Teachers’ views of the challenges and solutions of their work: including children identified as at-risk and disabled

1. Teachers’ views of the challenges and solutions of their work: including children identified as at-risk and disabled Sallee Beneke University of Illinois

2. Increase in Inclusion in Illinois • 1980s: Prekindergarten at-risk for 3- to 5-year-olds began • 2003: Illinois Early Learning Council recommendation • 2005: 72,0003- & 4-year-old served in prekindergarten at-risk classrooms

3. Advent of Preschool for All • February 2006: • Governor Blagojevich announces intention to provide pre-k to every Illinois 3- and 4-year-old • May, 2006: Legislation passed • Fall 2006: • 103 Programs were funded ($45 million additional dollars) • 88 prekindergarten • 15 infant-toddler • 10,000 additional children • Current funding total is $363 million • Fully implementation will serve 190,000

4. Preschool for All Curriculum Criteria Include… • Alignment with Illinois Early Learning Standards • Inclusion of content to be taught with intentionality and integration • Provision for child initiation and engagement • Use of content based on research of how young children learn • Provision of parent involvement through meaningful communication with families • Alignment with authentic assessment tool that is ongoing and comprehensive

5. Criteria (cont.) • Consideration of child’s linguistic and cultural background • Consideration of range of experience and qualifications of early childhood teachers • Consideration of a wide range of children’s abilities, including those of children with IEP’s • Provision of research evidence of the effectiveness of the curriculum

6. Many Settings for Preschool for All • Public schools • University lab schools • Charter schools • Child care centers • Community colleges • Private preschools • Park districts • Faith-based organizations • Home-based child-care networks

7. Concurrent with increase in inclusion of children with disabilities in pre-kindergarten at-risk classrooms • Varying models • Increase in consistency for children • Reduction in full-day programs • Shortage of certified teachers • Increase in mentoring programs • Increase in monitoring programs

8. Comparison of 2005 & 2007 Survey Results • 2005 - • Survey of 73 pre-k teachers from north central Illinois • 2007- • Survey of 79 educators in pre-kindergarten at-risk programs • Examined in terms of position and education

9. 2005: What Was Useful in Training • Child Guidance (39%) • Child Development (75%) • Assessment (49% • Families (43%) • Lesson Planning (68%) • Management (49%)

10. 2005: What Should Be Added to Training? • Hands-on • Classroom management • Authentic assessment • Behavior management • Working with families • Special education • Working with other adults

11. 2007 Survey of Preschool for All Staff • Masters - 11 • Bachelors - 42 • Associates - 14 • Administrators - 12

12. Survey Population - Experience • 0-6 Years Experience - 44 Surveys • 7-12 Years Experience - 12 Surveys • 13-19 Years Experience - 12 Surveys • 20+ Years Experience - 15 Surveys

13. Education Level - Administrators • Administrator - 12 • AA - 3 • Bachelors - 4 • Masters - 4 • PhD - 1

14. Top Problems: 0-6 Years • Guidance • 62% of AA responses • 43% of Bachelors • 33% of Masters • Special Needs Students • 37% of AA responses • 25%% of Bachelors • 50% of Masters • Parent Issues • 25% of AA • 37% of Bachelors

15. Top Problems: 0-6 Years • Paperwork & Time • 71% of Bachelors • Co-workers & Assistants • 22% of Bachelors • Turnover • 66% of Masters

16. Top 3 Problems: 7-12 Years • Guidance • 100% of AA responses (n = 2) • 66% of Bachelors (n = 3) • Special Needs Students • 66% of Bachelors (n = 3) • 50% of Masters (n = 3) • Paperwork & Time Management • 50% of AA responses (n = 2) • 100% of Bachelors (n = 3) • 100% of Masters (n = 3)

17. Top 3 Problems: 13-19 Years • Guidance • 40% of Bachelors (n = 5) • 33% of Masters (n = 3) • Special Needs Students • Not a problem • Paperwork & Time Management • 100% of Bachelors (n = 3) • 100% of Masters (n = 3)

18. Top 3 Problems: 20+ Years • Guidance • 50% of Masters (n = 2) • Special Needs Students • 100% of Masters (n = 2) • Paperwork & Time Management • 100% of Bachelors (n = 7) • 50% of Masters (n = 2)

19. Top 3 Problems: Administrators

20. Challenges: Special Needs

21. Challenge: Guidance

22. Challenge: Parent Issues

23. Challenge: Paperwork & Time Management

24. Educators’ Perceptions - What Would Help? (0-6 Years) • Training/Inservice • AA- 100% (n = 8) • BA- 33% (n = 33) • Strategies/Ideas • BA- 39% • Reduce Paperwork & improve time Management • AA- 50% • Programming for parents • MA- 66% (n = 3) • Improve Administration • MA- 50%

25. Educators’ Perceptions - What Would Help? (7-12 Years) • Training/Inservice • AA- 100% (n = 2) • More Staff • BA- 66%

26. Educators’ Perceptions - What Would Help? (13-19 Years) • Programming for Parents • BA- 40% (n = 5) • Inservice • BA- 80% (n = 5)

27. Educators’ Perceptions - What Would Help? (20+ Years) • Programming for Parents • BA- 42% (n = 7) • Inservice • BA- 28% (n = 5) • MA- 100% (n = 2)

28. Important Preservice Learning 0-6 Years Experience Associates • Value of social-emotional dev. - 2 • Creative Curriculum - 1 • Developing materials - 1 • Field experience - 1 • Environment - 1 • Observation Skills - 1

29. Important Preservice Learning 0-6 Years Experience Bachelors • Lesson Planning- 8 • Assessment- 6 • Parent Involvement- 6 • Content Areas- 4 • Child Development - 3 • Adaptations - 3 • Individualizing Instruction- 3 • Environment - 2 • Open-ended questions - 2

30. 0-6 Years- Important Preservice Learning

31. Important Preservice Learning 7-12 Years Experience Associates • Child Development - 1 • ‘Needed more on “real life” actions and reactions.’ Bachelors • Importance of Preparation - 1 • Methods - 1 Masters • Ed Psych - 11 • Reading - 1 • Observations at real school - 1

32. Important Preservice Learning 13-19 years experience Associates • Child Development - 1 • Learning Styles • Best Practices • DAP “Most of the DAP things I do I learned from others in the field. It was so long ago that most of what was appropriate then is no longer DAP”

33. Important Preservice Learning 13-19 years experience Bachelors • Child Development - 1 • Special Ed. courses were helpful - 11 • Student Teaching • Methods • Organizing lesson plans • Respecting children “Not much! I went to college when the 04 was just coming out. Most of my professors were ELED professionals and had been in the field for many years. I have learned more ‘on the job’ and from conferences and workshops much like this one.” “”

34. Important Preservice Learning 13-19 years experience Masters • Importance of play • Social-emotional guidance • Curriculum • Assessment • History & Philosophy • Classroom Management • Environment • Instructional Techniques

35. Important Preservice Learning 20+ • Importance of play • Social-emotional guidance • Curriculum • Assessment • History & Philosophy • Classroom Management • Environment • Instructional Techniques

36. Possible Implications? • More training in organization and management? • More educational psychology? • More special education training for all? • More specialized training for administrators? • More training on teaming? • More preservice experience with challenging children and situations?