Early Childhood Teacher Preparation Programs Research Articles

An infant-toddler field experience in resistance to settler colonialism in teacher preparation: perspectives and practices of teachers and teacher candidates

ABSTRACT The separation of young children from their families for most of their awake hours, and the specific segregation of children by discrete chronological age through classrooms and grade levels, is a relatively new phenomenon in the history of human society. Such settler colonial constructs continue to influence early learning design, policy and practice. We suggest that to prepare early childhood educators committed to bringing about just and sustainable futures, early childhood teacher preparation programs must begin to make visible and interrupt the notion of age segregation, support understandings of very young children as complete individuals and foster teacher preparation grounded in holistic, familial, and relational development. In considering how early childhood teacher preparation programs can prepare educators to serve children and families across their lifespan, we share perspectives of teacher candidates and recent graduates regarding how an infant/toddler practicum experience impacted and held relevance to their PK-3 teaching practice

Pushing Through: Developing Teacher Identity Under Times of Crisis

Field experiences during teacher preparation programs support teacher candidates in forming and reforming teacher identities through real-world teaching situations. Trying out teaching approaches with children, reflecting on practice, and collaborating with cooperating teachers support teacher candidates in building a teacher identity. However, at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, public schools closed in many states, requiring that field placements either end or change significantly. This is a study of five teacher candidates in an early childhood teacher preparation program. These candidates’ field placement ended in March 2020, requiring that university faculty develop an alternative teaching placement. Using Bourdieusian theoretical concepts of habitus, field, and doxa, this study explores how the candidates perceived this change and how they were able to continue to reflect and build their teacher identities.

Who’s teaching the teachers? An exploration of early childhood teacher preparation program faculty’s cultural competence, work burnout, and teaching efficacy

ABSTRACT Over recent decades, the demographic composition of children in the United States has rapidly shifted, culturally and linguistically. Concomitantly, there has been an increased need for early childhood education (ECE) teacher preparation programs to develop a culturally competent ECE workforce who are equipped to provide equitable learning experiences for culturally and linguistically diverse children and families. Given increasing attention and calls from education researchers, policymakers, and other partners to develop a culturally competent ECE workforce, the current study sought to explore program faculty’s cultural competence, specifically their culturally and linguistically responsive (CLR) teaching practices, and its association with feelings of work burnout and perceived teaching efficacy – two factors likely to be influenced by such heightening demands and to impact pre-service teachers’ own teaching competencies. Using structural equation modeling, the current study examined survey responses from 117 program faculty measuring their cultural competence and its association with feelings of work burnout and teaching efficacy. Analyses indicated that, overall, program faculty with higher levels of cultural competence reported minimal feelings of work burnout and higher teaching efficacy, and vice versa. Findings from the current study provide important research and practice strategies for the field of ECE teacher preparation.

Finding Space for Infants and Toddlers in Early Childhood Teacher Preparation Programs

Finding Space for Infants and Toddlers in Early Childhood Teacher Preparation Programs

Leveraging Virtual Learning Environments to Strengthen Pre-Service Early Childhood Teacher Preparation: Program Pivots Due to COVID-19 Empowers Future Practice

This critical reflection illuminates the planning, delivery, and evaluation of the ‘pivots’ an early childhood teacher preparation program made in response to the shift to virtual learning necessitated by the lock down measures prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The challenge was to shift two undergraduate courses from in person to a virtual format, including an inperson internship to an entirely virtual experience while maintaining a high-quality program which meets the certification requirements and professional standards. The process of moving the courses and internship to a virtual setting gave us the unique opportunity to step back and reflect on the essential conceptual knowledge and understandings necessary for teacher candidates to meet professional standards leading to certification and to becoming competent and caring professionals. Results of our critical reflection include lessons learned by the two instructors and department chair on the effective leveraging of technology to meet the challenges posed by COVID-19 leading to modifications to our program post pandemic.

