From “Learning About” to “Learning From and With”
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Moving from “Learning About” to “Learning From and With” in Early Childhood Teacher Preparation
Drs. Renee Clift & Donna Jurich
CREATE: Community as Resources in Early Childhood Teacher Education
Guiding Principles
1) Promoting early childhood educators' understanding of the cultural knowledge and skills - funds of knowledge - within diverse cultural communities (DaSilva Iddings & Katz, 2007; McDermott, 1997; Moll, Amanti, Neff and Gonzalez, 1992; McDermott, 1997).
2) Using literature as a base for children’s understandings of themselves and others (Short, 2009; Dyson & Geneshi, 2004; Short & Fox, 2003).
3) Involving families in literacy education for children – and for teachers (Reyes, 2006; Reyes & Uchikoshi, 2010).
4) Providing prospective and practicing teachers and teacher educators with opportunities to work and reflect together in community and school settings (Clift & Brady, 2005; Levine, 2005; 2006).
| Changes | Strengths | Challenges | Next Steps |
|---|---|---|---|
|
•Perspective •Curriculum ◊Course Sequencing ◊Assignments •Partnerships |
•Diversity •Relationships •Conceptual - curricular - experiential unity |
•Ambiguity •Change •Structures •Designers & implementers |
•More intensive co-development of curriculum and assessments •More intensive professional development •More attention to cross-project communication •More attention to matching budget to curriculum |
| Research Questions | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| How is story woven throughout all courses in the ECE program? | How are pre-service teachers understanding and then translating family’s literacy funds of knowledge into classroom practice? | How do we reconcile the variety of perspectives of the preparation of pre-service teachers, especially during student teaching? | How can we sustain curricular and structural changes over time? |
Changes to Course Sequencing and Field Experiences
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Initial Program |
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Fall |
Spring |
Fall |
Spring |
|
Courses |
“Foundations course:” Early Language Acquisition, Cultural Pluralism, Child Development
|
“Foundations courses:” Classroom Processes, Children’s Literature, Assessment, Inclusion
|
“Methods:” Reading & Language Arts, Science, Math, Social Studies, Art |
“Student Teaching”
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Location |
On-campus |
On campus |
At school with EC Program |
All in field |
|
Field Experience |
Visit selected ECE sites |
30 hours K-2 setting 15 hours B-Pre-K |
8 weeks K-2 setting 8 weeks B-Pre-K |
8 weeks K-2 setting 8 weeks B-Pre-K |
|
Revised Program |
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Fall |
Spring |
Fall |
Spring |
|
Courses |
“Foundations,” “Methods,” & Family, Community & Classroom Practicum Classroom Processes, Cultural Pluralism, Children’s Literature, Social Studies |
“Foundations,” “Methods,” & “Birth-PreK Student Teaching with Family Interactions” Child Development, Early Language Acquisition and Literacy Development, Reading & Language Arts, Art |
“Foundations,” “Methods,” & “K-3 Practicum with Family Interactions” Assessment , Inclusion, Science, Math |
“Foundations,” “Methods,” & “K-3 Student Teaching with Family Interactions” Classroom Processes, Reading & Language Arts |
|
Location |
On campus |
On-site |
On-site |
On-site |
|
Field Experience |
Community, families, and selected Birth-PreK Sites |
Families & Birth-PreK Sites Continue at birth-prek site for student teaching |
Families & K-3 classrooms K-3 placement |
Families & K-3 classrooms Continue at their K-3 site for student teaching |
CREATE: Community as Resources in Early Childhood Teacher Education
A Partnership of the Helios Education Foundation,
the College of Education at the University of Arizona,
the Flowing Wells Unified School District,
the Sunnyside Unified School District, and
the Tucson Unified School District
createarizona.org