Content uploaded by Lawrence J. Schweinhart
Author content
All content in this area was uploaded by Lawrence J. Schweinhart on Jun 16, 2014
Content may be subject to copyright.
Why Curriculum Matters in Early Childhood Education
Abstract
Assesses effectiveness of three preschool curriculum models by examining the lives of 68 23-year-olds randomly assigned to one such group as economically disadvantaged preschoolers. Young people experienced fewer emotional problems and felony arrests if they had attended a preschool program based on child-initiated learning activities geared to children's development, rather than a scripted, academically oriented direct-instruction program. (11 references) (MLH)
... Action research Ierland Verminderde stress, betere gezondheid. (Schweinhart & Weikart, 1998): Docent-gestuurde educatie interventie. ...
... High/Scope curriculum (Schweinhart & Weikart, 1998): Open framework educatie interventie. ...
... Traditional nursery School (Schweinhart & Weikart, 1998): Kindgecentreerde educatie interventie. ...
In 2022 leefde 9,2% van de Nederlandse kinderen en jongeren in armoede. Vaak hebben deze kinderen en jongeren te maken met materiële en immateriële achterstanden, die hen op alle levensdomeinen belemmeren in hun ontwikkeling. Professionals kunnen en willen kinderen in armoede graag ondersteunen, maar geven aan dit een moeilijke taak te vinden. Effectieve interventies kunnen professionals helpen bij de uitvoering van deze taak. Dit artikel rapporteert over een scoping review die is uitgevoerd om inzichtelijk te maken welke kennis in academische literatuur beschikbaar is over effectieve interventies ter ondersteuning van kinderen in armoede. Aan de hand van een gefaseerd selectieproces met inclusiecriteria zijn 26 artikelen uit diverse wetenschappelijke databases geselecteerd voor de review. In deze artikelen worden 29 interventies beschreven. Uit de analyse van deze artikelen blijkt dat de meeste interventies gericht zijn op het verbeteren van academische, cognitieve en/of sociaal-emotionele vaardigheden. Weinig interventies zijn toegespitst op financiën of op structurele oorzaken van armoede. In de discussie wordt gepleit voor de komst van meer interventies met deze focus en voor meer effectiviteitsonderzoek naar bestaande interventies.
... They require the setting of goals according to children's needs and interests, but each approach does so from a different perspective and to a different extent (Saracho and Spodek 2002;Spencer et al. 2009). Different types of curricula within early childhood education often highlight a dichotomous division between teacher-and child-centredness (Schweinhart 2016), although in practice the curriculum usually falls between these two approaches. Today, European countries explicitly support a child-centred approach in pre-primary education and ECE settings (European Commission 2019a, 2019b). ...
... Today, European countries explicitly support a child-centred approach in pre-primary education and ECE settings (European Commission 2019a, 2019b). For several decades Central Eastern European preschool provision featured a standardised curriculum and a subject-centred approach that relied upon instruction and preparation for primary school (Bennett 2005;Schweinhart 2016;Schweinhart and Weikart 1998). ...
... This study looked at the approaches undergraduate and master's students use when designing curricula and content at two different levels in Czech preschools (ISCED 02). We were interested in whether there has been a move away from a strong focus on a teacher-centred and pre-primary educational approach (with characteristics of subject-centred curriculum design), towards supporting a child-centred and social-pedagogical approach when planning educational programmes (Saracho and Spodek 2002;Schweinhart 2016). Equally important in terms of examining the quality of preschool education were the results related to the variables that affect approaches to planning educational provision as well as the different views on planning approaches. ...
... Items in the Contextual cluster highlighted the long history of debates regarding IT. Research in the USA last century demonstrated the effects of different curriculum and pedagogical approaches and that pedagogy made a difference (Schweinhart & Weikart, 1998). When reflecting on her role as a teacher in the Perry Preschool Project, Derman-Sparks (2016) revealed that 'Perry teachers practiced what is now called "intentional teaching"' (p. ...
