Even though guidelines at a suburban elementary school in Georgia were in place for teachers regarding frequency and methods of parent communication, it was unclear if these methods were being used consistently and effectively. Research has shown that effective communication increases student achievement, but there is a lack of research examining communication preferences of teachers and parents. Therefore, this study evaluated current practices by comparing parents' and teachers' perceptions of what constitutes effective school-to-home communications. The researcher administered questionnaires to a random sample of teachers and parents of 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade students to compare their perceptions of the communication methods currently used between school and home, and to expose any need for modification to current practices. Data analysis using a t-test for independent measures was used to compare the teachers' and parents' mean scores computed from the Likert-scaled survey. Based on the results of the independent samples t-test, there was a significant difference between teachers and parents in communication scores for all parts of the survey instruments. Specifically, teachers rated themselves higher than the parents rated the teachers' practices. The results of this current study will be shared with the school's leadership team to determine the need for modifications to the current practices in order to communicate more effectively. A future qualitative study could examine the particular preferences of parents regarding communication. This study highlights the need to educate teachers about adapting their communication practices to meet parents' needs. The overall implications for social change include using this information to strengthen the partnership between school and home to increase overall student academic performance.

Many preschool students enter kindergarten without the oral language and phonetic awareness skills necessary for academic success. Qualitative research is also limited about the instructional practices preschool teachers use to improve the literacy skills of their students. The purpose of this study was to explore how teachers used developmentally appropriate instructional practices to improve the literacy skills of preschool students. The conceptual framework was based on the theories of Piaget and Vygotsky in relation to language development. A multiple case study research design was used. Participants included 6 teachers from 3 different preschool programs in an urban school district in the eastern United States. Data were collected from individual interviews with preschool teachers, observations of literacy instruction in classrooms, and related program documents. For the single case analysis, coding and category construction were used to analyze the interview data, and descriptive statistics were used to analyze the observation data. A content analysis was used to analyze the documents. For the cross case analysis, data were examined across all cases for emerging themes and discrepant data. A key finding was that preschool teachers used developmentally appropriate instruction to improve oral language, phonological awareness, and written expression and supported play through learning centers; however, limited teacher--child interaction was found in relation to quality of feedback and language modeling. This study contributes to positive social change by providing educators with a deeper understanding of the need to improve the literacy skills of young children.

Early childhood (EC) administrators could be the most important contributors to quality experiences in EC settings; they are also responsible for the caliber of experiences for children and staff. A quality EC program is licensed and accredited with administrators who have professional preparation and work experience and can lead and manage EC programs. There are the few direct educational paths to become an EC administrator. This lack of standardization influences the quality of leadership and organizational climate in EC settings. The purpose of this qualitative study as reflected in the research questions was to explore the experiences of EC administrators regarding their educational paths, their views of themselves as transformational leaders, and the influence of their leadership on their organizational climate. Prior research on the subject of leadership practices in EC suggests that Burns' transformational leadership is most beneficial, but this leadership style has not been explored in detail in EC settings. This phenomenological study included interviews of six EC administrators about their educational paths, their views as transformational leaders, and how their leadership influenced the organizational climate in their setting. Data were analyzed for themes that emerged. Findings suggested the need for streamlined undergraduate and graduate coursework. Implications for positive social change are the potential for improved quality of programs and for the support needed for early childhood leadership.

Limited information exists on early childhood first year teachers' training for accommodations for diverse student abilities in classrooms. This mixed methods sequential explanatory study examined the self-efficacy of 28 first year early childhood teachers from Midwest urban schools. Vygotsky's social learning theory and Gardner's multiple intelligences were used as the conceptual framework. Email survey data were collected and analyzed using a t-test to answer the quantitative questions on the relationship between perceived efficacy and type of and amount of special education training provided in preservice programs. Qualitative questions on self-efficacy to instruct diverse students within the regular classroom were examined using interviews with 28 first year teachers and analyzed for patterns and themes. Quantitative results indicated no relationship between perceived efficacy and amount of special education training provided in preservice programs. Qualitative analysis revealed that teachers with perceived high efficacy were more prepared through university preparation to work with diverse students in the classroom than those teachers who perceived themselves to have low efficacy with such students. This study contributes to social change by providing insight into requirements for effective preservice diversity training of early childhood teachers. The qualitative aspect of this study supports other research for more special education training that would be beneficial for preservice early childhood teachers along with better placements in field experiences that include inclusive classrooms. Higher education can improve teacher education programs by implementing such changes that will improve education for all children and make early childhood educators better able to attend to all students' needs.

