Carrie Ota

Mediators of preschoolers’ early mathematics concepts

The purpose of this study was to extend existing research relative to the predictors of early mathematics skills. Using Vygotskian theory as a framework, our primary goal was to determine whether social skills or letter awareness skills served as better mediators between receptive language and early mathematics concepts. The secondary goal was to examine possible differences in children’s early mathematics, language, letter awareness, and psychosocial skills for two different childcare settings, centre and family childcare. Participants included 109 children (48 girls) all of whom attended out‐of‐home childcare at least 13 hours each week and who would be attending kindergarten the following year. Sixty‐one children were enrolled in out‐of‐home family childcare and 48 in out‐of‐home centre childcare. Relative to our first goal, letter awareness fully mediated between receptive language and early mathematics (Sobel z‐value = 2.92, p = .003). This suggested that when children are able to understand a system of symbols for sounds and if they have sufficient receptive language skills, they are able to understand a system of symbols for number. Teaching early mathematics skills as frequently as letter awareness skills might reinforce more efficient acquisition of both. Relative to our second goal, children in centre‐based care outscored children in home‐based childcare on early mathematics and letter awareness skills. This suggested that some differential trainings for centre childcare providers versus home care providers might be appropriate so as to provide the highest quality environment for both groups of children.

The Impact of Training on Caregiver Responsiveness

An evaluation of the impact of training on caregiver responsiveness was conducted to examine changes in caregiver behavior. Six infant and toddler child care caregivers were observed prior to and following a 6-hour statewide training, based on the Right from Birth series (Ramey & Ramey, 1999). This training focused on caregiver responsiveness to infants and toddlers that was measured using a multiple baseline design. Observers examined both positive and negative caregiver behaviors that were categorized as either active or passive. Following the training, an increase in positive caregiver behaviors and a decrease in negative caregiver behaviors were observed. These results support the importance of training programs and the requirements of regulations for training of child care providers.

Preschool teachers' perceptions of rough and tumble play vs. aggression in preschool-aged boys

Rough and tumble play has been found to be positive for physical, social and cognitive development; it is often erroneously misinterpreted as aggression and generally stopped by preschool teachers. The current study sought to examine the relationship between teacher training and education and judgements about aggression in children. Ninety-four preschool teachers currently working in child care centres viewed two videotapes depicting preschool-aged boys engaged in naturally occurring outdoor play. Participants scored the tapes for occurrence of aggression, using their own definition. Results indicated that child care providers with a four-year college degree in early childhood education reported less aggressive behaviours than those without a college degree. Novice child care providers reported higher levels of aggression than more experienced preschool teachers; child care providers with similar education/experience were more likely to report aggression within the same observation segment. These findings suggest that education may support more accurate assessments of aggressive play.

Provider Stress and Children's Active Engagement

This study explored provider stress and provider-accumulated training as predictors of child active engagement in child care programs. Providers from 19 child care programs participated in a self-report of stress levels, using an adaptation of the Parent Stress Index-Short Form. Child psychosocial factors were assessed using the Devereux Early Childhood Assessment. Classroom observations of child engagement were assessed through direct observation using a modification of the Engagement Check II and E-Qual III. Results indicated that high provider stress and accumulated provider training hours are predictors of child engagement during free play in child care programs. Additionally, there was a significant interaction between provider training and provider stress, with accumulated training hours predicting high child engagement for those providers with high levels of stress. Thus, high training hours tended to assuage provider stress to a degree. Our results suggest the potentially mitigating effects of state-regulated child care training hours. They also suggest the need to address child care systematically during training and outreach programs.

Child Sustained Attention in Preschool-Age Children

ABSTRACT This study examined the mean duration of child attention across three teaching conditions (child choice, adult choice, or adult presentation) of 63 preschool-age children. A repeated-measures ANOVA was used to compare the means across the three teaching conditions, indicating a statistically significant difference between the teaching conditions. It was also found that children attended for a longer period of time when given more choice, with child attention decreasing more as less choice what given. Results suggest that teachers should consider environments that allow children the opportunity to make choices in order to maximize their attention.

How much do they need to be the same? What parents believe about continuity between home and childcare environments

ABSTRACT This study explores the associations among parental education, weekly work hours, child behaviours, and parental daily hassles and parents desires for continuity between home and childcare. Data were collected using questionnaires from 82 parents with a child attending centre-based childcare in the Midwestern US. Results indicate that parent education and work hours are directly and indirectly related to the desire of continuity of practice between home and childcare programme and parental daily hassles. Path analysis results show higher parental education decreases parents desire for continuity of practices, while more weekly work hours increases parents desire for continuity of practices. Additional findings related to education, parental daily hassles and child behaviours are reported. Future research should investigate the perceptions of parents and the fit between the offerings of the centre and parental expectations for both familial and child adjustment.