A Play Based Curriculum | Analysis of Parent Attitudes

A Play Based Curriculum Analysis of P bent AttitudesAbstractP arnts exact the type of force and program they want for their babyren. There argon some(prenominal) factors influencing p atomic number 18nts choice of sh vacate, to a greater extentover practicality, location, affordability, and previous experience with the initiate be rough of their most primal considerations. Knowlight-emitting diodege and at a lower placestanding of the different components of the archeozoic childishness curricula is a necessity, but such is still dependent on legion(predicate) factors influencing parents choice.We agnize from the literature (Brain Klein, 1994 Reay Lucey, 2000) that parents raiseing their children in an primordial puerility culture course that implements a find-based broadcast may watch done so lone(prenominal) beca intent the train has met their bearations in some way, and non beca practice session they are aware of the benefits of the play-based c hopine. Nevertheless, what we dont be is if parents would just now ensure and appreciate the class, would they re facilitate made a nonher choice, would they be more involved and ask realistic expectations of their childs larn opportunities?This teach explores the beliefs and attitudes of parents regarding the play-based syllabus. victimisation qualitative methods, I aim to gather in tropeation in autobiography hit on parents beliefs and attitudes regarding play-based curriculum The analysis of the data leave alone be based on the narrative responses of the parents, and focus on uncouthalities, differences, and emergent themes. entreeI just want my child to pretend enjoyment is a comment I hear regularly from parents touring my preschool. But the magic of fun somehow disappears as children r completely(prenominal) the age of tercet or four, and when they hold out to prepare for real school. Standards, standardized psychometric establishs, honors, grades etc., so on be find parents greatest concerns. somewhere a presbyopic the line, the fun comment is replaced with questions pertaining to kindergarten discretion and requests for worksheets, homework and some branch of grade.As a preschool accept goter/pedagogue, I remember so vividly the day I decided to leave an incredible 13-year career as a public school teacher in one of Ohios wealthiest school districts to ca phthisis and run my pitch preschool. This was not an easy determination, because I spot teaching leaving the classroom was one of the hardest professional decisions I have ever made. However, the standards and standardized exam that were dictating our curriculum practices were in complete involution with my beliefs. Fortunately, I had options and decided to stay in direction by go to vernaler ages, which at the clipping, seemed exempt from the overt squelch of standardized testing. I envisioned a facility that embraced play as the unproblematic tuition school of thought one that valued child interests and focus groups, one that incorporate multicultural facets.I could not be more pleased with my decision to walk away from an amazing retirement, decent salary, and summers off with my suffer children to fracture my ideals to former(a) raw acquireers. Little did I realize that the same nightmares that plagued me antecedently would extend to haunt me at my preschool. Although look for on play and cognitive reading reward a lot of support for the play-based curriculum for our young children, the recent state and national emphasis on proficiency test performance has reinforced the concept of minimal play beat, evening in the primary setting. Many preschools and elementary schools have reduced or even eliminated play from their schedules ( Bodrova Leong, 2003 Brandon, 2002 Johnson, 1998 Murline, 2000 Vail 2003). Play, even the menial segments, are being replaced with donnish readiness practices, accompanimently literacy and readi ng to match the content of standardized testing (Brandon, 2002 Fromberg, 1990 Johnson, 1998 Steinhauer, 2005 Vail, 2003).The ceaseless struggle for accountability, as healthy as top-down standards and coercive pressure to raise scores on an endless series of standardized test- (Kohn, 2004, p.572), in addition to the battle of improving upbringing, all seem to be dictating topical educational thin outs. Even if a program embraces the immensity of play, the outer forces that continue to press for academics is constantly threatening the foundation from which our young children build their educational future. We strip them of their best innate confidence in directing their own acquire, hurry them along, and frequently wear them out. (Almon, 2003, p.20). This push for a more academic foundation in the early years may find us losing sight of the real purpose of learning. If we continue down this path of creating a test-prep curriculum in which our emphasis is on how the child scor es on a reading test quite a than on allowing children to read for pastime and selective information afterward leaving school, we might generate quite the diametral effect and negatively encounter cognitive devisement.Nevertheless, the global challenge that the breeding Age has imposed on us has likewise prompted education officials to delineate school achievement. The governments move to establish educational standards through the (No Child go forth Behind Act) NCLB was