... This scoping review has made explicit some of the complexities involved in IT in ECE and by analysing existing research has contributed to an evolving concept of what it means to 'teach' young children. The relative importance of IT as part of a balanced learning programme for young children from social, cultural, linguistic and economically diverse circumstances has been demonstrated over many decades (e.g., Schweinhart & Weikart, 1998). This importance is related to the difference (rather than deficit) of many children's lived experience in relation to the skills and knowledge required to participate in contemporary societies. ...
Despite large‐scale studies demonstrating the benefits of teacher interaction to support young children's learning, intentional teaching (IT) in early childhood education (ECE) remains a contested concept. Given the different perspectives associated with IT, the purpose of this study was to undertake a scoping review of the literature focused on IT in ECE. A systematic approach was adopted to map the evidence to identify key concepts, theories, sources and knowledge gaps. Such a review has the potential to assist researchers, practitioners and policy makers to make informed decisions about the different approaches to IT. The 101 items reviewed were selected according to the following criteria: investigated IT in some way; focused on learners aged birth to 8 years; made a conceptual contribution to understanding IT in ECE; full text availability, and published in English between 2010 and 2019, inclusive. The search incorporated a range of items including peer‐reviewed journal articles, research reports, professional journals, an unpublished thesis and books. Results foregrounded the difficulties involved in reconciling IT and child‐led learning through play, and that these difficulties were most fiercely experienced in the 3–5 age group. An overarching conclusion was that theoretical differences influenced how learning was understood, and determined which learning outcomes were articulated and measured. This review suggests that decisions about IT in ECE are dependent on how the purposes of ECE are defined in and through policy.
Context and implication
Rationale for this study: There appear to have been no systematic reviews of the concept of intentional teaching (IT) in early childhood education (ECE). This scoping literature review sought clarity about the nature and role of intentional teaching. It investigated issues about what, how and when IT is applicable for young children’s learning.
Why the new findings matter: Intentional teaching in ECE is a contested concept despite large‐scale studies demonstrating the need for a balance between child‐led and teacher directed learning. This scoping review maps the evidence to identify key concepts, theories, sources and knowledge gaps.
Implications for educational researchers and policy makers: This scoping review assists researchers, practitioners and policy makers to make informed decisions about the various approaches to IT. Decisions about IT were related to the purposes of ECE that were identified in policy, making policy influential. Theoretical perspectives framed how learning is understood and the role of educators in that learning. The disjuncture between IT and child‐led learning prevailed especially for children aged 3–5 years.
... projektové vzdělávání (Loudová Stralczynská et al., 2022a). Chronologické IB učitelům znesnadňují respektování potřeb a zájmů dětí a využívání aktuálních situací, což má nepříznivý vliv na výsledky vzdělávání (Schweinhart & Weikart, 1998). V takto nastaveném školním kurikulu mají učitelé velmi malý prostor, aby mohli flexibilně zúročit diagnostická zjištění o dětech, jak upozorňuje také ČŠI (2020). ...
The paper deals with the issue of curriculum development in pre-primary education. The aim of the research was to find out what experiences and opinion student-teachers have to the development of school and class curricula. The data were obtained through a questionnaire conducted between 2020−21 among students of BA and MA part-time programmes of faculties preparing preschool teachers in the Czech Republic (N = 1001, response rate 35%). For this paper, data from respondents working as teachers in preschools (N = 224) were used. The results showed that the approaches of preschools are heavily burdened by the pedagogical tradition of the sociocentric paradigm. A chronological approach to the arrangement of educational content in school curricula prevails (63%). Almost a third of preschools create classroom curricula for the whole year ahead. Only 44% of respondents suggest educational topics during the school year. In contrast, more flexible approaches, justified by respect for the child, dominated respondents’ preferences. In spite of this, the lack of understanding of the current notion of designing educational content at school and classroom level were still very much present in the sub-statements.