The kindergarten program at the study site transitioned from half day to full day, yet the curriculum was not updated to accommodate the full day schedule, or to include best practices. In order to prepare learners for their future in education, activities were implemented to determine how problem based learning can promote acquisition of the 21st century learning skills. The purpose of this qualitative study was to create and implement an effective, full day curriculum that promotes 21st century learning skills for kindergarten students. This project, rooted in constructivism which allows for active and social learning, supplements the existing half day curriculum and encourages collaborating, experiential learning, and problem solving. The question that guided this project study involved understanding how 21st century learning skills of collaboration, problem solving, effective communication, and decision making can be integrated into a full day kindergarten curriculum. A qualitative participatory action research framework was used to gather data in the form of field notes during observations and interviews were coded and analyzed to find themes and categories that emerged. The findings revealed that 21st century skills can be acquired by kindergarten learners when the role of the teacher changes into a facilitator and models appropriate behaviors and skills. The final project includes a teacher's guide to support teachers as they transition into a new role as a facilitator as well as sample lessons with suggestions and hints for implementation. This project contributes to social change by presenting teachers with a data driven curriculum that offers an authentic, experiential way of teaching to help students develop skills necessary to become successful members of their classroom.

Studies indicate the importance of supporting children's creative and social skills during the early years of their development, in part because children can develop low self-esteem when these skills are left unattended in preschool environments. However, as of yet research has not identified strategies preschool instructors used to prepare preschool environments to nurture the development of these skills. This qualitative case study examined how preschool environments nurture the development of preschool children's creative skills and relationships. Grounded in Vygotsky's sociocultural theory and Torrance's theory of guiding creative talent, the study used a purposeful sample of 9 prekindergarten and kindergarten teachers from 5 private preschools. Data were collected from 3 sources: (a) interviews, (b) online websites and school documents, and (c) student artifacts. Data analysis identified related themes, categories, terms, and key phrases using an adapted rubric, and open, axial, and selective coding. Findings showed that preschool environments applied 18 strategies to nurture the development of relationships and creative skills in preschool children. These themes included participation, establishing trust, acceptance/self-awareness, dramatic play, collaborative play, organization, open-ended materials, observation, creativity enhancing curricula, children's transitional processes, encouraging social skills, language application, understanding children's culture, cooperative learning, children's self-concept, teachers' pedagogy, nurturing creativity and preparatory exercises. The study has a positive social impact by providing preschool teachers and administrators with a framework for preparing environments that not only promote academic achievement but also to use to nurture preschool children's creative and social-skills development.

Professionals in early intervention have little information about the levels of sibling involvement in intervention, factors that contribute to sibling involvement, or how sibling involvement is related to families’ perceptions of self-efficacy. Few studies have investigated siblings in early intervention, and none have focused on relationships between sibling involvement in early intervention and parent self-efficacy. Using quantitative survey research this study investigated factors related to sibling involvement in early intervention strategies. Respondents completing the survey consisted of 129 parents who had a child enrolled in Michigan’s early intervention program, and at least one sibling in the home. Results indicated a significant relationship between sibling use of early intervention strategies and 1) the region in which the family lives, and 2) the age difference between the siblings in each sibling dyad. Practical implications of the findings are discussed.

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between prekindergarten classroom quality indicators and student achievement at the prekindergarten level. Pre-existing data on prekindergarten classroom quality measures and student achievement was utilized. Quality indicators were assessed using the Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS) (Pianta, La Paro, & Hamre, 2008) and student achievement was measured by the end of year results on the Phonological Awareness Literacy Screening (PALS) (Invernizzi, Meier, Swank, & Juel, 2004) and the Bracken School Readiness Assessment end of year results (Bracken, 2007). A quantitative ex post facto correlational research design was employed to identify relationships between program quality and student achievement among the prekindergarten classrooms. An ex post facto design was chosen because the circumstances of conducting the research did not allow for an experiment. The classrooms in this study site were rated overall as high in quality. The findings indicate that quality in classrooms established by high scores in the Emotional Support and Classroom Organizational domains, paired with scores in the middle to high range in the Instructional Support domain have no statistical correlation between high achievement related to PALS and Bracken scores, with the exception of one subgroup. For students that receive Public Assistance, there was a statistical significance in their end results for PALS and Bracken, indicating a positive relationship between classroom quality and student achievement. It is vitally important to develop prekindergarten programs that can be easily replicated. Replicating successful programs would save time, money, and effort. Practitioners can increase and standardize structural quality factors such as length of day, credentialing requirements of staff, and the maintenance of an organized system of in-service training and systematic curriculum oversight, while ensuring the presence of process quality, This focus will create prekindergarten programs that offer the most at risk students the highest quality possible.

