Abstract not available.

Using the framework of critical ethnography, one that offers an insider's view to understanding processes, I entered my own kindergarten classroom and tried to place my own storytelling pedagogy under critical scrutiny. I tried to find answers to such questions as: (1) what impact my storytelling praxis had on the identity of the children, (2) how my teacher belief about storytelling and literacy learning of young children informed my classroom praxis and (3) how the children responded to this praxis. This research was conducted over ten weeks in 1994 in a small English speaking school in a mid-sized city in central Canada. Forty-two children took part in the study; twenty-five were five years old and seventeen were four years old. Twenty-six of the children were English speaking. Sixteen children were from ethnically diverse backgrounds. Each week I told the children one story, taken from my annual "Fairy Tale and Nursery Rhyme" theme. I taperecorded these tellings and demonstrated the use of the taperecorder for the children. The taperecorder was then made available to the children and they were encouraged to go and tell their own stories into it. During this time I also collected field notes and kept a reflective journal. An analysis of the data revealed a storytelling praxis rife with problems. The themes of the teacher-told stories offered a very narrow Eurocentric world view. Most child storytellers were five years old and had strong English skills. Four year old children or children with weak English skills tended to stay away from the taperecorder. Finally, while acting as both a teacher and a researcher is a creative means of bringing the classroom teacher's voice into the literature, it proved to be full of tension. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)

AbstractU.S. schools are diverse due to an increasing number of culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) learners. Researchers recommend using culturally responsive teaching (CRT) that connects race and literacy, culture, and language with CLD learners. If K-3 teachers do not use CRT practices, CLD students’ English proficiency will be delayed, which may negatively influence self-esteem, academic achievement, social skills, and mobility through society. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore Title1 K-3 primary and resource teachers’ perspectives of CRT practices used with CLD learners. Gay’s theory of CRT, featuring teacher attitudes, culturally diverse curriculum content, culturally congruent instruction, pedagogical skills, and tenacity in ensuring quality education, was used to frame this study. A purposeful sample of 8 K-3 participants, including 6 primary teachers and 2 resource teachers with experience working in schools with a high population of CLD learners, volunteered and participated in semistructured interviews. Data were analyzed through coding and theme development. The results showed that participants supplemented the existing CLD curriculum with visual aids and literacy resources, used vocabulary, language, and student-centered techniques for instruction, and integrated parent involvement activities to develop home/school relationships and increase student academic performance. Teachers shared a need for more CRT training; thus, it is recommended that K-3 teachers receive training on new knowledge, strategies, and skills that prepare them to meet the needs of their CLD students. This endeavor may lead to positive social change when district administrators provide K-3 teachers with professional development to learn and apply new CRT practices in the classroom to increase CLD learners’ English proficiency.

