ERIC Number: EJ1051223
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2004
Pages: 17
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1463-9491
EISSN: N/A
Working with Large Class Size: Dispositions of Early Childhood Teachers in India
Gupta, Amita
Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood, v5 n3 p361-377 2004
Using sociocultural-historical constructivism, and post-colonial theory, the author conducted a study to examine, through the perceptions of teachers, school principals, and teacher educators, the relationship between the preparation and practice of early childhood teachers in private schools in New Delhi, India. The research questions collectively focused upon the aims of education that were prioritized by the educators, the philosophical and theoretical sources these educational aims drew upon, and the teachers' perceptions of their classroom practice, of the effectiveness of teacher education programs, and of the strongest influences on their teaching practice. One emergent finding of the study illustrated how early childhood teachers worked in classes that averaged 43 children. This article describes the aims of education that were prioritized by the early childhood teachers, and how they implemented these aims in their large classes. The author provides examples of teaching strategies and teacher dispositions through her own observations and through the teachers' articulation of their practice. The author also presents the teachers' perceptions of successful teaching and how they evaluated themselves as being successful, or not, at the end of a school year. The article concludes with an analysis that contextualizes large class size in Indian schools and a discussion on the relationship between small class size, Western developmental discourse, and issues of privilege and power.
Descriptors: Foreign Countries, Early Childhood Education, Preschool Teachers, Elementary School Teachers, Private Schools, Teacher Education, Teacher Educators, Teacher Attitudes, Parent Attitudes, Sociocultural Patterns, Constructivism (Learning), Political Attitudes, Foreign Policy, Educational Practices, Class Size, Role of Education, Educational Philosophy, Educational Strategies, Teacher Characteristics, Self Evaluation (Individuals), Empowerment, Curriculum Implementation, Student Diversity, Cultural Pluralism, Religious Factors, Teacher Effectiveness, Instructional Effectiveness, Teacher Surveys, Group Dynamics
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Early Childhood Education; Preschool Education; Elementary Education; Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: India
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A