This study examined the delivery of information and services offered to grandparents who had become the primary caregivers of pre-k through third grade students to determine if the information and services were effective in decreasing chronic early absence as defined by Chang and Romero (2008). This mixed-method, multi-case study focused on the perceived needs of custodial grandparents and examined if the school system was meeting their needs through delivery of information and services. The researcher sought participation from 5 custodial grandparents who had grandchildren in pre-k, kindergarten, first, second, or third grades in a Northeast Tennessee school system and whose grandchildren had accumulated absences that met the definition of chronic early absenteeism (10% or more absences) as defined by Chang and Romero (2008). Skyward Database provided a list of families who met the aforementioned criteria. The average age of this group of grandparents was 51.8 with a range of ages from 48 to 54.The comparison group, also retrieved from the Skyward Database, included 4 custodial grandparents whose grandchildren had the highest attendance rates (top 5%). The average age of this group was 53 with a range of ages from 48 to 59. Researcher-developed questionnaires and interviews were used to determine outcomes and major findings. [a1] Major findings included 1) A Chi Squared Test determined that children in grandparent-led households were significantly more likely to meet the criteria of chronic early absence than children from parent/other guardian-led households; 2) 100% of grandparents in both groups had not heard of chronic early absence, 33% of teachers had not heard of chronic early absence, and 50% of Family Resource Center Staff had not heard of chronic early absence; 3) 47% of grandparent-led households met the criteria of chronic early absence while only 18% of parent/other guardian-led households met criteria of chronic early absence; 4) 0% of the parents were involved in the child’s life or education in the grandparent-led households while 50% of the parents were involved in the child’s life or education in parent/other guardian-led households; 5) 20% of children in grandparent-led households with chronic early absence had disciplinary actions while 100% of children in grandparent-led households with high attendance had significant disciplinary actions; and 6) Sickness was the primary reason for absences in grandparent-led families with chronic early absence; 7) A majority of grandparents in both groups used verbal communication with teachers and school staff, but written communication was preferred by each group.

1. The environment matters: design elements to consider : Beauty in everyday environments ; The impact of light ; Sounds make a difference ; A place for everything, everything in its place ; A secure and supportive environment ; Valuing diversity in the classroom ; Setting up appropriate learning environments -- 2. The process of planning for successful change : Creating the vision ; Developing a plan ; Introducing a new feature -- 3. Low-cost, big-impact changes : Decluttering ; Small changes ; Teacher's space -- 4. Building a sense of community in the classroom : Creating a welcoming and inviting entrance ; Developing a sense of place ; Valuing each member of the community ; Having effective group time ; Learning about and practicing responsibility ; Identifying personal spaces for children ; Providing choices for individual work ; Working in small groups -- 5. Real classroom makeovers : The importance of play ; Real classroom makeovers support children's play ; Literacy centers/areas ; Manipulatives/building ; Math and science ; Art and music ; Dramatic play ; Community meeting ; Nurturing environment -- 6. Early learning standards and the classroom environment : Early learning standards ; The unique needs of children ; Adapting the environment to all learners -- 7. The amazing (and real) classroom makeover adventure : The adventure ; Description of the classroom ; Developing a vision with an initial teacher interview ; The change process ; The first element of design considered ; The next element of design considered ; Teacher interview and reflection on the learning environment ; Art ; Books ; Blocks ; Gathering place ; Home living ; Science ; Writing ; Summary ; Teacher comments after the makeover -- Classroom evaluation checklist. / https://dc.etsu.edu/etsu_books/1063/thumbnail.jpg