Engineering to understand: reflections on a learning and teaching partnership for preservice early grades teachers and preschoolers

ABSTRACT Even with increasing calls for both researchers and educators to attend to the “E” in STEM from within the larger field of STEM education, little is known about the practices that serve to support early educators’ pedagogy and related content knowledge of engineering design. Using multiple methods in a revelatory, embedded, single-case design, this research provides an explanatory account of preservice teachers (PTs) engagement during a structured field experience with preschoolers designed to foster their understanding of design-based engineering though collaborative learning and teaching experiences. Research Findings: Findings reveal that the PTs developed more robust understandings of design-based engineering and stronger self-efficacy beliefs related to their practice following participation in the learning and teaching collaborative project. PTs also voiced concerns over perceived challenges of integrating engineering instruction within the pedagogically and content restrictive environments of contemporary early childhood classrooms. Practice or Policy: Additionally, this research suggests that guided teaching and learning partnerships can support early childhood teacher preparation programs in developing preservice teachers’ understandings of the interrelationships between engineering and other aspects of the curriculum using emergent curricular approaches and interactional, play-based pedagogies.

Dimensions and Orientations of Pre-Service Early Childhood Teachers’ Conceptions of Teaching Science

The purpose of the study was to investigate prospective early childhood teachers’ conceptions of teaching science, and thus identify their strategies for enabling their future pre-K to 3rd grade students’ construction of science content. For the purpose of this study, we subscribed to the view of conceptions of teaching as having dimensions and orientations reflecting two different models of learning, active learning and passive learning respectively. One hundred prospective early childhood teachers’ drawings and narratives of teaching science in early childhood classrooms were thematically analyzed to identify their conceptions of teaching science. Forty-six participants conceptualized demonstrations and teacher explanations as instructional strategies and as sources of science content knowledge to transmit defined bodies of science content knowledge to their students (passive learning). Fifty-four participants conceptualized experiments as student-based active learning environments that permitted students to think, discover, collaborate and construct their own science content knowledge and/or co-construct science content knowledge with teachers (active learning). The findings of the study provide a framework for focusing on how prospective early childhood teachers conceptualize science instruction for children in pre-K to 3rd grade classrooms and their strategies for helping their future early childhood learners in constructing science content. The study also calls for early childhood teacher education curricula to incorporate frameworks for understanding the practice of teaching within coursework early on in the early childhood teacher preparation program to enable prospective teachers to reflect on and document their prior knowledge of science instruction.

Integration of Digital Technology into an Early Childhood Teacher Preparation Program in China

The rapid development of technologies has complicated its adoption and integration into early childhood teacher professional development in China. The government of China has developed policies and provided financial support to improve preschools’ ICT infrastructure. Whereas various studies have examined the digital technology development provided to preservice educators around the world, relatively little is known about technology professional supports for early childhood (EC) preservice teachers in China’s universities. In this research, we focus on a university in the central part of China as a case study to explore preservice teachers’ technology use and self-efficacy while engaged in their field-based student teaching experiences. We collected data through an online questionnaire from 55 participants. Despite preservice educators’ positive attitudes toward digital technologies, the results identified several issues that undermined EC preservice teachers’ self efficacy for technology use and limited their instructional practices integrating technology in the field. Nonetheless, with adequate supports, preservice teachers were more likely to develop high confidence in their practice, suggesting the importance of improving and upgrading the current teacher preparation program and opportunities for field-based implementation.

Navigating the process of building parent-teacher partnerships: Experiences of early childhood pre-service teachers

This study utilized the qualitative phenomenological approach to explore pre -service teachers’ experiences in their engagement with parents of young children as they practiced building partnerships with parents. Pre-service teachers (N=50) were each assigned a preschool child with whom they interacted together with the child’s parents and teacher; completing a semester-long assignment created within a family, schools and community course for students in an early childhood teacher preparation program. Pre-service teachers’ responses to a survey and their final written reflections were analyzed using the process of axial and open coding. Results indicated the importance of communication and understanding different dynamics and challenges in parent-teacher partnerships. Therefore, educators should continuously strive to equip pre-service teachers with the skills they will need to succeed as they work with schools, the community and especially in their work with parents.

Australian preservice teachers and early reading instruction

ABSTRACTUniversity websites and internet search engines were used to locate information about literacy units addressing early reading instruction offered in Australian primary and early childhood teacher preparation programs. Data concerning course organizational details, the content of literacy units, and the qualifications and research interests of unit coordinators were collected for 40 Australian tertiary institutions. Results indicate that references to early reading content in unit descriptions were generally included with other literacy subject matter, the total tuition time available for early reading instruction was limited, and many unit coordinators did not have expertise in early reading. In addition, it would appear that essential research-based content such as phonics, phonemic awareness, and the alphabetic principle may not be adequately addressed in many units. An amendment to Standard 2.5 of the guidelines set out in the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers may assist in resolving some of these issues.

