Diane C. Burts

Kindergarten teachers beliefs and practices

The major objectives of this study were to develop a questionnaire based on the National Association for the Education of Young Children guidelines [1986] for developmentally appropriate practice in early childhood education and to use this questionnaire for obtaining information regarding kindergarten teachers’ beliefs and practices. The Teacher Questionnaire containing two subscales, the Teachers’ Beliefs Scale and the Instructional Activities Scale, was constructed and administered to 113 kindergarten teachers from four Southern states. In addition to encouraging psychometric properties, positive correlations were found between develomentally appropriate beliefs and activities [r = .63, p = .000] as well as between developmentally inappropriate beliefs and activities [r = .71, p = .000]. The teachers with higher ratings on developmentally appropriate beliefs felt more in control of planning and implementation of instruction than did the teachers with lower ratings. The Teacher Questionnaire shows promi...

Observed activities and stress behaviors of children in developmentally appropriate and inappropriate kindergarten classrooms

This study investigated the effect of classroom type (developmentally appropriate; inappropriate) on the stress behaviors of 204 kindergarten children as mediated by race, sex, and SES. There were 101 children in inappropriate classrooms and 103 children in appropriate classrooms. Substantive findings indicated that males in inappropriate classrooms exhibited more stress than males in appropriate classrooms. Blacks in inappropriate classrooms exhibited more stress than whites during transition, waiting, and teacher-directed whole group, while whites in inappropriate classrooms exhibited more stress during group story. More overall stress was exhibited by children in developmentally inappropriate classrooms than by children in appropriate classrooms, particularly during transition, waiting, and workbook/worksheet activities. For activity types, low SES children and black children had tendencies to be less involved in developmentally appropriate activities. More appropriate activities (e.g., center, story) were found in appropriate classrooms, while more inappropriate activities (e.g., waiting, workbook/worksheet) were noted in inappropriate classrooms.

A comparison of frequencies of stress behaviors observed in kindergarten children in classrooms with developmentally appropriate versus developmentally inappropriate instructional practices

This research was an initial study designed to explore differences in the frequency of stress behaviors exhibited by children (n = 37) in developmentally appropriate (n = 20) and developmentally inappropriate (n = 17) kindergarten classrooms. Results indicated that children in the developmentally inappropriate classroom exhibited significantly more stress behaviors than children in the appropriate classroom. In looking at stress within various activity types, higher frequencies of stress behaviors were found during whole group and workbook/worksheet activities for children in the inappropriate classroom, whereas those in the appropriate classroom had higher levels of stress during center and transition activities. Differences were also found between the two classrooms in amount of time spent in various activities. More center, group story, and transition activities were found in the appropriate classroom, whereas there were more whole group and workbook/worksheet activities in the inappropriate classroom. Marginal gender differences were also noted, with males exhibiting more overall stress behaviors than females.

Predictors of the developmental appropriateness of the beliefs and practices of first, second, and third grade teachers

This study identified classroom characteristics and teacher characteristics that were related to the self-reported beliefs and classroom practices of first, second, and third grade teachers. Teachers (n = 277) representing 77% of the potential subjects completed and returned The Primary Teachers Beliefs and Practices Survey, a measure based on the developmentally appropriate standards advocated by NAEYC. Factor analyses of the survey supported the use of four proposed subscales: developmentally appropriate beliefs, developmentally appropriate activities, developmentally inappropriate beliefs, and developmentally inappropriate activities. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses indicated that classroom characteristics (class size, grade level, number of children with disabilities, and number of children on free or reduced lunch) and teacher characteristics (perceived relative influence and area of certification) predicted teacher beliefs and practices. After controlling for the classroom variables, teacher characteristics added significantly to the prediction of developmentally inappropriate activities.

Developmental Appropriateness of Kindergarten Programs and Academic Outcomes in First Grade.

Abstract This study explored the relationship between the developmental appropriateness of kindergarten classroom instruction and first-grade report card grade overall averages and averages in reading, language, spelling, math, science, and social studies. The interactive roles that gender, SES, and kindergarten classroom type play in childrens later achievement were also examined. The sample consisted of 166 first-grade children who had attended kindergarten classrooms with teaching practices identified as predominately developmentally appropriate or developmentally inappropriate. Findings indicated that first-graders from more appropriate kindergarten classrooms had higher reading averages than children from less appropriate kindergarten classrooms. Females had higher overall and subject area averages than males. Significant interaction effects indicated that high SES children from less appropriate kindergarten classrooms had higher overall averages and higher averages in all subjects except reading, w...

