDERSON Submitted to the Graduate School Appalachian State University In partial fulfillment for the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF ARTS August 2010 Department of Family and Consumer Sciences TEACHERS’ PERCEPTIONS OF DEVELOPMENTALLY APPROPRIATE PRACTICE IN EARLY LEARNING PROGRAMS A Thesis by ANDREA WATSON ANDERSON August 2010 APPROVED BY: ___________________________________________ Dr. Cindy McGaha Chairperson, Thesis Committee ___________________________________________ Dr. Denise Brewer Member, Thesis Committee __________________________________________ Dr. Ellen Carpenter Member, Thesis Committee __________________________________________ Darlene Shumate Member, Thesis Committee _________________________________________ Dr. Ellen Carpenter Chair, Family and Consumer Sciences _________________________________________ Dr. Edelma D. Huntley Dean, Research and Graduate Studies Copyright by Andrea W. Anderson 2010 All Rights Reserved Permission is hereby granted to the Appalachian State University Belk Library and to the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences to display and provide access to this thesis for appropriate academic and research purposes. FOREWORD This thesis is written in accordance with the style of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association as required by the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences at Appalachian State University iv ABSTRACT TEACHERS’ PERCEPTIONS OF DEVELOPMENTALLY APPROPRIATE PRACTICE IN EARLY LEARNING PROGRAMS (August 2010) Andrea Watson Anderson, B.S., Appalachian State University Birth – Kindergarten Teacher Licensure, Western Carolina University M.A., Appalachian State University Chairperson: Dr. Cindy McGaha Teachers’ perceptions of Developmentally Appropriate Practice (DAP) were investigated to determine factors that affect teachers’ ability to implement DAP. Pre-k and kindergarten teachers completed The Beliefs and Intentions Questionnaire which measured teachers self reported beliefs and practices. Results indicated that pre-k teachers’ beliefs were more strongly related to their teaching intentions than for kindergarten teachers. Differences in pre-k and kindergarten classrooms were identified as well as pre-service training between pre-k and kindergarten teachers. Data analysis revealed a significant difference in Early Childhood Education (ECE) trained teachers and Elementary Education (EE) trained teachers’ perceptions of DAP. Teachers who completed pre-service course work in ECE and taught in pre-k classrooms were more likely to demonstrate a Constructivist view of development. Teachers were asked to report perceived barriers to the implementation of DAP. State and local mandates and administrative support were identified as barriers to DAP. Implications for policy and practice are included. v DEDICATION Thank you to my parents, Gary and Vertie, whose names should be included on my diploma! Truly, I could not have juggled the logistics of home, career, and graduate school without your willingness to move heaven and earth for my family. Especially to you Momma, my journey was yours as well. Thank you to my husband, Patrick, whose patience and understanding allowed me many hours in the library. As my constant supporter, his consideration and fortitude gave him the ability to achieve an affinity for cereal for dinner. And finally, thank you to Jackson whose arrival prompted my adventure in academia. Your childhood has been and will always be the one I care most about. This is all for you. vi ACKNOWLEDGMENTS A special thank you to Dr. Ellen Carpenter, Dr. Denise Brewer, and Dr. Patricia Hearron who helped cultivate a profound passion for developmentally appropriate practice in early learning programs. Through their instruction and guidance, I learned about myself as a practitioner. This work serves to honor Dr. Carol Harding, whose confidence in my ability provided me confidence to write about my experiences. Thank you to Dr. Cindy McGaha for her guidance during my graduate studies and her encouragement during the research and writing process. It would have been more than appropriate to suggest an alternative to writing a thesis, but she supported my need to stretch my academic muscles. I so appreciate the numerous hours of review and suggestions on this paper to expand my thinking about DAP. Thank you for understanding my need to be focused on being a wife and mother as well as a researcher. Thank you to Janet Sink, Anna Lankford, and Kaye Lamb for their support and guidance during the research phase of this project. A million thanks to Robin Stanley for her support and willingness to assist in this project. Thank you to Kathy Hardin and Janet Mears who served as mentors, collaborators, and cheerleaders. Surely there is joy to be found in adversity. After a professional storm, I found a providential calm, happiness, a new course, and unconditional support as a teacher in the preschool program. vii TABLE OF CONTENTS Abstract ................................................................................................................................v Dedication .......................................................................................................................... vi Acknowledgments............................................................................................................. vii Chapter 1: Introduction ........................................................................................................1 Developmentally Appropriate Practice in Early Learning Programs .............................3 Problem Statement ..........................................................................................................5 Research Questions .........................................................................................................7 Chapter 2: Review of the Literature .....................................................................................8 Ecological Systems Theory.............................................................................................8 Macrosystem of Ecological Theory .........................................................................10 Exosystems of Ecological Theory ...........................................................................14 Mesosystems of Ecological Theory .........................................................................16 Microsystems of Ecology Theory ............................................................................17 Conclusion ...............................................................................................................20 Developmentally Appropriate Practice .........................................................................20 Guidelines for Developmentally Appropriate Practice ............................................20 Creating a Community Learners ........................................................................20 Teaching to Enhance Development and Learning ............................................21 Planning Curriculum to Achieve Important Goals ...........................................22 Assessing Children’s Development and Learning ............................................23 Establishing Reciprocal Relationships ................................................................24 The Application of Developmentally Appropriate Practice ...........................................25 Barriers to the Implementation of Developmentally Appropriate Practice .............29 Teacher Characteristics .......................................................................................30 Teacher Dispositions ...........................................................................................31 Pre-Service Training ...........................................................................................32 Professional Development ..................................................................................33 Teacher Perceptions of Developmentally Appropriate Practice and their Impact on Practice ....................................................................................................................34 Chapter 3: Methodology ....................................................................................................37 Research Context ..........................................................................................................37 Participants ....................................................................................................................38 Procedures .....................................................................................................................42 Instrumentation .............................................................................................................44 Summary .......................................................................................................................45 Chapter 4: Results ..............................................................................................................46 Relationship between Beliefs and Intentions ................................................................48 Early Educators’ Scores with Removal of Reversal Items ......................................48 Pre-K and Kindergarten Teachers’ Scores ...............................................................50 Differences in Teachers’ Perceptions of Developmentally Appropriate Practice ........55 Scores with Removal of Reversal Items ..................................................................56 Teachers’ Perceptions of Barriers to Developmentally Appropriate Practices ............57 Planning Curriculum to Achieve Important Goals ..................................................57 Teaching to Enhance Development and Learning ...................................................59 Administrative Support ............................................................................................61 Teacher as Decision Maker ......................................................................................62 Summary .......................................................................................................................64 Chapter 5: Discussion ........................................................................................................65 Summary of Major Findings .........................................................................................65 Differences Based on Setting ...................................................................................66 Administrative Support ......................................................................................66 State and Local Mandates ..................................................................................69 Differences Based upon Pre-Service Training .........................................................73 Limitations to the Present Study ...................................................................................76 Sample Size ..............................................................................................................76 Characteristics of the Sample ...................................................................................76 Curriculum Specialist as Researcher .......................................................................77 Measures that Assess Developmentally Appropriate Practice .................................78 Implications...................................................................................................................79 Setting ......................................................................................................................79
Description:The list of books you might like
