There is considerable concern regarding our nation's literacy skills. Research has repeatedly shown that the literacy trajectory is well established very early in the school career. Early childhood educators (ECEs) have the ability to influence a child's literacy skills provided they have the required knowledge and tools. Professional development…

One of the goals of pre-K programs funded by states is to support the learning and development of young children. Research finds that only high-quality programs can achieve positive, long-term outcomes in areas such as student achievement, educational attainment, personal and social behavior (e.g., reductions in crime), and adult health and…

Early childhood professionals are sometimes referenced as caregivers and other times as educators. In order to empower them as professionals, it is important to provide professional development opportunities that deepen teachers' knowledge. This qualitative case study explores the impact of Lesson Study on four early childhood teachers with no…

Professional learning provides the opportunity to improve teacher practice and student outcomes; however, challenges exist in ensuring that teachers can access quality professional learning. Teachers in regional and remote schools may have even more limited access to the expertise required to support changes in practice than their peers in…

How can teachers move from working in isolation within ineffective systems to building thriving, collaborative teaching environments in which they are supported and inspired to work with their colleagues in communities focused on mutual professional growth? In the authors' work as early learning instructional coaches, they have witnessed the ways…

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a developmental delay that is increasing in prevalence among children in the United States. Those being educated in general education classrooms see benefits in various areas. However, there are a number of barriers to effective education, which may be overcome through teacher education and professional…

Many teachers have good intentions but are not prepared to engage students, colleagues and parents in conversations about race and Black racial identity. This inquiry postulated that learning about Nigrescence theory helps educators better understand Black racial identity development. Accordingly, a cohort of urban early childhood teachers…

The quality of the educational process within the humanistic concept and holistic-developmental approach is interpreted as the optimal adaptation to the individual needs and abilities of children, while inclusiveness presupposes equal inclusion and participation of all children. This article explores the opinions of teachers as bearers of…

In an effort to lessen the implementation burden of a new formative assessment, a state allowed each of its school districts to develop their own professional development and implementation plans based on their unique capacities. This study qualitatively analyzed data from six school case studies and an electronic survey issued to all state…

This research explores two ongoing professional development (PD) modalities for early childhood teachers and their effect to teachers' performance. We compare training, teacher study groups and a combination of both to a control group in the Albanian preschool context. We aimed to obtain m?r? c?mpl?t? understanding ?f different fac?ts ?f th?…

Purpose: Reflective journal writing is considered as a form of reflective practice. The research studies suggested that journal writing allowed the teacher to reflect on their practices, improved their self-awareness and supported their professional development. Even though the research showed that journal writing as an effective tool for…

To better understand the reasons underlying attrition and the teacher shortage, and to develop ways to attract and retain high-quality teachers in early childhood education, it is necessary to explore teacher motivation and commitment to teaching. Although previous research has investigated various aspects of teacher motivation and commitment to…

This paper outlines the use of Learning Language and Loving It™ -- The Hanen Program® for Early Years Educators/Teachers (LLLI) with Early Years Educators (EYEs) as part of a community-based early years Continuing Professional Development (CPD) intervention. Trainer sensitivity to the cultural use of questions by EYEs was used as a means to raise…

Pedagogical documentation within early childhood centres is a key component of pedagogy and teacher accountability. In Singapore, documentation is a requirement specified under legislative policies included in the national Pre-school Accreditation Framework, with parents often perceived as the main audience. This paper reports on a study utilising…

The pandemic hit the already vulnerable early childhood education (ECE) workforce especially hard, causing almost 40 percent of child care providers to shut their doors and many teachers to lose their jobs. In 2021, enrollment in state-funded preschool also dropped for the first time in 20 years--a nearly 20 percent decline that erased a decade of…