“It’s very empowering. You [the teacher] feel more supported. You feel like you’re being valued as a teacher and that feeling helps with the kids because you are excited,” Spinney says.
“Kids need more than academic content. Emotional, social, and cognitive skills help them engage and learn in the classroom and get along with peers and engage in academic content,” McCoy told ABC News.
McCoy hopes this study will “shift from talking whether preschool is important to moving conversation to what aspect of preschool creates the biggest impact for kids. What defines a high-quality preschool program and ensures that all kids have the ability to receive those qualities.”
She went on to say that, “low-income background kids don’t have the same opportunities as people from more advantaged backgrounds. So these types of programs are trying to promote equity and give kids from all different backgrounds the opportunity to succeed.”
However, it may not be that simple.
While “professional development is worthwhile,” says Spinney, “implementing it may not be as straightforward.”
Each child is different.
Another study on “Children’s first-person experiences,” points out “that the linguistic environment of a preschool classroom is highly dynamic from the perspective of the learner.” The study suggests that many children often interact with teachers in the classroom frequently, but that the length of these interactions varies from child to child.
McCoy reminds us, that “early preschool programming can impact trajectories into adulthood,” and that, “this study gives us an idea of what types of practices in the classroom are able to promote education and well-being.”
“The take home lesson, hopefully, can benefit all kids,” she says.
Sourse: abcnews.go.com