... • A small scale American study suggested that disadvantaged children experiencing three different pre-school curriculums all made initial gains, but there were longer term differences in 'real-life' measures. Children who had experienced a more academic, teacher led curriculum at age four were experiencing more problems as adults than those who had experienced a play based curriculum with more opportunities to choose their own learning activities (Schweinhart and Weikart 1998). ® Children fi-om homes where they are exposed to books, and to adults who enjoy reading, tend to read earlier. ...
p>This research thesis considers the broad notion of transition in the context of children joining school to start their full time compulsory education in England at four years old. Emerging theoretical ideas are explored within the context of a local study.
The thesis examines recent literature about children starting full time education, by considering briefly the history of young children at school, and by reflecting upon the starting age of compulsory education in England and other countries. Consideration is given to the importance of the transition period for the child, for parents, and for the school, and issues for children, parents and educationalists are explored. Recent research on the induction of children to full time education focusing on the impact of that transition period is used to consider general themes and models surrounding the notion of transition.
The research collected data in two phases. Phase one sample data was collected over eight months and focused on interviews with parents and children where the children were about to start full time education. Phase two data concentrated on interviewing a second sample of parents whose children were due to start full time education at the same school a year later than the phase one sample children.
The thesis analyses the research data to explore the impact of broad factors, such as the social background of the children; siblings, and pre school experiences. It then proposes the notion of ‘bridging’ within a three step transitional model. Each step (introduction; bridging; assimilation and learning) forms part of a cyclical process. The bridging step is made up of eight key elements. These elements, either together or individually, influence how bridging takes place, as people, events and actions create a ‘bridge’ from one set of experiences to another.</p
... (Lawrence, et al., 1998;Goodman, 1990;Shymansky, 1996;Al-Momani, 1997 (Kontos and File, 1993;Egertson, 1987) . Passidomo, 1994;Shepard, 1997;Bredekamp, et al., 1992) ادلتخصصُت بُت ادلر بعض ربذير من الرغم وعلى .( ...
... Tobbell et al. (2009) has explored more on transition to post graduate study which basically highlighted the shifting identities in interaction with communities, practice and participation. Dodge (1995); Schweinhart & Weikart (1998) have discussed the idea of creating age appropriate curriculum and its effects it may have later in child's life. Melear and Lunsford (2007) created a theme-based unit on earthworms to demonstrate how a long-term activity could attend to the various content afforded by the National Science Education standards. ...
In today's higher education system, the concept of specialization plays a vital role in the career development of engineering students across the world. Meanwhile, the requirement for automation engineers in manufacturing sector is increasing continuously due to upgradation of the technology in today's industrial scenario. The methodology of theme based curriculum design and its integration to the existing curriculum along with the assessment pattern have been explained throughout the paper. The results and attainment of performance indicators have been analyzed. It is found that the percentage attainment have improved from initial conventional laboratory experiments to final open-ended experiment of laboratory course leading to active learning among students.
... These creative processes are associated with academic achievement in early childhood and are linked to long-term outcomes (Hendrick, 2001;Kaufman, Plucker, & Baer, 2008). Interventions targeting preschool children's creativity through play-based interventions show improvements in academic test scores in primary school, as well as lower rates of juvenile delinquency in adolescence (Schweinhart, & Weikart, 1998;Marcon, 2002;Hammond, Skidmore, Wilcox-Herzog, & Kaufman, 2013). ...