This study examined the relationship between fathers' engagement patterns and children's cognitive development in early childhood. The study specifically examined fathers' home engagement patterns based on their engagement in caregiving, play, and literacy activities when children were around 9-month-old and 24-month-old, and children's later cognitive development in preschool in relation to their fathers' engagement patterns as measured earlier. This study used multiple data sources from Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Birth Cohort (ECSL-B). These sources included 9-month self-administered resident father survey (N=5,700), 2-year self-administered resident father survey (N=4,300), direct child assessment (N=4,850), and parent interviews. The current study found that there were differences in fathers' actual engagement based on child's gender when infants were around 9-months old. Although majority of father classes were similar for boys and girls, there were two distinct groups of fathers who exhibited different engagement patterns for boys and girls. The results for father-toddler engagement patterns were more consistent across genders. Initial gender-separated analysis showed only minor differences in item response probabilities meaning the disparity of fathers' engagement patterns based on gender mostly disappear when their children are around 2 years old. The results suggested that fathers who had the highest likelihood of engaging their infant children had generally negative effect on girls' literacy and mathematics scale score in preschool. Additionally, 2-year fathers' engagement classes did not predict children's mathematics and literacy performance in preschool after controlling for family, child and father characteristics. This study concludes with limitations and recommendations for future research. Latent class analysis (LCA) results confirmed differences in fathers' actual engagement based on child's gender in their infancy. Fathers with the highest likelihood of engaging their infant children had generally negative effect on girls' literacy and mathematics scale score in preschool. The LCA results for father-toddler engagement patterns were more consistent across genders. The disparity of fathers' engagement patterns based on gender mostly disappear when children are around 2 years old. Although fathers' engagement with their toddlers had far less negative effects on children's cognitive development when compared to their engagement with their infants, this effect was more salient for girls' literacy and mathematics performance. Several factors overshadowed the effects of father engagement patterns. Among them were SES, ethnicity and mother involvement index. Specifically, SES level in 9-month and 2-year had greater impact on children's cognitive development in preschool. The results showed that father engagement patterns can have varying effects for different ethnic groups and mothers' actual engagement with their children. The findings of this study have potential to impact on policy makers, parents and researchers in different ways. Policy makers can benefit while dealing with policies governing the regulations of parents involvement in early years, parents can use the findings as guide for their child rearing practices and last but not least researchers can use the findings for designing further studies to look into effects of father engagement on children' development. / A Dissertation submitted to the School of Teacher Education in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Summer Semester 2015. / June 15, 2015. / Cognitive Development, Father Engagement, Latent Class Analysis, Mathematics, Parent Involvement, Reading / Includes bibliographical references. / Ithel Jones, Professor Directing Dissertation; Ming Cui, University Representative; Elizabeth Jakubowski, Committee Member; Diana Rice, Committee Member; Toby Park, Committee Member.

Claude Debussy is considered one of the most influential figures of the late 19th century and early 20th centuries. Among the various works that he wrote for the piano, Children's Corner and La Boîte à joujoux distinguish themselves as being evocative of childhood. However, compared to more substantial works like Pelléas et Mélisande or La Mer, his children's piano music has been underrated and seldom performed. Children's Corner and La Boîte à joujoux were influenced by a series of eclectic sources, including jazz, novel "views" from Russian composers, and traditional musical elements such as folk songs and Eastern music. The study examines several stylistic parallels found in these two pieces and is followed by a discussion of Debussy's use of musical quotations and allusions, important elements used by the composer to achieve what could be dubbed as a unique "children's wonderland."

The purpose of the study was to examine whether athletic participation as a child and/or adolescent acts as a protective factor for youth who endure childhood maltreatment. After screening for childhood maltreatment, our 269 participants were separated into either an athlete group or a non-athlete group and compared using two one-way multivariate analyses of covariance (MANCOVA). Emotional neglect served as the covariate due to non-athletes' significantly higher emotional neglect scores than athletes. The first MANCOVA compared athletes and non-athletes on positive outcomes, which included measures of post-traumatic growth, three adaptive coping strategies, and self-compassion. In the second MANCOVA, we assessed for differences between athletes and non-athletes on negative outcomes, which included measures of traumatic, depressive, and anxious symptomology and a maladaptive coping strategy. Neither MANCOVA reached significance, rejecting our hypothesis that athletes would be more resilient than non-athletes to the negative impact of childhood maltreatment. Discussion considers possible reasons for the lack of significance, such as the recency of athletic participation or the specific type of maltreatment experienced, as well as limitations and directions for future research.

The purpose of this study was to determine whether parents and guardians understand the specific benefits of a music-based early intervention program for their child's development, when given data documented through observational methods. Participants (N=15) for this study were parents or guardians of children 2 to 4 years of age who attended "Music Play" in Tallahassee, Florida. On-task behavior data was coded from the 4 video recordings of the children who attended with their parents/guardians. After receiving the documentation, the parents were asked to complete the post-survey measure. Data was obtained from 8 parents out of the original 15 who consented to participate. Results from this study confirm that children benefit from music-based instruction for early intervention and that parental perceptions are altered when documented group on-task behaviors are presented. Further research needs to be conducted to affirm these responses with a larger sample size. Overall, parents and guardians have a good understand of the benefits of music-based instruction for their young children. / A Thesis submitted to the College of Music in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Music. / Fall Semester, 2014. / August 5, 2014. / early intervention, music therapy, parental awareness / Includes bibliographical references. / Jayne M. Standley, Professor Directing Thesis; Kimberly VanWheelden, Committee Member; Dianne Gregory, Committee Member.

