Jordanian Kindergarten Research Articles

The State and Level of Involvement among Jordanian Kindergarten Parents and its Relationship to Teachers' Efforts of Outreach

This study explored both the school- and home-based involvement practices of parents of children attending kindergarten in the city of Zarqa, Jordan. The study also examined the effect of some selected parental demographic variables (i.e. socioeconomic levels and levels of education) on parent involvement and the relationship between kindergarten parental involvement practices and parents' perceptions of teachers' efforts of outreach. Data were collected from 310 kindergarten parents using a 33-item questionnaire. Results of the study revealed that kindergarten parents involve themselves in different ways and assume different roles in their children's education at home and school. In general, parents were more participatory in home than in the school. Furthermore, there were no significant effects of parents' socioeconomic levels and levels of education on their home and school involvement practices. On the other hand, the results indicated a weak but significant relationship between parents' perceptions of teachers' efforts of outreach and both their home and school-based involvement practices. Different suggestions and recommendations for enhancing the involvement of kindergarten parents were addressed and presented based on the findings of this study.

Kindergarten Teachers’ Beliefs Toward Developmentally Appropriate Practice in Jordan

The objective of this study was to examine the beliefs of Jordanian kindergarten teachers toward developmentally appropriate practices (DAP). The sample consists of 285 (14.9%) randomly selected teachers working in public and private kindergartens. A questionnaire with two parts, (1) general information and (2) teachers’ beliefs regarding DAP, was developed to answer the research questions. The items were distributed into the five dimensions of early childhood professional practice that were published by the National Association for the education of young children (NAEYC). The findings indicated that the overall mean score of kindergarten teachers’ beliefs on the five dimensions was 4.08, indicating high beliefs toward (DAP). Teachers endorsed DAP on all dimensions except establishing reciprocal relationships with families. The findings also indicated that there are no significant differences between the means of teachers’ beliefs toward teaching children according to teachers’ level of education, years of experience, or teacher’s age (except in the caring community of learners and the development and learning domains). In the light of the findings of this study, some recommendations are presented.

The Beliefs of Jordanian Kindergarten Teachers of Developmentally Appropriate Practices according to Level of Education, School Type and Years of Experience

The Beliefs of Jordanian Kindergarten Teachers of Developmentally Appropriate Practices according to Level of Education, School Type and Years of Experience

The New Workforce Generation: Understanding the Problems Facing Parental Involvement in Jordanian Kindergartens

This study aimed to investigate the problems facing parental involvement in Jordanian kindergartens from the parents' perspectives. A 36-item questionnaire that addressed five domains was designed by the researchers and distributed among the study participants. The study sample consisted of 297 parents of kindergarten children from various kindergartens in Amman. The results reveal that the main problem facing parental involvement was related to the kindergarten principals, followed by problems related to the kindergarten teachers, while the kindergarten facilities were the least serious problem. Also, the results indicate that there were statistically significant differences only with problems related to the kindergarten instructional program domain with regard to the parents' gender, while there were no differences attributed to the educational and economic levels of the parents. Based on these findings the researchers address a number of suggestions and recommendations for enhancing parental involvement in Jordanian kindergartens.