CULTURE, LEARNING and TEACHING

Gladys Maza focused her inquiry on the dynamics of parent/family involvement in early childhood educational settings. An overview of the study along with a visual representation can be found below:

The focus of my research was on family involvement in an early childhood setting. My primary research question was, how can family involvement be enhanced in a pre-K classroom? Three sub-questions were: 

1. What are parents' perceptions about family involvement?  

2. What are the challenges parents encounter with family involvement? 
   

3. How do teachers create a welcoming environment for parents to be involved in the classroom? 
   

The purpose of this study was to determine how to enhance family involvement in a Pre-K classroom. Based on my findings from interviews with three parents, it is clear that they want the best for their children and understand their roles as parents. The teachers also strive to make parents feel welcome in the classroom and do their best to encourage their involvement. My observations indicated that parents actively engage with them and tend to perform better in school. Two of the parents in the study were able to participate and be involved in school activities. However, the third parent, a single parent, found it challenging to be involved. The question remains: what will I do moving forward? I will continue to encourage family involvement and ensure that parents who are unable to come to school receive all the necessary information about what they missed. I will continue to send out information to keep parents well-informed about school via email, text, and Class Dojo. Additionally, I provide a calendar with all the key dates in advance, allowing parents to plan for important meetings, events, and shows that they are invited to attend. 

This study has provided me with valuable insights into the perspectives of parents. It has encouraged me to reflect on my own practices. In the future, when I host an event, meeting, or celebration, I will reach out to parents who may have missed important information and ensure they receive it. As teachers, we must recognize that there are various reasons why parents may be unable to participate in their child's education. It is our responsibility to find effective ways to communicate and collaborate with them, acknowledging that both teachers and parents play a crucial role in ensuring a child's success in school.

Aigerim Konrat examined the advantages and challenges children and teachers experienced in a mixed-age early childhood classroom, focusing specifically on children's social-emotional development. Attached here is a brief outline and the visual representation that Aigerim created of her study:

This research study aimed to examine children’s social-emotional development in a mixed-age classroom in a private school. Theories and researchers have different views regarding mixed-age classrooms where some (Vygotsky, Montessori) support it, and others (Piaget) believe that children benefit more from same age peer interaction (Plotka, 2016). The present study focused on benefits and challenges children might have from being in a mixed-age classroom, and the role that older children played while mentoring younger children. This study was conducted in the mixed- age classroom of a private school.

Rohana Chase conducted an inquiry on the correlation between the risks that children took during their outdoor play and their intellectual and cognitive development. Here is a visual representation of her study along with a brief overview:

This research study analyzed the impact of unstructured, risky play outdoors on intellectual and cognitive development. I conducted observations at four different play sites that had varying "risky" environmental conditions and interviewed two experts on outdoor play and risk. My findings indicated a correlation between risky outdoor play and increased levels of independence, self-esteem, and confidence. This correlation also suggested that a sense of confidence and autonomy nurtured by frequent risky play supports intellectual and cognitive development that can be measured by academic performance.

Carolyn Brown focused her study on the nature of Block Play in her Prek classroom in the Bronx in New York City. Here is an image and a short outline of her project:

My Research Questions included:

a. What kinds of structures are children building in the blocks area?

b. What is the nature of children’s social interactions with each other while they construct in the blocks area?

c. How do children engage with the materials in the blocks area?

Findings: The children in my classroom constructed numerous structures found in their environment, such as houses, bridges, highways, skyscrapers, and ramps.

They supported each other as they built together, exchanging ideas, sharing materials, and comforting one another when their structures fell and they became emotional, and cried profusely.

The children were very focused and engaged as they built foundations of learning block by block. Every domain of learning is supported in the Block Area, from STEM subjects to social-emotional, cognitive, physical, language development, and the arts.

Barbara Noel's study focused on teachers' perceptions and beliefs around DAP. Here is a summary and a visual image she created to represent her study:

This study explores how early childhood educators—both lead and assistant teachers—perceive and implement Developmentally Appropriate Practice (DAP) within a Head Start program. Motivated by my personal journey from an assistant teacher with limited knowledge of DAP to a confident lead teacher, I sought to understand whether perceptions of DAP vary by role and how educational background, school philosophy, and professional development influence practice.

Through interviews and observations of four educators at Little Learners Head Start, I found that while all participants shared a basic understanding of DAP, their implementation differed based on their philosophies, experiences, and education levels. Notably, teachers with higher degrees in early childhood education demonstrated more alignment between their beliefs and classroom practices. One participant, Jennifer, held a more traditional, academically structured philosophy—shaped by her upbringing and educational path—which sometimes conflicted with the progressive, play-based model of the school.

The study also highlighted the critical role of institutional support in shaping educators’ understanding and use of DAP. Little Learners Head Start fosters this through reflective practices, family engagement, ongoing professional development, and collaboration with specialists. However, it also made me reflect on the gaps in professional learning at my current workplace, especially for assistant teachers who often lack formal training.

Although limited by a small sample and observation window, this research sheds light on the complex factors that influence DAP implementation and underscores the need for continued support, training, and alignment among teaching teams. Future research should expand across diverse educational settings to better understand how DAP is interpreted and practiced in varying contexts.