Final Version May 5 07

More documents

Recommendations

Info

REACHING THE TOP OF THE MOUNTAIN: THE IMPACT OF EMERGENT CURRICULUM ON THE PRACTICE AND SELF-IMAGE OF EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATORS Doctor of Education, 20<strong>07</strong> Diane Laurie Kashin Department of Curriculum, Teaching and Learning University of Toronto Abstract Emergent curriculum constitutes a direction for early childhood education teachers to ascend from a position of poor self-image and sometimes dubious practice to reach a peak of transformation. At the top of the mountain, a reframed self-image for the early childhood educator is possible. Teaching and learning in an emergent way empowers both children and teachers. Based on the theories of Lev Vygotsky emergent curriculum involves children and teachers in a process of co-construction. Inspiration for this innovative approach comes from the pre-primary schools of Reggio Emilia, Italy. This study examines the impact of emergent curriculum on four early childhood education teachers. The theoretical framework for emergent curriculum and this dissertation is Vygotsky’s theory of social construction. Utilizing a case study methodology, data was collected through interviews, a focus group, and classroom observations. Through an analysis of the data collected, results indicate that emergent curriculum not only changed the daily practice of these teachers but has had a profound impact on how they view themselves. They have a fuller view, as if from the top of a mountain. Three of the four teachers have a renewed practice and an improved selfimage. The factors contributing to the change are identified. Releasing control and sharing power with others has lead to change and transformation for both the researcher and the researched. ii
Acknowledgements I wish to express my gratitude to those who have contributed to the social construction of this dissertation. First and foremost, I would like to extend my sincere appreciation to my thesis advisor, Dr. Clare Kosnik, whose constant encouragement supported the journey towards the peak of the mountain. Secondly, to my editor, Meryl Greene, who created the scaffold towards which I could continue to climb upwards. Collaboratively, to my friends, Louise Jupp and Dr. Geraldine Lyn-Piluso. For Louise whose parallel climb up a connecting mountain provided the hand needed every step of the way. To Geraldine who was there for me at the pivotal junctures of the beginning and the end of the journey. <strong>Final</strong>ly, to the four early childhood educators whose stories are depicted in these pages. It is their inspiring work with children that fueled the journey, bestowing the motivation for the climb. iii
Page 1: REACHING THE TOP OF THE MOUNTAIN: T
Page 5 and 6: Teacher as Theory Builder .........
Page 7 and 8: Dedication This dissertation is ded
Page 9 and 10: 2 are inextricably linked to issues
Page 11 and 12: 4 2. What is the perception of the
Page 13 and 14: 6 educators who have adapted a refr
Page 15 and 16: 8 constructive process. It is based
Page 17 and 18: 10 Experiential or active learning
Page 19 and 20: 12 through active involvement with
Page 21 and 22: 14 Relevance of Study When I took a
Page 23 and 24: 16 the centre of the labyrinth can
Page 25 and 26: 18 without walls, the teacher calle
Page 27 and 28: 20 As a very young child, the teach
Page 29 and 30: 22 of completing my education and r
Page 31 and 32: 24 what the learner already knows t
Page 33 and 34: 26 unsure of my direction; still I
Page 35 and 36: 28 the centre or return to the entr
Page 37 and 38: 30 here, though, is that these expe
Page 39 and 40: 32 of fixing children by teaching t
Page 41 and 42: 34 relates to those aspects of acti
Page 43 and 44: 36 As I articulate my experiences w
Page 45 and 46: 38 An essential part of who I am an
Page 47 and 48: 40 teacher-centred practice. Teache
Page 49 and 50: 42 well was gradually undergoing re
Page 51 and 52: 44 While education staff in public
Page 53 and 54:
46 school settings, has an equally