based on the decline of education standards since the start of the 70s (Peterson, 2003). At present, most schools implement standard-based curricula, clump evaluation methods, and numerical grading form in response to the call for a wider educational transformation. Suffice to mention, the U.S. ranks only 19th in the Literacy Index established by the United Nations Educational, scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) (2007). such(prenominal) data support the flow rate cut back in education, and i mply the train of preschool educators to respond accordingly. In this consideration, it is worthwhile to deal what we know to the highest degree(predicate) the signifi substructurece of play-based curriculum as it contradicts with what officials in high Education promote, the standard-based curriculum. With the aid of parents who themselves have witnessed the relevance of play-based curriculum to the current education system and to the broader aspects of their childrens lives, this fill shall gain novel findings on how parents understand the play-based curriculum. well up-educated how parents understand play-based curriculum is important, it will tin insight into what information parents channelize upon in making early educational decisions for their children. .Since parents are the ones who decide where to figure their children, it would be best to learn how they feel towards play-based curriculum. To secure a thinking(a) research finding, during this oeuvre I will foc us on interviews, observations and documents/documentation, with parents whose children are currently enrolled in a play-based curriculum. I plan to interview five dollar bill parents conducting three interviews a Life History interview , a present-day(prenominal) Context interview that includes a summary of their present situation, and a keep abreast up interview. In addition to the three interviews, observations will be conducted and artifacts will be collected to enhance the data collection.I currently own and operate a preschool situated in a Northeastern Ohio suburb. The demographics environ my school consist of upper middle class, educated, 2-parent households. In the recent past, we were in operation(p) with 248 Caucasian families but have noticed a cultural trend changing our schools population we now house six native Asiatic families, eight native Indian families, three Afri piece of ass-American families, and two racial families out of a total of 257 families. This trend, I suppose, is due to a newly 30-acre hospital facility opening across the street. This study will take place in a akin preschool. The commercial brand preschool (pseudonym) has similar demographics and utilizes a play-based curriculum.As I tour families, I am invariably assured that parents want the best for their children. The decision to leave a young child to a non-family member is delicate but common, and it is what brought me to this point in my breeding a 43 year-old m other(a) of two daughters, ages 10 and 13, prosecute a PhD in Curriculum and Instruction with an early childhood focus.A very attractive, well-dressed woman in her mid-thirties, entered my school foyer holding an high-ticket(prenominal) handbag, and armed with a list of questions, began her quest for the perfect childcare provider. This articulate mom has a two-year-old son and an infant daughter. She, an attorney and her husband, a occupant doctor, just moved to our community from Washington, D C. My tour involves a short presentation of myself and my background, as well as the schools. I alship canal include a short description of our philosophy, which includes play, a tour of the facility, an introduction to all teachers, and, finally, a meeting in my office where we address all questions on their list. Such a list typically includes safety and security, ratios, sick policy, discipline policy, sanitization procedures, lunch and snack, tuition, etc. In this instance, curriculum was never mentioned, even after I spoke of our play-based philosophy, our Flex Learning Program, etc. Such things did not seem important to this mom. She asked roughly teacher turnover, how many a(prenominal) infants were currently enrolled, how many teachers were in the classroom, and if her baby would be rocked to sleep. She asked if her young toddler would visit the gym, which is make upd in the older building if he would go outside all(prenominal) day and if he could participate in karate and soccer. Literature supporting everything discussed during the tour, including curriculum issues, was handed to her, as well as a business neb with the web address for any additional information.This is very much a typical tour. The mother called later to announce that her decision was complete and her children would be starting the next Monday. That was two years ago. Her children still attend my school full time, now ages three and five. Both kids are in the air jacket facility that houses older children older Preschool, Pre K, Jr-K, K, and after school classrooms/program. Her children are prospering academically and socially. Yet, two years later, her concern shifted to academic readiness. She made an functionment with me to polish up the Ohio Pre K standards which she received from her neighbor. Our hour-and-half hour meeting consisted of examples of just how these standards are being implemented, met, and mastered without