An Application of Multiple Intelligences in a Lebanese Kindergarten

This study is an application of a Multiple Intelligences-based approach to assessment and educational practice in early childhood years, the Spectrum Project, in a Lebanese kindergarten. A control group design was used. The Spectrum activities were manipulated for the whole academic year by 150 kindergarten students (75 girls, 75 boys), enrolled in one branch of a private school, while the other branch of the same school worked with the regular curriculum. The purpose of the study was to determine if, through assessment of those activities, a profile of children's abilities, strengths, and weaknesses could be identified. Means and standard deviations for every activity were reported. A second purpose was to investigate the relationship between the different domains or intelligences. Pearson product-moment coefficients were computed. Finally, the difference in the end-of-year achievement between the experimental and the control group was investigated. The data are discussed in terms of cross-cultural interpretations. Implications and recommendations for future research are presented.     

Assessing Standards in the “Real” Kindergarten Classroom

The importance of using standards as key components in the curriculum is documented in both popular and professional literature. One aspect of integrating standards into the curriculum is the role of assessment. The focus of this paper is to prepare early childhood teachers to assess children's knowledge of the standards within the routines and centers provided in the kindergarten learning environment. Teachers can use this information to develop authentic assessment strategies which typically occurs in a child's learning during center and group time.     

Class and pedagogy: a case study of two Chicago preschools

Using a Bernsteinian theoretical framework, this study compares two American early childhood centres, one with a primarily progressive pedagogy (Frank Lloyd Wright Family Centre) and one with a primarily traditional pedagogy (Casimir Pulaski Centre), in high-poverty Chicago neighbourhoods to examine the effects of different pedagogic practices on the development of academic and non-academic skills in young children as measured by pre- and post-testing and observations over five months. The collected data demonstrate that students at Wright experienced greater levels of academic development than students at Pulaski. Children at both sites showed development in literacy and social/emotional skills, but the children at Wright also show development in problem-solving and imagination – skills that aid in abstract thought. While further study is needed on a broader scale, results from this study suggest that early childhood programmes with more progressive elements have the potential to better prepare children for elementary school than programmes with more traditional elements.     

Experimental Impacts of the “Quality Preschool for Ghana” Interventions on Teacher Professional Well-being,Classroom Quality,and Children’s School Readiness

We assessed the impacts of a teacher professional development program for public and private kindergartens in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana. We examined impacts on teacher professional well-being, classroom quality, and children’s readiness during one school year. This cluster-randomized trial included 240 schools (teachers N?=?444; children N?=?3,345, M_age?=?5.2) randomly assigned to one of three conditions: teacher training (TT), teacher training plus parental-awareness meetings (TTPA), and controls. The programs incorporated workshops and in-classroom coaching for teachers and video-based discussion groups for parents. Moderate impacts were found on some dimensions of professional well-being (reduced burnout in the TT and TTPA conditions, reduced turnover in the TT condition), classroom quality (increased emotional support/behavior management in the TT and TTPA conditions, support for student expression in the TT condition), and small impacts on multiple domains of children’s school readiness (in the TT condition). The parental-awareness meetings had counteracting effects on child school readiness outcomes. Implications for policy and practice are discussed for Ghana and for early childhood education in low- and middle-income countries.     

Tipping the scales: overcoming obstacles to support school readiness for all in low- and middle-income countries

Despite evidence for the substantial benefits of school readiness among children in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), most lack access to any pre-primary education at all, let alone high-quality preprimary education. In this article, we discuss obstacles and example of solutions to providing universal access to high-quality preprimary education in LMICs. We address (1) the need for a vision among policymakers, educators and families of what high-quality preprimary education should look like and how it could be provided in their context, and the motivation to make the vision a reality; (2) human resources, including motivated, skilled and qualified teachers as the center of a broad support system at national, regional and local levels; (3) material resources and infrastructure, including culturally appropriate play materials and child-friendly spaces; and (4) stable financing that allows for flexible adaptations of the model to different local contexts. For each element, we provide examples of these challenges and how they can be addressed, with a geographical focus on West Africa, the Middle East, Southern and Eastern Asia.     

