The Teachers Next Door: A Comparative Study of Preschool Teachers’ Instructional Practices

Research Question How do teachers’ instructional practices vary from urban pre-K programs in public settings to urban preschools in private settings?

Instructional Practices Planning of time Use of books and other materials Organization and use of physical space Grouping of students Questions and assignments presented Patterns of discipline and control

Why Teachers’ Instructional Practices? Teachers play a role in supplying a quality education Responsive adults influence cognitive, emotional, and social learning Children who are emotionally secure in their relationships with their teachers will use this base to explore the classroom, engage in pretend play, anticipate learning and promote their own self-regulation of behaviors and peer relations. (SDE, 2007)

Why High-Quality Preschool in Urban Areas? 68% of low-income 4th graders cannot read at the proficient level. (NAEP, 2000) Preschool can significantly decrease early reading performance gaps, particularly in low-income areas (NRC, 1998)

Significance 14, and 4-year olds in low-income areas don’t attend preschool 75% of 3- and 4-year-old children currently attend some early childhood education program but there could be differences in the quality of the education (CT Board of Education, 2003)

Why Private vs. Public? Not all parents can afford to enroll their children in private preschool programs Develop agreement among private education providers and public schools so that all children will enter kindergarten at the same level Is there a difference in the quality of the two types?

Methodology Observations  each school: 2 hours a week for 1 ½ months Formal Interviews  4 teachers  30 minutes each

“Cunningham” Preschool Center Private Setting Full day preschool National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) accredited program Creative Curriculum Tuition

“Tucker” Elementary School Pre-K Public School Setting Full-day preschool School Readiness grant funded program Curiosity Corner Curriculum Tuition

Research Question How do teachers’ instructional practices vary from urban pre-K programs in public settings to urban preschools in private settings?

Instructional Practices Planning of time Use of books and other materials Organization and use of physical space Grouping of students Questions and assignments presented Patterns of discipline and control

Thesis Similar curricula, lessons and explanations, materials, and classroom organization At Tucker Elementary School a majority of the teachers’ lessons were spent authoritatively controlling unruly students.

Findings: Similarities

Findings: Discipline What has been your biggest challenge?  “The challenge in behaviors and the parents’ cooperation. We have a couple of kids we challenge in behaviors.”  Mrs. Sanders, Cunningham Preschool Center  “Behaviors.”  Mrs. Goldman, Tucker Elementary Pre-K

Findings: Discipline Tucker Elementary Pre-K:  Discipline was very authoritative teachers were often standing over students when telling them what they were doing wrong  Discipline forms during learning centers  Use of time out  Not part of curriculum Cunningham Preschool Center :  The teachers always got down to the child’s level to discuss their misbehavior  Interacted with the students during learning centers  No time out  Part of curriculum (redirection)

Findings: Discipline “Relax body in cozy area.” “Take a deep breath so you don’t get sick. You need to calm down and then maybe we can talk. It is so much better to use words.” Cunningham Preschool Center; [stands over child] “You want to go to the other classroom. I will take you.” Tucker Elementary Pre-K;

Findings: Discipline “If you don’t put that shoe on I will put it in the garbage.” [yells] Tucker Elementary Pre-K; “No, thank you. After you zip up your boot go sit in the library.” “Every time you do this you take away from circle time.” [bending down on knees at child’s level] Cunningham Preschool Center;

Findings: Discipline Similar behavior problems, different result  Tucker Elementary Pre-K: certain students (up to seven) always missed a majority of lesson time; authoritative discipline does not work in this case  Cunningham Preschool: all students were a part of each lesson time; redirection discipline works in this case

Conclusions & Implications A quality preschool education requires the involvement of all children in all opportunities to learn Tucker Elementary Pre-K teachers may need to change discipline practices