ERIC Number: EJ968725
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2012
Pages: 17
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1090-1027
EISSN: N/A
The Culture of Family: How a Model Early Childhood Teacher Preparation Program Navigates a Limited Context
Nitecki, Elena
Journal of Early Childhood Teacher Education, v33 n2 p127-143 2012
This article examines an extraordinarily successful early childhood education teacher preparation program at an urban 2-year college struggling with retention. The Early Childhood Education Program in this case study is able to maintain a graduation rate that is over four times greater than that of the college average and has a reputation for producing high-quality early childhood educators. The faculty and students in the program explain that the key to the program's success is a "culture of family," a strength-based approach that appreciates and builds upon the assets of the faculty and students, fosters meaningful relationships by focusing on the whole student, and creates a strong commitment to the program. The findings are especially impressive, given the extremely limited institutional context of the 2-year college. Considering the demand for high-quality early childhood teacher preparation and the fact that many students seek this training at the accessible 2-year college, it is important to examine the potential of these programs to produce student success. This case study provides a starting point in examining how quality early childhood teacher preparation can exist within the limited confines of the 2-year college.
Descriptors: Early Childhood Education, Context Effect, Program Descriptions, Teacher Education Programs, Case Studies, Educational Quality, Effective Schools Research, Teacher Student Relationship, Training Methods, Community Colleges, Barriers, Institutional Characteristics, Interviews, Classroom Observation Techniques, School Culture, Student Attitudes, Teacher Attitudes, Program Effectiveness
Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 325 Chestnut Street Suite 800, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Fax: 215-625-2940; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Early Childhood Education; Higher Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A