Shifting perspectives: preservice teacher preparation in family engagement

ABSTRACTThis is a case study of four students in an early childhood teacher preparation program at a large, state university that intentionally seeks to emphasize supporting children and families from diverse backgrounds and using culturally responsive pedagogy. The program includes a family engagement course in the first semester that is designed to facilitate students’ recognition of the perspectives of diverse families, as well as practica in schools serving children and families from a range of backgrounds. Our investigation revealed that not all of our participants were willing to completely let go of their preconceived understandings of family diversity and engagement, but those who did were very willing to try multiple ways of building mutually beneficial relationships with families. Our findings suggest that teacher educators must have an understanding of the cultural and family backgrounds of teacher preparation students so as to better support students in decentering and resisting normalizing their own family and school experiences.

“I am now confident”: academic service-learning as a context for addressing math anxiety in preservice teachers

ABSTRACTChildren’s early numeracy knowledge predicts later academic performance, yet many children do not experience optimal math instruction. This study investigated the impact of academic service-learning (ASL) in an early childhood teacher preparation math course and answered the following research question: Was the ASL experience effective in improving students’ dispositions and self-efficacy for teaching early math? Participants included nine undergraduates in an early childhood teacher preparation course and thirteen 2- to 5-year-old children from ten culturally and linguistically diverse families. Results of this mixed-methods study indicated the university students expressed considerable math anxiety near the beginning of the course, yet they believed in the importance of math and aspired to support children’s math. Students articulated challenges and assumptions related to supporting early math. A key finding was that, across the ASL experience, students experienced a shift away from anxiety and toward self-efficacy for teaching math and a disposition to advocate for early math. Children’s math knowledge was also assessed and was significantly higher post-ASL than pre-ASL. The article concludes with a discussion of the obligation of early childhood teacher preparation programs to address possible math anxiety among preservice teachers and provide experiences that help students build self-efficacy for teaching math.

Examining the Impact of a Year-Long University–School Partnership

ABSTRACTField experiences play a significant role in teacher preparation. Having a variety of authentic interactions in real classrooms gives teacher candidates experiences that can connect course theory and discussion with practice, creating a repertoire from which to draw and use in their future classrooms. With that background in mind, in this study, the authors explored opportunities to support the preparation of teacher candidates through a collaborative partnership between an early childhood teacher preparation program and a public elementary school. Utilizing the perceptions of all participants in the partnership, the authors identified demonstrated growth in the teacher candidates: increased teaching confidence, improved teaching skills and abilities, and stronger relationships and greater collaboration among teacher candidates, mentor teachers, school administrators, and university faculty. Implications from this study include a better understanding of the critical aspects involved with university–school partnerships.

Preparing early childhood preservice teachers for science teaching: aligning across a teacher preparation program

ABSTRACTIn early childhood education and early childhood teacher preparation, science is often a challenging academic content area. However, young children are primed for science learning, and early science learning is important for later science achievement. The current study presents an embedded case study of one early childhood teacher preparation program that undertook a process of infusing and aligning science teaching preparation across a curriculum preparing preservice teachers to work with children ranging in age from birth through third grade. Major themes fell into the three categories—motivation for change; the process of improving and aligning across a program; and science attitudes, beliefs, and experiences in the midst of change. Implications are discussed in terms of improving preparation for teaching early science and aligning across courses in early childhood teacher preparation.

Seven Layers of Strength in a Model Early Childhood Teacher Preparation Program

ABSTRACTThe purpose of this qualitative study was to propose a framework for the types of practices and ideologies that the most successful clinical-based, early childhood teacher education programs use to prepare their preservice teachers for the profession. Grounded theory methods guided the collection and analysis of data. Participants included preservice teachers and faculty members from three model universities. The researcher collected data from semistructured interviews, open-ended surveys, and university documents. Data analysis resulted in a framework that explains clinical practice across model early childhood teacher preparation programs. Findings suggest that seven layers of strength contribute to the programs’ expertise in preparing their preservice teachers.