对示范性幼儿园的作用与未来走向的思考

示范性幼儿园是特定背景下的产物。国家关注示范性幼儿园建设的目的是发挥示范性幼儿园的示范和辐射作用,带动全国幼儿教育事业的发展。然而,随着经济的迅速发展,示范性幼儿园建设出现了加剧幼儿教育的不均衡发展、过度建设“贵族”“精英”幼儿园、浪费教育资源等问题,甚至可能导致教育寻租现象的发生。政府要从政策制定入手,逐渐限制和缩小教育差距,完善公共教育政策。     

蒙台梭利课程实施过程中的问题及对策

蒙台梭利课程对我国幼儿教育的发展有重大的影响,但是在实施过程中也存在诸多问题,比如蒙台梭利课程存在市场化倾向、课程实施水平参差不齐、缺乏统一的蒙氏师资培训、家长对蒙台梭利课程缺乏充分的认识等等。为了实现蒙台梭利课程可持续发展,需要相关行政部门、幼儿园、社会等多方面的共同努力。     

Readiness for school of children having attended language immersion kindergarten in their teachers' and parents' opinions

In multicultural societies, much attention is given to children's language learning possibilities. In Estonia, the early language immersion programme for kindergarten children was started in the year 2000. The programme, while considered to be successful, has raised the question of whether the children participating in it are adequately prepared for school. The objective of the present study is to observe the readiness for school of those children who have participated in the early language immersion programme, taking into consideration the objectives of the curriculum and their teachers' and parents' assessments. The method of this study was a questionnaire employed over a three-year period (2009–2011) involving the teachers and parents of those children who were beginning their primary school education. The results of the study revealed that, according to the assessments of their teachers and parents, the readiness for school of the children having completed the early language immersion programme was very good. Data prove that language immersion programmes provide children with enough preparation to make a smooth transition from kindergarten to school life.     

A model for portfolio assessment in early childhood education programs

It is necessary for teachers to consider alternative means of evaluating their students. One method proving to be effective for gathering and organizing student productivity, growth, and development is the portfolio approach. This article describes the Early Childhood Portfolio Assessment Preparation (ECPAP) Model that was used to facilitate the use of student portfolios in two different early childhood education programs. The goals of the model, the six steps followed and the participants' responses to this project are discussed. This article may serve early childhood directors and supervisors who are preparing teachers to implement student portfolios as a supplement or an alternative to the existing assessment and evaluation programs. Also early childhood teacher education students can benefit from the design and implementation of ECPAP.     

How Reflective are Teachers? A Study of Kindergarten Teachers' and Special Teachers' Levels of Reflection in Day Care

The purpose of this study is to examine teachers' reflections of their early childhood special education work in Finnish day care. Work contents and work roles have faced many challenges in Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE), and therefore general reflection and research need to be developed. Teachers (n?=?218) evaluated, via an electronic survey, the work fields of ECSE. Reflectivity is assessed by means of open-ended questions in the different fields of ECSE. All the answers were divided into the following categories: the technical, practical, and critical level of reflection. The researchers compared their evaluations and found the baseline to be very similar. The data revealed that the reflectivity was mainly at the technical level. It was almost impossible to reach the critical reflection level.     

乡镇幼儿园音乐教育存在问题与对策研究

随着城市化和新农村建设的发展,幼儿园遍布城乡各地,让更多的幼儿能够接受良好的早期教育。幼儿音乐教育是幼儿园艺术教育领域的重要内容之一,但乡镇幼儿园的音乐教学环境及音乐活动的开展,尚存在诸多不足之处。因此,改善乡镇幼儿园音乐教育现状,需要对存在的问题进行分析,提出有效的策略,使乡镇幼儿音乐教育能够逐渐规范和完善。     

The limitations of multiculturalism in Norwegian early childhood education

In Norway, 9 out of 10 children between the ages of one and five participate in an educational formation programme which, despite around half of the kindergartens being privately owned, is regulated by a common law and relatively detailed regulations describing what the content of kindergartens should be. Norwegian kindergartens therefore represent a central institution for integration and transfer of values and morals in today's multicultural Norwegian society. The relatively new situation of multicultural diversity is challenging earlier cultural hegemonies where Christian heritage and tradition combined with a strong social democratic movement were important components. The issue discussed in this paper is how this cultural diversity is dealt with in the early childhood education documents, with emphasis on understanding where the limits of multiculturalism are set. I argue, in dialogue with three standpoints of multiculturalism, that while Norwegian early childhood education embraces cultural diversity, it is unclear about the limits to its political implications.     

