With the study reported on here we aimed to explore and compare the experiences of pre-service teachers with their mentor teachers and of mentor teachers with their own mentor teachers when they were pre-service teachers. The design of this qualitative research was narrative inquiry. The study group consisted of senior pre-service pre-school…

Teachers play a critical role in deciding what curricula are used in their classrooms. We examine the factors that teachers describe as influencing their sustainment or discontinuation of a literacy curriculum, "Zoology One," following their participation in a randomised controlled trial (RCT) examining the curriculum's efficacy. This…

Purpose: The study aimed to explore the authority and power of kindergarten superintendents in public education to elucidate their leadership dynamics. Design/methodology/approach: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 24 Israeli kindergarten teachers about the authority and power of their superintendents. Thematic analysis was used to…

Given the importance of teachers' views and perspectives in promoting media literacy among students and children, this study examines the perspectives of kindergarten teachers in Austria on media education. Data was collected through an online survey of kindergarten teachers who participated in a training. The results show that common approaches…

In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic caused a mandatory shift from in-person instruction to online learning for many young children. Teachers needed to adjust to virtual teaching, children were isolated from their peers, and parents played a bigger role in learning during the pandemic. In 2021, the shift back to in-person learning occurred. Research has…

Grade retention decisions are high-risk because this practice can significantly affect students' academic and professional path and their socioaffective development. This study aimed to contribute to a better understanding of second-grade retention decision-making by exploring the factors the professionals consider during the retention…

The purpose of this study was to examine what happens when movement-based mathematical activities are introduced into a kindergarten math curriculum and its implications on how kindergarteners engage during math time. Using surveys, observational and reflective data, and semi-structured interviews of students and my cooperating teacher, this study…

The fundamental significance of literacy achievement cannot be overstated. However, the 2022 National Assessment for Educational Progress (NAEP) divulges alarming findings, with a mere 33 percent of the nation's fourth graders performing at or above proficiency in reading (NAEP, 2022). Exploring the nexus of research-informed pedagogy and practice…

This phenomenological study investigated the lived experiences of how primary teachers (K-2) perceive and manage accountability pressures. Accountability pressures are the consequences of high-stakes and standardized testing. This can be overtly represented by inappropriately aligned standards or a fast-paced curriculum design to match tested…

Teachers play a critical role in deciding what curricula are used in their classrooms. We examine the factors that teachers describe influencing their sustainment or discontinuation of a literacy curriculum, "Zoology One," following their participation in a randomized controlled trial (RCT) examining the curriculum's efficacy. This study…

This study explored the influences that five minutes of daily mindfulness activities had on third-grade students in a math and science classroom, as well as both student and teacher perceptions of the mindfulness activities. The researcher implemented five minutes of a mindfulness activity daily during a three-week period. Data collection methods…

In the face of the distance between logic and emotion, it is a difficult process to examine the happiness of humankind, who is in a fight of existence with these ideas and feelings. Considering that the ultimate goal of pedagogy is to make people happy through education, it will immediately be understood that it will become even more difficult to…

Engagement with nature is crucial for child development and kindergarten educators' pedagogical beliefs about nature play significantly affect children's access to and experiences of nature in kindergarten. This study examines the role of nature play in children's holistic development, engaging 12 Chinese kindergarten educators through in-depth…

The transition to kindergarten (TTK) occurs at a stage in a child's development when it can have a direct impact on later school success. For children with disabilities, TTK may be especially challenging, and U.S. federal policy provides limited guidance and mandates related to use of practices to support children with disabilities and their…

Research has shown that effective leadership in early childhood education (ECE) can positively influence its quality. Yet, there is limited research on ECE leaders (ECLs), particularly teacher leaders. The goal of the current study was to examine how ECLs in Israel, with a dual role -- as kindergarten teachers and as teachers' leaders -- perceive…