Incorporating Children's Lived Experiences in the Classroom: Findings from Teacher Interviews on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Early Care and Education Curricula and Professional Development

Autor/inn/en	Hefyan, Mervett; Undestad, Mallory; Maier, Michelle
Institution	MDRC
Titel	Incorporating Children's Lived Experiences in the Classroom: Findings from Teacher Interviews on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Early Care and Education Curricula and Professional Development
Quelle	(2023), (19 Seiten) PDF als Volltext kostenfreie Datei Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Monographie
Schlagwörter	Early Childhood Teachers; Teacher Attitudes; Early Childhood Education; Faculty Development; Diversity; Inclusion; Equal Education; Preschool Children; Culturally Relevant Education; Curriculum Evaluation; Instructional Materials; Family Characteristics; Early Experience + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Early childhood; Early childhood education; Teacher; Teachers; Frühe Kindheit; Frühkindliche Bildung; Frühpädagogik; Lehrer; Lehrerin; Lehrende; Lehrerverhalten; Education; Inklusion; Pre-school age; Preschool age; Child; Children; Pre-school education; Preschool education; Vorschulalter; Kind; Kinder; Vorschulkind; Vorschulkinder; Vorschulerziehung; Vorschule; Curriculum; Evaluation; Curriculumevaluation; Lehrplan; Rahmenplan; Evaluierung; Lehrmaterial; Lehrmittel; Unterrichtsmedien; Frühbeginn
Abstract	An important element of effective early care and education programming is instructional systems, such as curricula, instructional materials, and professional development (PD). These systems can help teachers to create meaningful learning experiences for young children that allow them to thrive. However, implementing a new curriculum or PD requires guidance, materials, resources, and supports that are aligned with the authentic experiences of teachers and children. A study team recruited and interviewed 18 early care and education teachers working with three- and four-year-olds in an effort to understand their experiences with curricula and curriculum-oriented PD as they relate to equity and inclusion in the classroom, learn more about equity and inclusion in early care and education settings, and ultimately help make the design of curricula and PD more culturally and linguistically responsive. This provided the study team an opportunity to evaluate how curriculum-related materials and PD may or may not support equity and inclusion in classrooms. This brief provides an overview of the project's findings. Through these interviews with teachers, the study team found that the curricula and related PD and supports that teachers received did not place a strong emphasis on children's background and lived experiences (that is, race, ethnicity, culture, home language, and family income). Unsurprisingly, only a few teachers said they plan or adapt lessons with children's backgrounds in mind. Yet half of teachers expressed wanting to know more about the children's home life to best support them in the classroom. The curricula and related PD and supports offered the teachers limited resources on these topics. They thus may not have had the needed guidance to carry out activities that were aligned with and responsive to children's backgrounds and experiences. These findings suggest there is an opportunity to include more activities and supports in curriculum-related materials and PD that guide teachers on how to incorporate children's backgrounds and lived experiences in classroom learning. (ERIC).
Anmerkungen	MDRC. 16 East 34th Street 19th Floor, New York, NY 10016-4326. Tel: 212-532-3200; Fax: 212-684-0832; e-mail: publications@mdrc.org; Web site: http://www.mdrc.org
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2024/1/01