Sherron Killingsworth Roberts

Examining Program Quality Disparities Between Urban and Rural Kindergartens in China: Evidence From Zhejiang

In recent years, the Chinese government has initiated a national plan to universalize quality kindergartens for all age-eligible Chinese children. Kindergarten is the main form of early childhood education and care (ECEC) service across China. However, the government faces two thorny issues on the journey toward realizing educational equity for some of the nation’s most vulnerable children. The first issue is the critical shortage of kindergarten programs. The second issue is a widening gap in quality between rural and urban kindergarten programs. Therefore, this study examines the quality of 91 kindergarten programs across different locations and funding sources in Zhejiang Province based on a stratified random selection method to gain insights into the aspects and magnitude of quality disparities in programs serving children from the richest and most powerful urban residents to the most disadvantaged village families. Program quality was rated utilizing eight subscales of the Chinese Early Childhood Programs Rating Scale, modified from Harms, Clifford, and Cryer’s (2005) Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale. Finally, recommendations for future studies and policy formation are provided to enhance and perhaps hasten the process of universalizing quality kindergartens in the increasingly market-based context of modern China.

All Together Now: Authentic University-School Partnerships for Professional Development.

Patricia A. Crawford, Sherron Kiilingsworth Roberts, and Rosemarv Hickmann I Patricia A, Crawfoid k Associate Professor. Earhr Childhood Education. Authentic I University-School Partnerships for Universlty of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvanla. Sherron Klliingsworth Roberts Is Associate Professor, Teaching and learning Prlncipies, Universlty of Central Florida, Orlando. Rosemary Hlckmann Is Associate Superintendent, Diocese of Orlando, Offlce of Schools,

Teacher Research as a Robust and Reflective Path to Professional Development

This article explores the role of teacher research as part of a robust program of professional development. Teacher research offers teachers at every stage of development a recursive and reflective means of bridging the gap between current practice and potential professional growth. The purpose of this dual level inquiry was to probe the concept of teacher research as a path to professional development through examination of a 3-year professional development initiative known as the Master Teacher Program (MTP). This study provides a rationale and context for utilizing teacher research as a form of professional development, an analysis of teacher research projects in each of two cohorts involved in the MTP initiative, and discussion of outcomes and themes, such as increased confidence and professionalism, that emerged from this research.

An examination of Chinese preservice and inservice early childhood teachers’ perspectives on the importance and feasibility of the implementation of key characteristics of quality inclusion

ABSTRACT The Chinese Preschool Inclusion Survey, which is an adaptation of Odom et al. [2004. ‘Preschool inclusion in the United States: A review of research from an ecological systems perspective’. Journal of Research in Special Educational Needs 4 (1): 17–149] a list of the features of quality preschools, was given to 234 preservice teachers and 307 inservice teachers in a large Chinese province so as to examine whether early childhood education (ECE) teachers agree on the key characteristics of high quality inclusion in terms of importance and feasibility. One significant finding of the study is that both preservice and inservice teachers highly ranked the importance of the key characteristics of high quality inclusion in ECE settings, yet both ECE teachers ranked the feasibility of implementing the key characteristics lower. Additionally, two factors that influenced preservice teachers’ perceived importance and feasibility of inclusion were years of study and courses related to special education, and five factors that influenced inservice teachers’ perceived inclusion beliefs were bianzhi, certification, years of teaching, opportunities for professional development and degree. Teacher education reform is called upon to affect change in terms of creating positive beliefs regarding high quality inclusion services and implementation of effective practices in stronger, collaborative support systems for Chinese children with special needs and their families. Implications for policy, professional development, and teacher education reform are provided.

Challenges to early childhood education in rural China: lessons from the Hebei province

This research study examined the challenges faced by early childhood education (ECE) in rural China based on a qualitative study of 217 kindergarten classrooms in a large agricultural, rural province. This study utilised onsite teacher surveys, interviews, and observational field notes. This investigations findings revealed important information in regard to (a) enrollment, class size, and student–teacher ratios; (b) facilities, basic furnishings, and materials; (c) teacher qualifications; and (d) curriculum and pedagogy. Kindergartens in the rural province of Hebei, typical of Chinese provinces with economically disadvantaged students and inadequate ECE funding, were found to be of poor quality across every ECE indicator measured. For the future improvement and well-being of children and their families in rural China, the authors recommend reform policy to increase ECE quality by affiliating quality kindergartens with existing elementary public school structures and to improve teacher quality by advancing teacher benefits, professional status, and professional development opportunities.

The Initiation of Early Childhood Inclusion in China: A Case Study from Beijing.