To transform or to reproduce: Critical examination of teacher inquiry within early childhood teacher preparation

ABSTRACTThe purpose of this research is to examine how and to what extent preservice teachers (PSTs) who engage in teacher inquiry develop a critical reflective stance towards their teaching practices in early childhood classrooms. As we, a team of early childhood teacher educators, incorporated teacher inquiry into our reformed early childhood teacher preparation program and adopted critical reflection as our theoretical framework, we were interested in investigating our PSTs’ engagement and enactment of teacher inquiry. This study analyzed early childhood PSTs’ final teacher inquiry projects to examine their understanding of the inquiry cycle, selection of inquiry topics and rationales, and varying roles inquiry played in their professional learning. The findings suggest that careful and critical considerations should be given to PSTs’ teacher inquiry so that its full potential to transform teaching and learning may be optimized and avoid use as a reproduction tool to reinforce existing school culture and practices.

A Systems Perspective on Practicum Experiences in Early Childhood Teacher Education: Focus on Interprofessional Relationships

High quality early childhood teachers have a wealth of knowledge and use a range of skills in their daily classroom practices, and research has consistently demonstrated the positive influence effective early childhood teachers have on children’s development and long-term outcomes. Given the importance of practicum experiences in the development of effective teachers, exploration and understanding of these experiences for early childhood teacher candidates is warranted. The relationship between the cooperating teacher and teacher candidate can be viewed as a central element in the experience; this relationship influences and is influenced by additional elements within the practicum experience, including: communication, beliefs, fit, knowledge and learning. In this article, each of these elements is explored, and the interrelatedness of the elements within the practicum experience is discussed. A systems perspective is used to describe the multiple elements of the practicum experiences in early childhood teacher preparation programs, not only to explore the practicum experience, but also to develop recommendations and a research agenda.

“I Have a Hippopotamus!”: Preparing Effective Early Childhood Environmental Educators

ABSTRACTThis article describes an early childhood teacher-preparation program that infuses environmental education and nature experiences into courses, practicum, and student-teaching experiences. Program philosophy, pedagogy, materials, and methods are described and linked to the Early Childhood Environmental Education Programs: Guidelines for Excellence, the Guidelines for the Preparation and Professional Development of Environmental Educators, and state-level early learning guidelines that focus on connecting young children with nature. Preservice teachers build knowledge, skills, and dispositions for effective environmental education beginning from an awareness level and progressing to application and refinement. The value of nature is communicated explicitly and implicitly throughout the program. Preliminary analysis of student outcomes indicated that, over the course of the program, students’ ratings of the importance of nature and science experiences and outcomes increased, along with their confidence implementing environmental-education activities.

Community-based collaboration for early childhood teacher education: Partner experiences and perspectives as co–teacher educators

ABSTRACT The relevance and effectiveness of traditional, course- and clinical-experience-based models of teacher preparation have been called into question, and institutions of teacher education must respond to the changing landscape of educational policy, which increasingly emphasizes that candidates must be prepared for challenges faced in complex, increasingly diverse classroom and community contexts through extended field experiences (Rust, 2010). In this article, we present a case for the development of mutually beneficial community partnerships as the foundation of all early childhood teacher education. First, key policies and research findings are presented that point to partnership as a key theme that must be addressed by preparation programs; next, a framework for the development of mutually beneficial partnerships between preparation programs and schools/community agencies is introduced; interview and focus group data are presented from the development and implementation of a field-based undergraduate early childhood teacher preparation program. These include examples of strategies that assist in leveraging resources toward mutual benefit, as well as vignettes illustrating field-based teacher education in action. Finally, partnership practices that address the shared goals of early childhood educators and those who prepare them are presented.

Student Teaching Within Early Childhood Teacher Preparation Programs: An Examination of Key Features Across 2- and 4-Year Institutions

Early childhood teacher preparation programs play a critical role in preparing teachers to work with young children, yet the field knows relatively little about how these programs carry out this important function. The culminating classroom-based experience, generally termed “student teaching”, is an important component in teacher preparation. The current study presents descriptive data from a survey of 103, 2- and 4-year early childhood teacher preparation programs related to key features of student teaching in these programs, including field placement sites, criteria for cooperating teachers, and student requirements. Comparisons of 2- and 4-year programs show several areas of similarity as well as some differences, with 4-year programs generally requiring more intense student teaching experiences. The findings are discussed in terms of the different foci in for 2- and 4-year programs and suggest that additional effort to strengthen and perhaps establish some consistent expectations for student teaching experiences may be useful.