Linking Social Emotional Development to Culturally Responsive Practice in Pre-K Settings

• In Event: Universal Pre-Kindergarten in New York City: Implications for Policy and Practice in a Changing Landscape 

Abstract

PreK classrooms with more children living in poverty tend to have lower quality than those with fewer such children (Pianta et al., 2005). Given stark inequities, and the potential of high-quality early childhood educators (ECE) to impact later success, it is crucial to identity factors that set apart high-quality programs (Bassok & Galdo, 2015) and study variation across higher- and lower - resourced communities. Further research is needed to clarify and document what education directors (EDs) do, day by day, to envision and support quality and influence learning (Mims et al., 2007). For that reason, this study documents the types, amount, content, and delivery of instructional supports from EDs across 36 PreK sites in diverse settings. The purpose of this study is to advance knowledge and offer actionable policy recommendations regarding factors that help or hinder EDs efforts to support high quality classrooms.
The study reflects an ecological model of human development (Bronfenbrenner & Morris, 1998). Through mixed-methods data collection, we conducted a qualitative case analysis at 36 sites, 30% public school PreK programs and 70% community-based organizations. Researchers made 3 rounds of site visits across the 2016-17 school year to conduct surveys, interviews, and observations of site directors, education directors, teachers, and teaching assistants, plus a time use study of EDs.
Preliminary results from the study show that EDs report high levels of support provided for the social emotional development of children and low levels of support provided for culturally responsive practices. Similarly, teachers report high levels of support received for the social emotional development of children and low levels of support received for culturally responsive practices. These emerging results suggest that educators view and/or implement social emotional development and culturally responsive teaching as distinct practices. Culturally responsive teaching, a practice that draws on the cultural and linguistic strengths of students (Gay, 2010), is a critical element of the social emotional development of children (Brown, 2004). In the coming months, we will explore additional data points that will shed light on the content, quality, and types of supports offered by EDs to teachers (i.e. time use studies, examination of professional development opportunities).
In this presentation we will explore the connection between social emotional development and culturally responsive practices in PreK settings. We will begin by providing an overview of our study purpose, methods, and results. We will then provide an overview of the theoretical frameworks for social emotional development and culturally responsive practice. These theoretical frameworks will be used as a foundation for discussing the impact of culturally responsive practice on student learning, social-emotional development, inclusive school environments, and family engagement. We will provide research-based and practice-proven recommendations on how EDs can support PreK teachers in developing culturally responsive environments that promote the social-emotional development of children.

Authors

• Faith Lamb-Parker, Bank Street College of Education

• Veronica Benavides, Bank Street College of Education