Page 55 and 56:
48 In Ontario, over 90% of the 300,
Page 57 and 58:
50 knowledge and skills not possess
Page 59 and 60:
52 staff members who do not have sp
Page 61 and 62:
54 Content and pedagogy should be i
Page 63 and 64:
56 order to remain competitive, it
Page 65 and 66:
58 those employed in child care are
Page 67 and 68:
60 and/or co-workers (Doherty & For
Page 69 and 70:
62 exacerbated by the findings that
Page 71 and 72:
64 Québec a public education campa
Page 73 and 74:
66 You Bet I Care! (2000) examined
Page 75 and 76:
68 coupled with feelings of inadequ
Page 77 and 78:
70 dimension as “it takes place i
Page 79 and 80:
72 thirds of assistant teachers and
Page 81 and 82:
74 psychological and physical safet
Page 83 and 84:
76 Certification. Certification is
Page 85 and 86:
78 aspire to (CCCF, 1995). The beli
Page 87 and 88:
80 According to Bertrand (2003), co
Page 89 and 90:
82 difficulty with recruitment and
Page 91 and 92:
84 childhood educators. Perhaps a v
Page 93 and 94:
86 teaching staff in order to help
Page 95 and 96:
88 The disappointing findings helpe
Page 97 and 98:
90 curriculum. The former rather th
Page 99 and 100:
92 evolves, diverging along new pat
Page 101 and 102:
94 require the abandonment of a wid
Page 103 and 104:
96 consideration of how children le
Page 105 and 106:
98 may involve recognition of child
Page 107 and 108:
100 prematurely is that those who c
Page 109 and 110:
102 1996). Some of the criticism su
Page 111 and 112:
104 best from activities they thems
Page 113 and 114:
106 The Reggio Emilia Approach The
Page 115 and 116:
108 4. documentation: teachers and
Page 117 and 118:
110 change their interactions based
Page 119 and 120:
112 Documentation in this form is n
Page 121 and 122:
114 own evolving authentic curricul
Page 123 and 124:
116 lead “into an expanding world
Page 125 and 126:
118 gap between what “the child i
Page 127 and 128:
120 to visit the programs appeared
Page 129 and 130:
122 lack of research and its limite
Page 131 and 132:
124 classroom, teachers learn and r
Page 133 and 134:
126 issues, a self-directed orienta
Page 135 and 136:
128 changes within the school as a
Page 137 and 138:
130 of practice within communities
Page 139 and 140:
132 outcomes for programs with a so
Page 141 and 142:
134 This program began in 1975 and
Page 143 and 144:
136 reflective practice involving j
Page 145 and 146:
138 beginning teachers.” Interest
Page 147 and 148:
140 In the Forward to Developmental
Page 149 and 150:
Chapter Four: Methodology What you
Page 151 and 152:
144 (multiple realities are sociall
Page 153 and 154:
146 are issue oriented and are “n
Page 155 and 156:
148 implications to halting the pra
Page 157 and 158:
150 my research participants and wi
Page 159 and 160:
152 was the child, not her teacher.
Page 161 and 162:
154 In making the study accessible,
Page 163 and 164:
156 these categories: current pract
Page 165 and 166:
158 widely used by market researche
Page 167 and 168:
160 particular project topic brough
Page 169 and 170:
162 collaboration involving mutual
Page 171 and 172:
164 The Weary Traveler: Roadblock F
Page 173 and 174:
166 Conclusion In collecting data,
Page 175 and 176:
168 the experience of teachers who
Page 177 and 178:
170 twenty bucks for Chinese New Ye
Page 179 and 180:
172 The centre now occupies space i
Page 181 and 182:
174 for the kid’s interests. You
Page 183 and 184:
176 analyzed by the group. At the p
Page 185 and 186:
178 Figure 5. The weather project d
Page 187 and 188:
180 program more theirs” Subseque
Page 189 and 190:
182 teachers, the rest see them as
Page 191 and 192:
184 It makes you pumped. Sometimes
Page 193 and 194:
186 Case Study Number Two: The Spir
Page 195 and 196:
188 the various levels of the organ
Page 197 and 198:
190 volunteers her time to facilita
Page 199 and 200:
192 willing to learn. It is not som
Page 201 and 202:
194 Challenges. Given the limited h
Page 203 and 204:
196 educational model, the oppositi
Page 205 and 206:
198 Emerging directions. Rose has n
Page 207 and 208:
200 There was a discernable absence
Page 209 and 210:
202 preschool age children (2 1/2 t
Page 211 and 212:
204 Mary was satisfied with this th
Page 213 and 214:
206 community helper is.” Communi
Page 215 and 216:
208 Recognizing the children’s in
Page 217 and 218:
210 Mary believes that child care h
Page 219 and 220:
212 The children are the seeds. The
Page 221 and 222:
214 Mary would advise others to est
Page 223 and 224:
216 Figure 17. Splat, splat like Ja
Page 225 and 226:
218 As a result of fees and capacit
Page 227 and 228:
220 work. Felicia was solicited by
Page 229 and 230:
222 Felicia’s co-worker was the f
Page 231 and 232:
224 curriculums and criticism was i
Page 233 and 234:
226 children could have a really ex
Page 235 and 236:
228 feelings of confidence mixed wi
Page 237 and 238:
230 you can answer that question ho
Page 239 and 240:
Chapter Six: Discussion If nature h
Page 241 and 242:
234 The Impact of Context The situa
Page 243 and 244:
236 Feeling valued and supported in
Page 245 and 246:
238 impacted Rose’s attitude towa
Page 247 and 248:
240 in the field. Rose has been tak
Page 249 and 250:
242 practice with the chance to att
Page 251 and 252:
244 are interested and they are pas
Page 253 and 254:
246 primarily to the teachers. Mary
Page 255 and 256:
248 learners. While this is a “de
Page 257 and 258:
250 “not engaged” with an emerg
Page 259 and 260:
252 alternative perspective, a teac
Page 261 and 262:
254 had difficulty reconciling the
Page 263 and 264:
256 the project determined its dire
Page 265 and 266:
258 Layla recalled the experience o
Page 267 and 268:
260 information. A newsletter produ
Page 269 and 270:
262 order to ascertain future direc
Page 271 and 272:
264 (Rankin, 2004). In Reggio Emili
Page 273 and 274:
266 theory is just a proposed expla
Page 275 and 276:
268 Table 1 Katz’s Model of Teach
Page 277 and 278:
270 Katz’s conceptualization (200
Page 279 and 280:
272 Table 2 Kashin’s Model of Eme
Page 281 and 282:
274 availability could produce the
Page 283 and 284:
Chapter Seven: Future Directions If
Page 285 and 286:
278 as I have been, to detach thems
Page 287 and 288:
280 objects created by adults remov
Page 289 and 290:
282 winter semester of 2006, I am o
Page 291 and 292:
284 Emilia to early childhood educa
Page 293 and 294:
286 within a Reggio-inspired enviro
Page 295 and 296:
288 However, the ship cannot be rep
Page 297 and 298:
290 curriculum choices from a broad
Page 299 and 300:
292 editor, a friend, and the parti
Page 301 and 302:
294 As I envision the future, it ho
Page 303 and 304:
296 of custom, of the normal, of th
Page 305 and 306:
298 theory in practice take place f
Page 307 and 308:
300 The question being pondered was
Page 309 and 310:
302 developmentally appropriate to
Page 311 and 312:
304 with this perception of my fiel
Page 313 and 314:
References Adcock, S. G., & Patton,
Page 315 and 316:
308 appropriate practice in early c
Page 317 and 318:
310 Corbett, B. E. (1989). A centur
Page 319 and 320:
312 Ferguson, E. (1994). Child care
Page 321 and 322:
314 Griffin, S. (2002). To be or no
Page 323 and 324:
316 Katz, L. (1999). Curriculum dis
Page 325 and 326:
318 Miller, S. M., & Shoptaugh, S.
Page 327 and 328:
320 Palmer, P. J. (1998). The coura
Page 329 and 330:
322 Schön, D.A. (1996). Educating
Page 331 and 332:
324 Weber, S., & Mitchell, C. (1995
Page 333 and 334:
Appendix A: Invitation to Participa
Page 335 and 336:
328 I am free to decline to answer
Page 337 and 338:
330 4. What are the strengths of th
Page 339 and 340:
Appendix E: The Image of the Teache
Page 341 and 342:
334 Image: 1. How does the image ot
Page 343 and 344:
336 obvious to me and I react with
Page 345 and 346:
338 Layla: That was the place with
Page 347 and 348:
340 table relates to the topic. The
Page 349 and 350:
342 supply teacher has a child in h
Page 351 and 352:
344 the children regarding the char
Page 353 and 354:
346 conversation about A R T contin
Page 355:
348 22 going on, puzzles or another
show all

Final Version May 5 07

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?