This evaluation assessed the Curving Cliffs Program (a pseudonym) and how well it reflected the framework for Effective Everyday Practice Supporting School Readiness for All Children in the domain of pre-literacy. The program was a national school readiness program that was designed to provide services in the form of education, nutrition, and health to low-income families, children, and prenatal women. Families were required to meet Federal Poverty Levels to qualify for the program. This program was important because it provided skill development and interventions for children who may be at risk for learning and skill development in later years. The program's central office was located in the southeastern region and served three counties. All six centers were designed to offer children opportunities to learn and to aid in skill development. Centers were designed to provide children with structured environments that promote pre-literacy development. The purpose of this study was to explore pre-literacy practices in Curving Cliffs and assess their alignment with best practices necessary for school readiness. Specifically, six centers were explored to ascertain pre-literacy practices that were used to promote school readiness in the domain of pre-literacy. Data were collected using document reviews, observational data, and semi-structured interviews. Center directors and the Education Coordinator were interviewed to collect data to better understand pre-literacy practices that were used to prepare children for kindergarten. The study documented key information pertaining to practices used in all six centers to promote pre-literacy. Respondents explained activities that were used at their centers to promote pre-literacy, curriculum used to promote pre-literacy, as well as how environments were structured, tools used to analyze pre-literacy development, and challenges with promoting pre-literacy. The findings showed that program practices aligned with the framework for Effective Everyday Practice Supporting School Readiness for All Children promoted by the federal government and developed by a consortia of research universities. However, the study also indicated that there were some variations in pre-literacy practices and resources across the centers. / A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Education. / Fall Semester, 2014. / June 25, 2104. / Early Head Start, Head Start, practices, pre-literacy / Includes bibliographical references. / Carolyn Herrington, Professor Directing Dissertation; Peter Easton, Committee Member; Linda Schrader, Committee Member; Patrice Iatarola, Committee Member.

This investigation examined the relationship between teachers' credentials and teachers' child-rearing beliefs and preschoolers' social development at Jordan/ Amman private preschool settings. The participants were 946 (474 boys and 474 girls) 4 to 5-year-old preschool children attending private schools at the directorate of Amman /Jordan and their teachers (70). An instrument was administrated to the teachers in order to measure the degree to which their credentials and beliefs relate to preschool children's social development. Teachers' credentials and child-rearing beliefs were assessed by using Parental Modernity (PM) Scale for Child-rearing and Educational Beliefs (Schaefer and Edgerton, 1985). Preschool children's social development was assessed using Social Skills Improvement System (Gresham & Elliot, 2008). Pearson Moment Product Correlation and multiple regression were used to analyze existence of possible relationships. The analyses examined differences in teachers' credentials and child-rearing beliefs. The Analyses also examined differences in problem behaviors and social skills of preschoolers whose teachers possess traditional beliefs and had low credentials. The findings suggested that more than half of the preschool teachers (71.43%) had low credentials and (77.14%) had traditional beliefs. There were significant, relationship between teachers' credentials and teachers' child-rearing beliefs. Also the findings suggested that teachers' credentials and beliefs were consistent with preschool children's social development and problem behaviors. / A Dissertation Submitted to the School of Teacher Education in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Summer Semester, 2010. / June 24, 2010. / Preschoolers Social Development, Early Childhood Education, Teachers' Education / Includes bibliographical references. / Ithel Jones, Professor Directing Dissertation; Robert A. Schwartz, Committee Member; Diana Rice, Committee Member; Joseph Valente, Committee Member.

No description available.