ERIC Number: ED601888
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2019-Oct
Pages: 44
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Professional Development Supports and Teacher Practice in Low-Income Pre-K Programs: Strengthening the Diversity and Quality of the Early Care and Education Workforce Paper Series. Research Report
Maier, Michelle F.; Kou, Anne
Urban Institute
Public investment in pre-K programs across the US has expanded over the past two decades, primarily to increase access to pre-K programs, especially among low-income children and children of color. However, program quality varies across states. One key question policymakers and practitioners have posed is how to create high-quality early childhood educational environments that promote successful outcomes for all preschool-aged children. This study considers the role of professional development supports in helping teachers create high-quality learning experiences for children. It examines three professional development supports that early childhood programs often provide (teacher training, coaching, and common planning time), whether these supports predict various aspects of observed teacher practice, and whether the associations between professional development supports and teacher practice vary based on teachers' experience. Findings suggest that ongoing coaching is a key form of professional development for supporting classroom quality, that common planning time may be a promising professional development support for teachers, and that programs may need to consider teachers' experience when planning professional development. These findings inform the field's efforts to build a competent workforce that meets the needs of diverse groups of young children. [The current study is a secondary data analysis of "Making Pre-K Count: Improving Math Instruction in New York City" (ED569994).]
Descriptors: Preschool Education, Preschool Teachers, Faculty Development, Low Income, Educational Practices, Teaching Experience, Coaching (Performance), Educational Planning, Teacher Effectiveness
Urban Institute. 2100 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20037. Tel: 202-261-5687; Fax: 202-467-5775; Web site: http://www.urban.org
Publication Type: Reports - Research
Education Level: Early Childhood Education; Preschool Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: Foundation for Child Development
Authoring Institution: Urban Institute
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A