Interconnectedness Between Preschool Teachers' Beliefs About Curriculum and Their Thinking About Planning and Enacting Instruction

• In Event: Relationship-Based Instruction for Children

Abstract

We investigated 18 preschool teachers’ beliefs about how curriculum supported children’s learning and how these manifested in planning for and enactment of instruction. Using thematic analysis, four broad themes about children’s learning (i.e., children’s interests, skill development, thematic learning, play-based) were present in teachers’ beliefs about how the curriculum support children’s learning. Three of these themes (i.e., children’s interests, skill development, thematic learning) were interconnected and evolved across teachers’ thinking regarding planning, and enactment, narrowing as they became operationalized for practice. However, beliefs about how curriculum, planning, and enactment helped children learn were infrequently interconnected within teachers; with only 11.11% of teachers having alignment across beliefs about curriculum, planning, and enactment. Implications for future directions are discussed.

Authors

• Yuenjung Joo, University of Nebraska - Lincoln
  Presenting Author

• Rachel E. Schachter, University of Nebraska - Lincoln
  Non-Presenting Author