Abstract/Notes: BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Three-fourths of US preschool-age children are in child care centers. Children are primarily sedentary in these settings, and are not meeting recommended levels of physical activity. Our objective was to identify potential barriers to children’s physical activity in child care centers. METHODS: Nine focus groups with 49 child care providers (55% African American) were assembled from 34 centers (inner-city, suburban, Head Start, and Montessori) in Cincinnati, Ohio. Three coders independently analyzed verbatim transcripts for themes. Data analysis and interpretation of findings were verified through triangulation of methods. RESULTS: We identified 3 main barriers to children’s physical activity in child care: (1) injury concerns, (2) financial, and (3) a focus on “academics.” Stricter licensing codes intended to reduce children's injuries on playgrounds rendered playgrounds less physically challenging and interesting. In addition, some parents concerned about potential injury, requested staff to restrict playground participation for their children. Small operating margins of most child care centers limited their ability to install abundant playground equipment. Child care providers felt pressure from state mandates and parents to focus on academics at the expense of gross motor play. Because children spend long hours in care and many lack a safe place to play near their home, these barriers may limit children's only opportunity to engage in physical activity. CONCLUSIONS: Societal priorities for young children—safety and school readiness—may be hindering children’s physical development. In designing environments that optimally promote children’s health and development, child advocates should think holistically about potential unintended consequences of policies.

Language: English

DOI: 10.1542/peds.2011-2102

ISSN: 0031-4005, 1098-4275

Language: English

Published: DeKalb, Illinois, 1981

Abstract/Notes: Preschool children were administered the IES Arrow-Dot at the beginning and end of the school year and scores compared with those based on a prior study in a Montessori preschool. Developmental trends of declining Impulsivity and rising Ego scores were corroborated. Superego development remained almost stable in contrast to a significant rise for the Montessori sample. Results support effective use of the test with preschoolers to assess baselines and developmental patterns of personality integration.

Language: English

DOI: 10.2466/pms.1975.40.1.209

ISSN: 1558-688X, 0031-5125

Abstract/Notes: Children in a Montessori preschool were administered a series of tests at the beginning of the school year and retested on the same battery 8 mo. later, at the end of the school year. The children exhibited a mean gain of about 11 points on the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test IQ. They also exhibited a decline in Impuisivity and an increase in Superego scores, on the average, as measured by the Arrow-Dot Test. These longitudinal results corroborate an earlier cross-sectional analysis; and, as these results follow a prediction from Freudian theory, give indication of construct validity for the test.

Language: English

DOI: 10.2466/pms.1970.30.1.269

ISSN: 1558-688X, 0031-5125

Abstract/Notes: Alternative educational concepts evolved in response to classical educational methods in which children are placed in a passive position and the transfer of knowledge is cultivated as a form of teaching. Models of alternative pedagogy (Montessori, Waldorf, Reggio, Agazzi) advocate developmentally appropriate practices which Bredekamp (1993) describes as a presence of different strategies, i.e., child-oriented behaviours of teachers and responding to the child's individual needs. In order to help each child to grow into a universal and competent individual from preschool age, it is necessary to encourage their imagination and creativity, as well as to acquire habits of cooperation and coexistence with other children. One of the activities which promote these desirable characteristics in children is handicraft. Many studies and findings in the area of neuroscience, multiple intelligences theories, and the aforementioned alternative pedagogical concepts emphasize the importance of handicraft and point out its benefits not only for children but for the entire community. However, such an approach to children's learning and activity is poorly represented in educational institutions. Therefore, the aim of the study was to examine the views of preschool teachers and parents on handicraft activities and its more frequent use in regular preschool programs. The survey was conducted by an anonymous questionnaire on a sample of 316 respondents, preschool teachers (N=141) and parents (N=175). The results of the study show that both preschool teachers and parents agree that certain elements of alternative concepts such as handicraft have a positive impact on the overall development of the child and that they are useful and practical life skills. They also agree that handicraft activities should be used in educational institutions to a greater extent. [Conference Name: 14th International Technology, Education and Development Conference; ISBN: 9788409179398; Place: Valencia, Spain]

Language: English

Published: Valencia, Spain: International Academy of Technology, Education and Development (IATED), 2020

Pages: 1511-1519

DOI: 10.21125/inted.2020.0499

ISBN: 978-84-09-17939-8

Abstract/Notes: Pre-school programs give children an edge in a competitive world and education climate. It teaches children the basic skills necessary to be successful in formal schooling. Pre-schools provide children a good foundation for continued learning, communication, higher self-esteem and enjoyment of the learning process. Pre-schools have the important task of giving children numerous and varied opportunities to promote children’s development during the formative years including physical development, social development and literary competence. Literary competences open the door to academic learning and help ensure later success in school. The present study was conducted to elicit information on the approaches adopted by pre-schools to foster literary skills among pre-schoolers in Bangalore city. A representative sample of 30 preschool centres were surveyed - 9 Montessori, 8 kindergarten, 8 play-way and 5 crèches. After an introductory session in the preschool centres, a self-developed questionnaire was distributed to the preschool teachers to elicit information on the approaches adopted by pre-schools to foster literary skills among pre-schoolers. Analysis of data obtained indicated that the preschools surveyed had no adequate approaches to foster literary skills in pre-schoolers. Also the preschools surveyed had no adequate library facilities.

Language: English

ISSN: 1930-2940

Abstract/Notes: This article is based on a study of an ‘English-medium’ preschool programme for underprivileged children. The diverse linguistic backgrounds of the teachers and students prompted an enquiry into how multiple languages would be negotiated in the setting and how comprehension, learning and communication would occur given that none of the children came from English-speaking homes. The article identifies and interprets key features of verbal language that were observed in the setting and articulates implications for educational practice.

Language: English

DOI: 10.5958/2231-4555.2019.00009.3

ISSN: 2231-4547, 2231-4555

Language: English

ISSN: 1071-6246

Abstract/Notes: When children enter preschool or kindergarten, they often seem to bring a spirit of wonder, great curiosity, and a spontaneous drive to explore, experiment and manipulate playfully and originally. Learning environments have been perceived to have the dual role of promoting as well as killing creativity. This has been attributed to the fact that as a child progresses through school years, teaching and learning become more dominant as play and self-exploration are stifled. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between play and creative drawing in Kenyan preschool children. A comparative study of the Montessori and the traditional public school system was carried out 48 preschool children between the ages of 4 and 6. Half were enrolled in Montessori while the other half in public schools Kenya. Through a qualitative design by the use of the Test of Creative Thinking Drawing Production (TCT-DP) (Urban & Jellen, 1996), and Rubin’s (2001) Play Observation Scale analyses were carried out. Independent sample t tests, Pearson product moment correlations and stepwise hierarchical multiple regressions were computed to determine whether interactions and differences in social play, cognitive play and creative drawing performance were apparent between Montessori and traditional public preschools. Statistically significant results were obtained indicating that Montessori children engaged in cognitive play more than public preschool children and had higher scores on creativity than public preschool children. In addition, age differences in social play as well as in creativity scores were found. However, no gender differences were apparent in social play, cognitive play or in creativity scores.

Language: English

Published: Munich, Germany: Herbert Utz Verlag, 2013

ISBN: 978-3-8316-4284-7

Language: English

Published: Arlington Heights, Illinois: American Association of University Women, 1983