The purpose of this study is to examine the professional development of preschool teachers during summer holidays, and to develop recommendations for professional development between teaching semesters. The study is built on the basic interpretive design, with a study group of 24 preschool teachers. The data were collected through semi-structured…

In an effort to lessen the implementation burden of a new formative assessment, a state allowed each of its school districts to develop their own professional development and implementation plans based on their unique capacities. This study qualitatively analyzed data from six school case studies and an electronic survey issued to all state…

"Let's Count" is an early mathematics program that has been designed by The Smith Family and the authors to assist educators in early childhood contexts in socially disadvantaged areas of Australia to work in partnership with parents and other family members to promote positive mathematical experiences for young children (3-5 years). A…

Children who exhibit disruptive behavior often do so across multiple settings (e.g., home and school) and are vulnerable to many negative outcomes, including low achievement scores and academic grades, high school dropout, and increased school suspensions. Family-school partnership interventions, which are grounded in ecological theory, are highly…

This paper presents findings of an evaluation of a 2-day training workshop, that was designed to enhance professionals' skills in working with three- and four-year old children in developmentally appropriate ways. The participants included 22 administrators, 72 teachers, and 25 teacher aides at 6 different training sites in a southern state. A…

The Personnel Preparation Curriculum is a collaborative consultative model for training professionals, including Head Start teachers, parents, and paraprofessionals, to work with families to address the educational needs of children. The activity-based model views families as being in charge, and professionals as partners with parents. Six…

Research concerning the Child Development Associate (CDA) program at the Pennsylvania State University aims to define more carefully the characteristics of the adult learners enrolled in CDA training, delineate the characteristics and process of training, and broaden the scope of outcome variables studied. To address this third aim, a series of…

For many Head Start teachers and staff, the word "science" conjures up uncomfortable feelings and memories. The purpose of this project--a collaborative effort of California State University, Long Beach and the Head Start Program of Long Beach Unified School District (LBUSD)--was to prepare Head Start staff to become more capable,…

(Purpose) The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of classroom sound field amplification on communication in kindergarten through grade 3 classrooms. (Methodology) Sixty classrooms were involved in the study; half of the classrooms were provided with sound field amplification. The flow of communication was measured through…

A collaborative project of Bank Street College and the Newark Public Schools, the New Beginnings initiative was designed to bring about progressive restructuring of kindergarten classrooms. This study used a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods to examine the impact of the initiative on curriculum, professional development, and…