Using temperament-based approaches to negotiate the terrains of crisis in Jamaican early childhood classrooms

ABSTRACT

One factor that put Jamaican children at risk is their exposure to everyday crisis which is defined as an existence where citizens are forced to live in harsh environments resulting from social issues including; crime, violence, economic depression, and social injustice. Guided by the findings which note children’s perspectives of schools as violent and aggressive largely caused by teachers’ dependence on harsh discipline, this study sought to examine teachers’ perceptions of the use of temperament-based approaches to classroom management. Coupled with this, it also sought to glean how teachers perceived children felt about using temperament-based approaches to solve conflict with each other. Using thematic analysis to extricate the findings generated from a focus group discussion comprised of early years teachers, findings highlight that though not wholly successful, teachers appreciate the use of an alternative approach to harsh discipline. Likewise, teachers also felt children benefited from its use when solving conflict with others. Teachers noted limited understanding of the individuality of children’s temperament fueled the use of harsh discipline. These findings have implications for teacher education and how teachers are prepared to deal with the realities of the Jamaican early childhood classroom.     

‘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.