"Not Even Ready to Sit at a Desk." Head Start Professionals Report Their School Readiness Perceptions and Related Practices: Degree of Alignment With Developmental Approaches

• In Event: Transitioning to and From Early Care and Education Settings

Abstract

Grounded in Developmental Systems Theory, especially Ecological Systems Theory, and through the strength-based and whole child lenses, this study examines 15 interviews with Head Start professionals and explores alignment degree of their school readiness perception and practices. Adopting dual mapping, theme screening and in vivo coding, the research presents both consistency and heterogeneity with the literature, including 1) one difference: child-focused and learning-based versus family-based and context-driven views; 2) one contradiction: children’s SEL-based readiness needs versus Head Start’s cognition-based support; 3) one contrast: scarce mentions of children’s strength versus overwhelming deficit language usage; 4) one shift: from an “already attained” finishing line to a “going to obtain” starting line. Such conceptualization complexity also informs the equity debate on school readiness.

Author

• Qinghua Chen, Oregon State University
  Presenting Author