Stress Behaviors and Activity Type Participation of Preschoolers in More and Less Developmentally Appropriate Classrooms: SES and Sex Differences

Abstract This study investigated the effect of classroom type (more developmentally appropriate—DAP; and less developmentally appropriate—DIP) on the stress behaviors of 102 preschool-age children as moderated by socioeconomic status (SES) and sex. Also explored were activity type participation rates in both classroom types as a function of both SES and sex. Substantive findings indicated that twice the level of overall stress behavior was observed in DIP versus DAP preschool classrooms. In DIP classrooms, lower SES preschoolers exhibited significantly more stress behavior than did higher SES preschoolers. This was not the case in DAP classrooms. Males in DIP classrooms also exhibited more stress behavior during small-motor/paper-and-pencil activities when compared with females in less appropriate classrooms. Lower SES preschoolers were more involved in less appropriate classroom activities than their higher SES counterparts in DIP classrooms. No SES or sex differences in activity type participation were ...

Developmentally Appropriate Practices As Predictors of Self-competence Among Preschoolers

Abstract The purpose of the study was to investigate whether the use of developmentally appropriate practices in the classrooms is related to the perception of self-competence among preschoolers. Ninety-one children (females = 46, males = 45) of several ethnic origins, attending seven different preschool programs, participated in the study. Self-competence was measured using the Pictorial Scale of Perceived Competence and Social Acceptance; developmentally appropriate and inappropriate practices were measured using the Checklist for Rating Developmentally Appropriate Practices in Early Childhood Classrooms. Regression analysis to determine whether the use of developmentally appropriate practices in early childhood influenced the perception of self-competence among preschoolers indicated that teaching strategies, curriculum goals, motivation, and guidance of social-emotional development were found to be significant predictors of the peer acceptance component of self-competence, but not to other components....

Stress begins in kindergarten: A look at behavior during standardized testing.

Abstract Kindergarten childrens behavior before, during, and after standardized achievement testing was explored through a qualitative study in two classrooms (n = 36). Simultaneously quantitative data were collected in one of the classrooms (n = 21) before and during the testing. Data were collected through observations in the classrooms, interviews with children and teachers, and audio and video taping of the children. For the quantitative component of the study, frequencies of stress behaviors were observed using a scan sampling method. Qualitative findings indicated an increase in behaviors reported to be stress related during the testing and a decrease in those behaviors following the testing. Copying and calling out answers during the testing were also observed frequently. Children also marked incorrect answers, but when interviewed after the test, could respond correctly. Quantitative results supported the qualitative with a statistically significant increase in the proportion of stress behaviors ...

BEGINNING PREKINDERGARTEN AND KINDERGARTEN TEACHERS’ BELIEFS AND PRACTICES: SUPPORTS AND BARRIERS TO DEVELOPMENTALLY APPROPRIATE PRACTICES

This study explores the beliefs and practices of nine beginning prekindergarten and kindergarten public school teachers and identified the sources of supports and barriers to their teaching. The teachers were graduates from one universitys early childhood education program. Data were gathered using surveys, observations, and interviews. Overall, teachers professed to believe in and to use developmentally appropriate practices; they were also observed using more developmentally appropriate practices than developmentally inappropriate practices. Teachers reported a variety of sources of support and barriers to their teaching. Sources that were both supports and barriers were administration, co‐workers, curriculum requirements, parents, resources, and other. Sources reported only as supports were previous experiences, self, and continued education. Sources of barriers were class composition and school duties. In addition, teachers provided information about their teacher education program and on their expectations about teaching. The teachers suggested that teacher education programs needed to provide more field experiences and courses on classroom management. Some of the expectations the teachers had about teaching were unrealistic.

An Evaluation of Family Literacy Bags as a Vehicle for Parent Involvement.

Early childhood scholars concur that books and interactive reading between adults and children strongly support childrens reading achievement. Furthermore, they argue for the importance of involving families in their childrens education. The Family Literacy Bags (FLB) project described and evaluated here, is a parent involvement and education innovation designed to engage children and their families in reading books at home. To meet the diversity of family needs, some of the FLB contained materials in both Spanish and English. Findings from this inquiry conducted in four primarily rural, middle class school districts in the west, suggest that the FLB project encouraged home book reading in families. Furthermore, parents learned effective ways to read and discuss books with their children, new information about availability of various books, and information about their childrens developing language skills. Children demonstrated an initial and sustained interest in the FLB project. Suggestions for further research and parent education are discussed.