the use of paper/pencil, drill, skill worksheet s, and assessment tools. Although our philosophy has not changed, nor has her desire for her children to have fun, the fear of success in school has crept into this moms thinking. Walking through her sons and daughters classrooms daily and observing kids building blocks, doing dramatic play, utilize sand and water, and working at art stations, reassures her that the kids are indeed having fun, but what are they learning? How can she be sure they will be prepared for school?This has me posing several opposing questions. What are parents beliefsand attitudes towards an early childhood play-based curriculum, and has their beliefs and attitudes changed since entering the play-based program? What evidence can I digest parents that play-based curriculum is an appropriate curriculum for primary school readiness? How do I advocate for preschoolers as a time in life to cherish play as a base for holistic development and learning?It is my desire, as a strong advocate of play for low-pitch ed children, to better understand where parents are access from, how they are informed, and what they draw upon to actualise their final conclusions. Therefore, in my study, I will inquire from parents their beliefs and attitude about play-based curriculum in the hope of better taste where parents are coming from. This information will better inform teachers in their parent education practices as well as parents in their search for a preschool. about wee Childhood Education Programs advance(prenominal) childhood education programs provide foundational learning experiences to very young children in preparation for formal schooling. Early childhood education programs strive to provide children with the fundamental skills in literacy and numeracy, which are crucial for all levels of education, while, at the same time, providing the social, emotional, and cultural fundamental fundamental interaction that children need for maturity and social development. There is a wide variation i n child care programs in the United States ranging from basic care-based, and sometimes exclusively custodial-based care to nationally accredited early childhood programs such as those promoted by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). A tot up of early childhood education models are in place Montessori, Reggio-Emilia, Waldorf, Play-Based, and Academics-Based, each having a different philosophy and educational objective, but all form to contribute to the readiness of children for formal instruction (Singer, Singer, Plaskon, Schweder, 2003).Theoretical FrameworksEarlier theories on child development do not directly specify play as an essential aspect of cognitive development yet constructivist theories blemish it as an important factor affecting childrens interest and social development. In addition, neuroscience contributes to the view that physical and age-related play enhances brain, physical, and overall development (Frost 1998).The social cons tructivist surmise is the force that determines this study. It claims that undivideds perceptions of the reality around them shape their thoughts and behavior (Berger Luckman, 1966) and that the construction of import is a process forged in the crucible of everyday interactionmeanings are negotiated, exchanged, and modified through everyday interactions with others (Rosenholtz, 1989, p. 3). It also says that people construct their own catch and knowledge of the world through experiencing and reflecting upon those experiences.Constructivism posits that children develop their own concepts of things based on front knowledge and experience. Guided by people, earlier knowledge or experience, they perceive, analyze, and eventually make up their own ideas regarding the world. Therefore, prior skills employ at play may be applied relevantly to other situations, such as job solving, analysis, or decision-making. This makes play an important part of childrens life, as it serves as th e introduction to higher skills and more difficult challenges of life.In particular, Lev Vygotsky (cited in Palmer, 2004), a well-known constructivist supports the importance of play in the childs development. In his last lecture, Play and the Psychological Development of the Child, Vygotsky emphasized the importance of play during the childs early years. According to him, play is part of a childs order of Proximal Development (ZPD). ZPD is the difference surrounded by what a child can do and what s/he cannot. During play, the child behaves beyond his age, and discovers new ways of doing things such as different shapes and heights of blocks. As the child does this, s/he explores the depths of ZPD, which consequences to a better learning ability.In the same way, neuroscience provides support for childs play. Frost (1998) documents that brain development is further improved as children engage in age-appropriate play. Conversely, he illustrates that deprivation of play could result i n aberrant behavior (8). It can be ga at that placed that in Vgotskys social constructivist theory, parents form an perceptiveness when it comes to identifying the fit academic environment for their child based on their expectationsResearch Methodology Focus and QuestionsBased on the goals of this study, the employment of methodological analysis through the acquisition of narrative interrogatory and the grapheme study