互联网背景下的幼儿园家园共育模式刍探

互联网已被运用在社会的各个行业领域中,幼儿园的家园共育也离不开互联网平台。怎样把互联网中的平台基础创新和丰富资源整合起来用于幼儿园家园共育模式中,需要进行深入的探讨。文章以当前幼儿园家园共育模式发展为时代背景,对互联网在幼儿园家园共育中的作用进行论述,以期创造出全新的发展路径。     

早期学习与发展标准的制订:又一份国家指导性文件的诞生

近年来，在联合国儿童基金会的大力支持与推动下，很多国家包括中国参与了其制订早期儿童学习与发展标准的项目，并取得了实质性进展。文章以文献综述的形式介绍了这些国家制订早期学习与发展标准的背景、进程、遇到的挑战及对后续工作的展望，以让幼教界N4=-对此标准的制订有一个整体了解。     

‘Ready for big school’: making the transition to primary school – a Jamaican perspective

The aim of this small-scale, qualitative study is to understand the perspective of varying stakeholders responsible for student transitions from pre-primary to primary school in the Jamaican context. The questions that guided the research are: What factors affect student transitions to primary school? What skills do children need in order to successfully transition? and Who/what is responsible for preparing students to transition from pre-primary to primary school? To answer these questions a representative from the Early Childhood Commission, 13 parents and 16 Grade 1 teachers from 12 schools across the island of Jamaica were interviewed. Findings reveal that student transitions from pre-primary to primary school need systematic attention particularly in light of how this impacts on student success, not only in primary school, but in their secondary years as well. The data also reveal that a major issue affecting student transitions is the quality of pre-primary education and parenting practices in the early years. Also highlighted are the differing perspectives of teachers and parents on the skills needed for success in primary school. Parenting programmes and professional development for both parents and teachers, respectively, are critical if strides are to be made.     

Preschool attendance and kindergarten readiness

Scores on the Georgia Kindergarten Assessment Program (GKAP) of 171 students (81 students who had attended preschool and 90 students who had not attended preschool) were analyzed to determine whether school readiness test performance was influenced by participation in preschool programs. Students who had attended preschool demonstrated statistically higher overall school readiness, higher Physical scores, and higher Personal scores than students who did not attend preschool. No difference, however, was found in GKAP scores as a function of type of preschool attended. Only one gender difference was revealed, that in the Social measure on the GKAP in which girls outperformed boys. Implications of our findings and suggestions for further research are discussed.     

美国德克萨斯州幼教机构管理者的核心素养研究

探寻幼教机构管理者的核心素养,有助于幼儿园园长专业发展目标的聚焦。美国《德克萨斯州幼教实践者与管理者的核心素养》参考多个州幼教管理者核心素养的框架标准,定义不同等级幼教机构管理者的核心素养,明确核心素养领域的核心概念与可观察技能,为每一个可观察的素养提供可操作的评价。借鉴德克萨斯州幼教管理者核心素养方面的有益经验,有助于更好地开展我国幼儿园园长核心素养的研究及其核心素养的培养。     

“We’re Not Just Interested in the Work”: Social and Emotional Aspects of Early Educator Mentoring Relationships

The purpose of this study was to explore how often 159 practicing teachers enrolled in a university Master's degree principal preparation program observed their mentor principals model the four mandated Texas standards‐based instructional leadership competencies for the principalship. The competencies focus on leadership through curriculum and planning, nurturing and sustaining the instructional program, implementing a staff evaluation plan and applying decision‐making skills. Findings on the four competencies ranged from a high of 59.1% to a low of only 44.7% of the participants who indicated that they observed their mentor principals modeling these four competencies at least ‘usually.’     

A comparative analysis of nature kindergarten programmes in Australia and New Zealand

This paper highlights the similarities and differences of seven nature kindergarten programmes in Australia and New Zealand. The study targeted three programmes from New Zealand and four from Australia. Participant observations and semi-structured interviews were used to build a profile of each site. The profiles were compared on factors such as philosophical influences, curriculum design, site location, safety requirements and programme activity. In many ways, the programmes were quite similar, and this was attributed to synergies between the respective curriculum frameworks and the influence of the European Forest School movement. There were, however, some unique features at each site and differences attributed to national perspectives. It is anticipated that the profiling of philosophical and logistical dimensions of nature programmes implemented in exemplar settings can help to inspire other early childhood educators and encourage them to reposition nature pedagogy as part of their own early childhood programmes.