The impact of teacher change in an overseas military child development classroom

UNCG Author/Contributor (non-UNCG co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)
Beverly Jean Cree, PhD (Creator)
Institution
The University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG )
Web Site: http://library.uncg.edu/
Advisor
Deborah Cassidy

Abstract: "The purpose of this interpretative inquiry study was to observe, describe, and analyze the experience of the children, as well as the adults, in an overseas military early childhood classroom when teacher change occurs. The intent was to gain an understanding about the effects of teacher change from the perspective of the individuals affected by teacher change. This study was done in an overseas military childcare program because the increased mobility of military families and teachers provides an additional dimension for understanding the phenomenon of teacher change. The procedures used were grounded in a feminist, Bronfenbrenner's bioecological, and Vygotskian framework. Data were collected through participant observation, using field notes; a schedule documenting teachers in the classroom daily; interviews with children, teachers, parents, and administrators; The Early Childhood Work Environment Survey; The Work Attitudes Questionnaire; The Scale of Organizational Commitment; Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale - Revised (ECERS-R); Teacher-Child Interaction Scale (TCIS); and Student-Teacher Relationship Scale (STRS). The understandings gleaned during the five-weeks of observation in the classroom include: even though there were about thirty teachers in the classroom at various times, the children were unclear about whom, if anyone, was their teacher; the nomenclature used by teachers to refer to themselves and one another did not reflect value in the role of the teacher; the teachers generally did not demonstrate high quality teacher-child interactions that support child engagement in activities; and parents expressed frustration with the lack of connection with teacher when there was frequent teacher change. These understandings provide insight about minimizing the negative effects of teacher turnover, as well as the daily teacher changes in a classroom. There are implications for how the classroom teachers perceive and label themselves, as well as other teachers; the implementation of high quality early childhood principles and practices when there are changes in teachers; and how the child-child, teacher-child, and teacher-family relationships can be used to minimize the negative effects when there are changes in teachers."--Abstract from author supplied metadata.

Additional Information

Publication
Dissertation
Language: English
Date: 2007
Keywords
early childhood education, military children oversees, teacher change, military childcare, teacher turnover
Subjects
Children of military personnel--Education (Early childhood)
Military post schools, American
Early childhood education--Psychological aspects
Teacher-student relationships

Email this document to