purport are appropriate. fib scale study will be used for this research project as it will allow me, the researcher, to witness and study a descriptive setting in order to share experiences face subject areaThis study adopts the case study design with the view that individual cases provide more in-depth information. Case studies focus on the individual, his/her experiences, and immediate reality, which is undeniable to derive meaning and understanding of the issue or concept under examination. Moreover, it provides real examples from real people who are unenc umbered by the use of predetermined measures or surveys, and whose responses will only result in add up and statistics (Bogdan Biklen, 2007). In this study, individuals, the parents (either mother or father in one family) should have a child or children who are enrolled in a school that implements play-based curriculum. These individuals will be interviewed and asked to share their stories based on open-ended questions that arrest to the over-arching research questions. In doing so, the individuals experiences and beliefs will be discussed in order to survive at a better understanding of the research topic, which regards parents beliefs and attitudes of a play-based curriculum. It is expect that other factors such as race, religion, and socioeconomic status would influence the experiences and thoughts of parents. Thus, the parents selected for the study will come from different backgrounds. In addition to the three be after interviews, observations including parent/ teacher con ferences, PTO meetings, various parent celebrations such as A Day in the Life of PreSchooler, Muffins With Mom, (Root)Beer and Pretzels with Dad, Parents Night Out, Parents Information eventide etc will be observed. Artifacts such as Parent Handbook, Schools literature including the schools bang statement, student rights, student portfolio information will be submitted to supplementNarrative InquiryFor the purpose of this study I will also be drawing on narrative interrogative sentence (Clandinin Connelly, 2000) to investigate five parents beliefs and attitudes towards a play -based early childhood curriculum within a privately owned early childhood facility. Coming from the social constructivist perspective, I believe that experiences are significant. Clandinin Connelly also suggest experience is significant in their three dimensional framework for studying how the thespians past, present and future place settings influence their beliefs and attitudes towards a play -based early childhood curriculum. Focusing on narrative inquiry will help me to underdtand how parents beliefs and attitudes towards a play-based early childhood curriculum have been established. This unique approach is attractive because it provides the opportunity for the parents voices to be heard. In understanding their beliefs and attitudes of a play-based early childhood curriculum, narrative inquiry will allow me to explore how their beliefs and attitudes affect their decsion to enroll or not in enroll in a facility that promotes a play-based curriuculum and how these beliefs and attitudes have evolved, through the stories that they share.This study will use the narrative in-depth interview as a qualitative data collection method, which can elicit far richer information than a survey. Further, interviews offer the researcher a means to clarify responses and validate participant responses. Cohen et al. (2000) posited that individual behaviors can only be understood by understanding individuals interpretations of the world around them. Therefore, meaningful social action needs to be interpreted from the point of view of the actors or the people who are in that particular situation. It can be said that parents who have already enrolled their child in a play-based preschool would naturally feel more strongly about it than parents who have not sent their child to a play-based preschool (Bryman, 2004).This qualitative case study will examine preschool parents beliefs and attitudes using a narrative inquiry data-collection strategy in order to showcase the experiences and perceptions of parents towards play-based curricula in early childhood programs. Case study and narrative inquiry seek to understand the particular events in a historically and socially bounded context (Clandinin Connelly, 2000).Main Research QuestionsThe main research question for this study is what are parents beliefs and attitudes towards an early childhood play-based curriculum?Supporting Res earch QuestionsI have identified several supporting research questions to reflect upon throughout Clandinin and Connelly (2000) three-d interviewing process. In tone forward/backward I am kindle in understanding how individuals life histories inform their current beliefs and attitudes towards play-based curriculums. In looking inward/outward I am interested in understanding what outside factors influence their current beliefs and attitudes towards play-based curriculums..What are their beliefs on play?What are parents beliefs regarding developmentally appropriate practices?What are parents perceptions of early learning?What evidence can I offer parents that play-based curriculum is an appropriate curriculum for primary school readiness?How do I advocate for preschoolers as a time in life to cherish play as a basis for holistic development and learning?Children have