How early childhood teacher beliefs vary across grade level |
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| Authors: | Sue Vartuli |
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| Institution: | a 615 East 52nd Street, School of Education,University of Missouri—Kansas City, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Kansas City, MO 64110, USA |
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| Abstract: | The continuum of beliefs reported by early childhood teachers (Head Start through third grade) and how those beliefs relate to classroom practice were explored in this article. Head Start, kindergarten, first-, second-, and third-grade teachers’ beliefs and self-reported practices were measured by three different instruments. These included the Early Childhood Survey of Beliefs and Practices (Marcon, 1988), and the Teacher Beliefs Scale (Charlesworth et al 1990 and Charlesworth). Each classroom was also observed using the Classroom Practices Inventory (Hyson and Vartuli 1992). The belief measures were moderately correlated and observed practices supported what teachers reported as their beliefs and practices. Beliefs were significantly more appropriate than practice at every grade level. As the grade level increased the level of self-reported developmentally appropriate beliefs and practices decreased. The same held true for observed practice. Teachers in first, second, and third grade did not rate developmentally appropriate practices as high as Head Start and kindergarten teachers. Teachers with fewer years of teaching experience and those with certification in early childhood education were more likely to believe in and use more developmentally appropriate practices. |
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