The national policies of the Chinese government regarding preschool inclusion are emerging to promote the well-being of all children, particularly children with disabilities in natural environments such as regular preschools or in homes. Following the global trend towards inclusive education, preschools in Beijing are gradually implementing both the philosophies and practices of preschool inclusion through pilot programmes. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to illustrate how preschool inclusion is being introduced into the Chinese sociocultural context using a case study focused on a lead inclusion preschool being piloted. The authors will discuss findings from data triangulation of various data sources, including Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale-Revised ratings, interview transcriptions and document analysis.

Ain't Gonna Study War No More? Explorations of War through Picture Books.

A t the height of the Vietnam War, Down by the Riverside was transformed from a traditional folk song to a popular anti-war anthem. The raucous and repetitive chorus, “I ain’t gonna study war no more. . .,” became a rallying cry for those who wanted nothing to do with the war and the pain and controversy that surrounded it. Although it seems laudable to wash one’s hands of the study of war, it may be more advisable to understand the nature of war, its complications, and its very real consequences on the lives of those impacted by it. It may be that a study of war is necessary to help young learners cope with the impact that both the threat and the reality of war have on their current circumstances, and to help them develop a foundation of social responsibility. The daily and immediate impacts of war and conflicts on children worldwide are staggering: bombed homes, diminished earning power and related poverty, refugee status, forced conscription, and the death or serious injury of family members. An estimated one billion children worldwide are facing a “brutal existence’’ due to conflict, war, and the related effects of poverty (UNICEF, 2007). Unbelievably, many children are themselves soldiers (Harsch, n.d.). The United Nations estimates that 300,000 children worldwide are participating in armed conflicts (UNICEF, 2007). Statistics from the United States alone can provide educators with the rationale to introduce thoughtful explorations of war. According to The Washington Post (Glod, 2008), a greater percentage of parents, both mothers and fathers, have served in the Afghanistan and Iraq conflicts than in any other armed conflict in U.S. history. At present, of the approximately 263,000 troops currently deployed overseas, 43% are parents. Furthermore, a vast number of children experience war vicariously, either through popular media or by way of interactions with others who are directly impacted. Given this level of both direct and indirect participation, educators surely would be remiss not to address such a salient topic in their classrooms. Because of the sensitivity of the subject matter, addressing issues of war with children is complicated. Educators must thoughtfully consider the ways in which they can invite children to explore these topics in a developmentally appropriate manner. Picture books provide one avenue from which schoolage children can begin these types of explorations. Picture books, the type of literature most commonly encountered by young children, offer sophisticated messages through the combination of in-depth print storylines and aesthetically rich illustrations, thus making this type of literature a compact, It ma;7 be that a study of

Twenty-Five Years and Counting of Sweet Valley: Jessica and Elizabeth in Romance Novels for Young Children?

With the 2008 reissue of Francine Pascals (1983) Sweet Valley High, the popular cultural icons of twins Jessica and Elizabeth have been revitalized. Jessica and Elizabeth are the much-beloved protagonists in romance novels strategically targeted for young adults in Sweet Valley High or Sweet Valley U, and for first- and second-grade readers in the Sweet Valley Kids series. Young children reading romance novels? Analysis shows that these books are a part of the same marketing formula used for adult romance novels.

Literature as Support: Using Picturebooks to Assist Young Children in Coping with Natural Disasters and Human Crises

Literature can play a critical role in helping children understand and cope with the challenging situations that surround them. In particular, high quality picturebooks offer an accessible, developmentally appropriate support for young learners who experience different forms of crises in their worlds. This chapter offers a rationale for using literature to support children during trying times and includes an annotated bibliography of quality picturebooks to serve as a starting point for the exploration of specific forms of natural disasters and human crises. Suggestions for navigating difficult discussions with children are also provided.

An Examination of the Implementation of Mathematics Lessons in a Chinese Kindergarten Classroom in the Setting of Standards Reform.

ABSTRACT In China, the 2001 Kindergarten Education Guidelines (Trial), or New Outline, delineates what constitutes high-quality, developmentally appropriate practices in all early childhood education curriculum domains, including mathematics. The New Outline is known for advocating a child-centered, play-based approach to teaching and learning, a significant change from teacher-directed instruction. Research highlights a gap between the intended practices set forth in the New Outline and the enacted practices in Chinese kindergarten classrooms. This descriptive study examines the implementation of 10 mathematics lessons, delivered over a 6-month period, from one Chinese kindergarten classroom in light of the New Outline. The analysis revealed that the lessons reflected aspects of the New Outline. However, overall, the lessons lacked critical components to provide students with opportunities to construct an understanding of the mathematics and become independent learners in five areas: (1) opportunities to inspire autonomous and life-long learning, (2) strategies for differentiated instruction, (3) use of resources to represent mathematics concepts, (4) student-centered instructional approaches, and (5) ways to foster communication.