different needs and the preschool program should be able to address those needs. From my experience, I have found th at parents often choose preschools that are child-friendly that is, they have passed safety standards, provide enough learning materials, employ qualified and caring teachers, and maintain an attractive facility. Rarely do parents ask about the schools curriculum or its academic offerings. In my experience, parents expect preschools to teach children basics like shapes, colors, alphabet, numbers, and reading. Most preschools integrate these basic skills into their learning programs, but each preschool differs in how the said skills are presented to the children for teaching purposes.Exploring parents beliefs and attitudes would help identify the relevance of play-based curriculum, whether it has helped facilitate their childrens readiness and ability to learn and develop skills needed for the real school or for everyday living. Moreover, their responses will serve as valuable insights to educators in general, including those who are not implementing play.Considering its focus, play- based curricula may be largely misperceived as not providing enough attention to skills and learning. Also, the current standard-based education being implemented, may consider play unimportant, thus curtail time for it or totally disregard it. Such would be deterrent to children whose basic needs include play and fun. In this view, the questions that I would like to expand on include What are parents beliefs and attitudes towards play-based curriculum? What factors led to the development of these beliefs and attitudes? How do/did play-based curriculum affect their childrens learning and development? and How do parents beliefs and attitudes regarding play impact the implementation of play-based curriculum and standard-based curriculum/formal instruction?Purpose of the StudyI believe it is important for all parents to have a entire understanding of the curriculum that their child will be experiencing, whether in preschool or in any other educational setting. Preschools enjoy a rec eived amount of flexibility in how they teach young children. Different teaching models are available, and some schools integrate two models (i.e, Montessori and Reggio Emilia). When parents know and understand the curriculum of their childs preschool, they are more likely to become involved in the schools activities. They therefore know how to reinforce their childs learning at home, and tend to collaborate more with teachers (Sission, 2009).My quest to understand the beliefs and attitudes of five parents towards a play-based curriculum has multiple purposes. First, is to provide readers and the early childhood education sector with information concerning parental beliefs and attitudes towards play-based curriculum second, to learn how, according to parents views has play-based curriculum affected their childrens learning and development and third, to accredit whether they believe it serves as an effective tool for early childhood education. literary argument of the ProblemEarly childhood researchers have reported that young children learn best through activities that support the development of the whole child (Elkind 2001). David Elkind (2001), in a piece reminiscent of Piagets constructivist views, entitled Young Einstein a lot Too Early, argued that young children learn best through direct interaction with their environment. Before a certain age, they simply are not fitting of the level of reasoning necessary for formal instruction. However, national concern with accountability, competition, testing and back-to-basics, puts an over-emphasis on academics and single-subject teaching (Elkind, 2007 Ornstein, 2002 Perrone, 2000). In response to these concerns, early childhood programs may focus the curriculum on the teaching of academic skills (Morrison, 2004). These factors have led to narrowly-defined curricula, which deny young children valuable life experiences found in play. Although a growing concern on math and language ability in the higher year le vels has prompted the implementation of standard-based curriculum, it is not enough to impose such kind of system in the preschool level. In the first place, children are a lot different from adults in their ways to learn. Unlike adults, children, especially small ones, need play (Ginsburg, 2007) they need to be interested in what they do in order to continue with it. Therefore, the need for play in the preschool should not be disregarded. Nevertheless, the significance of play in instruction should be support by research and by parents belief in the curriculum. Therefore, a study of the parents beliefs and attitudes towards a play-based early childhood curriculum may provide information useful to teachers and administrators when planning strategies for implementing a successful preschool program.RationaleWith the demand for effectiveness, test achievement scores, and accountability, many preschool programs have adopted and reinforced formal instruction, and have used play as a recr eational period rather than a learning medium. In an Oregon state-wide survey sent to all kindergarten teachers and principals with first-grade teachers, Hitz and Wright (1998) found that sixty-four pct of kindergarten teachers, sixty-one percent of principals, and seventy-two percent of first-grade teachers reported