Children from low-income households are at risk for entering school behind their more economically advantaged peers across major domains of school readiness. The Head Start program represents the federal government’s response to these achievement gaps by mandating the use of scientifically based assessments and curricula to provide children with the necessary school readiness skills. Routine teacher-report assessment of children’s school readiness using scientifically validated assessments is key to effectively guide early childhood education. Approaches to Learning is one of the five domains of school readiness targeted by Head Start. The Learning-to-Learn Scales (LTLS) is currently the only multidimensional, teacher-report assessment of Approaches to Learning that has been validated for use with Head Start students using traditional statistical methods used to identify the dimensions of the LTLS. These methods, however, do not address the multilevel nature of children nested within teacher assessors and therefore do not account for assessor variance that may compromise the validity of teacher-report child assessments. The present study applies the most advanced, multilevel factor analytic methods to examine how assessor variance impacts the validity of the LTLS dimensions. The results of this study revealed a substantial level of assessor variance was founded associated with every item of the LTLS. Accounting for assessor variance changed both the number of dimensions identified and the nature of the dimensions. Furthermore, the multilevel dimensions had greater capacity to explain variance in important external outcomes compared to dimensions identified by traditional factor analysis. The present study was the first to investigate assessor variance in teacher-report assessment of preschool-aged Head Start children. This research calls into question the validity of widely used preschool, teacher-report assessment based solely on traditional statistical methods. It, therefore, sounds an alarm to alert the early childhood education community to the need to examine assessor variance in its widely used, teacher-report assessments and where necessary use multilevel statistical methods to produce more scientifically valid assessments, especially if these assessments are used to inform decision making for young children from low-income households.
Background
Recent research emphasizes the role of the classroom context in promoting self‐regulation development. However, the results are equivocal. Additionally, research tends to focus on studying the two extremes of classroom contexts (e.g., teacher fully involved vs. teacher absent during a task), which does not represent the everyday reality of the classroom.
Aims
To explore the extent to which children’s self‐regulation differs across activities with different instructional characteristics, while adopting a fine‐grained approach, which explores the middle ground between the two extremes of classroom contexts.
Sample
The participants were 36 children aged 6–8 (50% female).
Methods
The children participated in a variety of activities in classroom contexts that differed in terms of: (1) level of teacher involvement, (2) whether activities were teacher‐initiated and ‐led or child‐initiated and ‐led, and (3) social context, that is, individual, pair, or group tasks. More than 15,000 micro‐episodes of self‐regulatory behaviours were coded, based on the C.Ind.Le coding framework.
Results and Conclusions
The classroom context had an effect on children’s self‐regulation rates. The children showed significantly more self‐regulation when the teacher was absent, compared to involved in the activity, and more self‐regulation when the teacher was involved compared to just present. More self‐regulation was evident when the activity was either completely teacher‐initiated and led or child‐initiated and led, compared to teacher‐initiated but child‐led. Finally, the rate of self‐regulation was significantly higher in pair and individual activities, compared to larger‐group activities. These findings could support policy and practice to promote contexts that encourage self‐regulatory development.
This paper examines the research literature supporting early childhood education and argues that communities should support early childhood education as a public right in much the same way as they support free public primary and secondary education.
This study assesses the relative effects through age 23 on young participants born in poverty of the High/Scope, Direct Instruction, and traditional Nursery School preschool curriculum models. At ages 3 and 4, 68 children were randomly assigned to the models, which were implemented independently and to high standards, in 2-hour classes 5 days a week and biweekly 1-hour home visits. For a decade, virtually no curriculum group differences in intellectual and academic performance were found. In many areas, no statistically significant differences were found at age 15 or at age 23; however, a pattern of group differences in community behavior did emerge at age 15 and became more pronounced at age 23. At age 15 the Direct Instruction group reported committing 2 times as many acts of misconduct as the High/Scope group. At age 23, compared to the other curriculum groups, the Direct Instruction group had three times as many felony arrests per person, especially those involving property crimes; 47% of the Direct Instruction group was treated for emotional impairment or disturbance during their schooling, as compared to only 6% of either of the other curriculum groups. These results are attributed to the emphasis on planning, social reasoning, and other social objectives in the High/Scope curriculum and the Nursery School curriculum, but not in the Direct Instruction curriculum. The results of this study do not consistently distinguish between the long-term effectiveness of the High/Scope and traditional Nursery School currculums, but the High/Scope curriculum model is more readily replicated because of its more precise definition. These findings argue against using Direct Instruction in preschool programs and for using a well-defined curriculum model based on child-initiated learning activities.