EARLY CHILDHOOD TEACHERS: WRITING TO EXPLORE PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Abstract

This study examined the perceptions and practices of certified preschool teachers and children regarding play. A sample of 102 Pre‐Kindergarten regular (Pre‐K regular) teachers and 61 Pre‐Kindergarten with disabilities (Pre‐K with disabilities) teachers in an urban school district were surveyed. A sub‐group of 46 teachers and 72 4‐year‐old children were interviewed. In contrast to teachers in a previous study who did not have teacher certification, the teachers in the present study believed that play supported children's learning and development and indicated that play was an integral part of their curriculum. Approximately 30% of the teachers who were interviewed said they did not allow children's rough and tumble play either because they thought it was dangerous or it would promote aggression. All of the Pre‐K with disabilities teachers and half of Pre‐K regular teachers said they provided support for play of children with disabilities in their classes. Their reported support focused more on cognitive aspects of play than on social interactions. Children's ideas about play were similar to those in the 1987 study.     

THE FAMILIES WHO CARE PROJECT: MEETING THE EDUCATIONAL NEEDS OF AFRICAN AMERICAN AND RURAL FAMILY CARE GIVERS DEALING WITH DEMENTIA

Successful educational outreach to address the informational needs of African American and rural families dealing with dementia requires a concerted strategy that fosters trust and conveys a genuine commitment to the targeted communities. The Families Who Care project formed a partnership that included majority and minority institutions of higher education, state and local human services organizations, and two chapters of the Alzheimer's Association. These advisory groups were asked to identify the educational needs of family caregivers and guide the implementation of a train-the-trainer effort in Virginia. The results of strategic planning sessions are detailed, and analyses of evaluation data point to racial and cultural differences in the project's effect on participating family caregivers. Conclusions support increasing the availability of cultural competence training for those who provide services to diverse caregiving families. elders and their families and communities through the development and dissemination of culturally relevant materials emphasizing both the established facts about {Alzheimer's disease and related disorders} and the efficacy of seeking treatment''(Advisory Panel on Alzheimer's Disease, 1992, p. 50). There is a similar need to train family caregivers of rural elders with dementia, whose informational and service needs     

CULTURALLY SITUATED EXPLORATIONS OF CHILD DEVELOPMENT: A HOME VISIT PROJECT FOR PROSPECTIVE EARL Y CHILDHOOD TEACHERS

As part of a child development course in an undergradute early childhood teacher preparation program, students completed a home visit project with a family of a culture other than their own. This report examines the assignment's effectiveness in helping students become aware of the cultural nature of human development and the role of the family in the child's growth and development. Student responses obtained through focus groups, papers, field notes, and course evaluations included 1) reflections on the nature of the experience; 2) reactions to the role of researcher in the home of relative strangers and 3) evaluation of the learning. Although students seem to have achieved some understanding of the role of family and culture, the further step of recognizing culture as fundamental to development was generally not an outcome of the present intervention.     

FROM PRESERVICE PREPARATION TO WORKING LIFE: CAREER EXPERIENCES OF EARLY CHILDHOOD TEACHERS IN FINLAND

ABSTRACT

This 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.     

TRAINING TEACHERS TO USE EVIDENCE‐BASED PRACTICES FOR AUTISM: EXAMINING PROCEDURAL IMPLEMENTATION FIDELITY

The purpose of this study was to examine the extent to which public school teachers implemented evidence‐based interventions for students with autism in the way these practices were designed. Evidence‐based practices for students with autism are rarely incorporated into community settings, and little is known about the quality of implementation. An indicator of intervention quality is procedural implementation fidelity (the degree to which a treatment is implemented as prescribed). Procedural fidelity likely affects student outcomes. This project examined procedural implementation fidelity of three evidence‐based practices used in a randomized trial of a comprehensive program for students with autism in partnership with a large, urban school district. Results indicate that teachers in public school special education classrooms can learn to implement evidence‐based strategies; however, they require extensive training, coaching, and time to reach and maintain moderate procedural implementation fidelity. Procedural fidelity over time and across intervention strategies is examined.     

THE STEALTH GERONTOLOGYTM PROGRAM: TRAINING TEACHERS TO INFUSE AGING AND AGE-RELATED CONTENT INTO PUBLIC SCHOOL CLASSROOMS

Preparing youngsters for an aging society requires teachers who keep pace with health science research. The Stealth Gerontology^TM program educates teachers regarding aging-related issues. The design and assessment of the program are reported in this paper. Teachers attended sessions including direct instruction and hands-on participation (e.g., laboratories). Sound educational methods were modeled through interactions with university researchers and lessons from the Positively Aging^® curriculum, while highlighting aging topics matched to educational standards. Participants showed significant improvement (p ≤ 0.05) in eight of nine topics in multiple-choice pre- and posttests. Evaluations indicate a high degree of success.     

让"后天"永不到来——通过两部电影解读科学与人文之间的关系

通过解读美国好莱坞电影<后天>、<代理人>等,结合西方哲学阐释科技与人类之间的关系.科学技术促进了工业文明的极大发展,工业文明导致了物质的极大丰富.然而科学技术的进步是否可以净化并保护我们赖以生存的地球环境,是否可以为人类精神的健康发展指引一个正确的方向,这些问题值得深思.     

CURRENT AND FUTURE SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS’ PREPAREDNESS TO WORK WITH LGBT STUDENTS: ROLE OF EDUCATION AND GAY‐STRAIGHT ALLIANCES

This study sought to assess current and future school psychologists’ attitudes toward and preparedness to address the needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) students in schools. Two‐hundred seventy‐nine school psychologists (n = 162, 58%) and school psychology graduate students (n = 117, 42%) were included in the study. Participants completed measures of attitudes toward LGBT students, preparedness to address the needs of LGBT youth, and social desirability. For both school psychologists and graduate students, increased education was associated with improved attitudes and increased preparedness to treat LGBT youth. For school psychologists, presence of a gay‐straight alliance was associated with increased knowledge about LGBT youth, as well as higher ratings of preparedness to treat LGBT youth; the same associations did not hold true for the graduate students. These findings have implications for the training and practice of school psychologists in addressing the needs of LGBT youth in schools.     

INTRODUCTION TO THE SPECIAL ISSUE OF EDUCATIONAL GERONTOLOGY: INTERDISCIPLINARY GERIATRIC EDUCATION IN THE HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONS: THE DEVELOPMENT,IMPLEMENTATION, AND EVALUATION OF PROGRAMS IN THE RHODE ISLAND GERIATRIC EDUCATION CENTER

The interest around intergenerational programs and the fostering of intergenerational relationships is growing internationally. However, studies on the profile and functions of intergenerational program managers are still scarce. Furthermore, available approaches to the traits and functions of intergenerational program managers have not highlighted which features are distinctive of these professionals. Through a Delphi study undertaken in Spain, with participation of 18 intergenerational program managers and 12 intergenerational specialists, consensus was reached around characteristics of both the general profile of intergenerational program managers and the specificities of this occupational role. On the one hand, being able to work on a team, having skills for observation and contextual analysis, and being skilled at managing resources were identified as the most important general characteristics. On the other hand, being good at promoting contacts, social relationships, interactions, and bonds was deemed to be the most distinctive feature of this profile. After contrasting our results with international guidelines and standards for intergenerational work, the need to develop and reinforce further the relational nature of this professional figure is argued.