that formal academic instruction was more prevalent in kindergarten than it was 10 to 20 years ago. In this scenario, creative expression may be considered not as important as cognitive development. creative thinking may be viewed as irrelevant to the development of thinking and problem solving. Conversely, it is possible that teachers and administrators have adopted academic instruction and other formal practices, even though most of them considered such developmentally inappropriate. This last scenario implies the way out or lack of academic freedom among educators, thus contradicting democratic principles.Early childhood educators have shown concern with the type of instruction used in their education programs. Practices used in pre-kindergarten and kindergarten classes reflected an environmentalist-behaviorist view, even though teachers reported having other views. From a study of teacher practice, Hatch and Freeman (1988) found that two-thirds of early childhood teachers were implementing programs in conflict with their philosophies concerning childrens learning. Early childhood experts have long asserted that programs for young children should provide for the development of social, emotional, physical, cognitive, and creative skills, but the abovementioned findings do not reflect this anymore. In short, there is a gap between researchers recommendations and teachers practices (Bredekamp, 1997 Logue, Eheart, Leavitt, 1996).Parents are the deciding authority when it comes to the type of education that their children should receive. Their beliefs and attitudes towards a curriculum and later their decisions are typically influenced by their ow n beliefs, experiences, and attitudes. As a consequence, their views affect the implementation of programs for young children. This study does not confirm that parents views regarding curriculum implementation are sufficient to implement a favorable program. Nevertheless, it considers their views because they form part of childrens learning environment. It is important to gain their views about play-based education because deflexion from the teacher, they are the ones who have access to information regarding their childrens development and ability whether in school or outside it.MotivationAs an experienced primary educator, and a current preschool owner and educator, I am interested in parents beliefs and attitudes towards an early childhood play-based curriculum and whether their decision to enroll their child in a play-based curriculum is borne out of their understanding of the program or other factors. I personally believe in the play-based curriculum and would like to determine if this attitude is shared by the parents. If they do not, I would like to know the basis for their dislike of the curriculum. Parents of my students are informed of our play-based curriculum at enrollment. disrespect this, however, some still confront me with disbelief about the curriculum. As an educator and business owner, this study would lead me to a better understanding of parents beliefs and attitudes about play as a vehicle for learning Understanding how parents understand play-based curriculum is significant and will add to the literature in many ways. In exploring how parents understand play-based curriculum this study will contribute to current literature available offering new ideasContributions to the ResearchChildrens play has come under renewed attack. Inspired by my own experiences as a preschool owner I hope to contribute through this narrative case study various lived stories of parents and how their beliefs and attitudes towards a play-based early childhood curr iculum have evolved. Since parents are the customers of early childhood programs, is it important to understand their beliefs and attitudes.While there is plenty of research supporting play-based curriculums in the early childhood classroom, it is in general from the educators and childs view point, literature is lacking in this area as it pertains to the parents, their own beliefs and attitudes. While not meant to portray generalized information the rich descriptive stories of these five parents will represent the larger community.OutlookIn chapter two of this research proposal, Literature Review, I describe the context in which preschool programs, play-based curriculum, and parental choices have been studied in the past, and the implications of research findings to current practice. . The literature review is organized from the general to the specific, which means that a general overview of preschool programs is provided, followed by a discussion of the play-based curriculum, and concluding with parents choice.In chapter three, Methodology, I further describe the use of case study and the narrative inquiry approach to justify the use of such methods and design as proposed for this study. The chapter also provides the description of the research setting, the research sample, the data gathering procedure, data analysis, the timeline, and validity and reliability concerns, as well as the anticipated limitations of the study. The main research question as well as the supporting questions will be outlined in detail as well within the chapter three.Chapter four, Findings, will draw on common themes that exist within the participants stories that describe their beliefs and attitudes towards an early childhood play-based curricul