| |
Educational
transformation through an authentic in-service program in
preschool centers in Puerto Rico: Reflection in action
Angeles Molina Iturrondo
The transformation of
education has become a pressing goal in many countries
worldwide. Puerto Rico is no exception. With a population of
almost four millions, of which approximately half a million
are children under the age of five, Puerto Rico faces the
urgent need to create the conditions for providing high
quality care and education for preschoolers. Nevertheless,
early childhood education is an emerging field in our
island. The public kindergarten was put in place in the
sixties, but was not compulsory until 1995. Head Start, a
federally funded program for underprivileged preschoolers,
has provided services since 1965. All private schools have
preschool programs; and there are several private nurseries
and public childcare facilities. However, until 1990, no
higher education institution offered bachelor degrees in
early childhood education. To this date, in 1996, the
Graduate School of Education at the University of Puerto
Rico, is the only to offer a master degree program in Early
Childhood Education. Many preschool teachers lack formal
studies in early childhood education. Their practice
resembles the behaviorist approach that typifies elementary
education offered in many schools. These teachers do not
engage in a reflection process on their views on children's
learning and development; or analyze the program's goals,
expected educational outcomes and activities from a
cognitive developmental standpoint. This lack of critical
reflection is possibly due to the nature of teacher
education in universities, and of in-service programs. With
few exceptions, these programs have not been geared around
the critical analysis of different theoretical frameworks
and research findings that are relevant for a
developmentally appropriate practice. Their main thrust has
been the transmission of instructional methodology in a
behavioristic fashion, with a shallow theoretical and
empirical basis.
Theoretical Framework
Donald Schön (1983, 1987) has elaborated on the need of
professionals to develop the ability to engage in
reflection-in-action as they act to solve problems in their
working environments. Schön has suggested that active
coaching by a master teacher aimed at analyzing the
professional practice, is a fundamental element for
developing the ability to reflect on the practice. Preschool
teachers are not an exception. Duff, Brown and Vans Scoy
(1995) have argued that reflection and self-evaluation
should be incorporated in professional development programs
for preschool teachers. On the other hand, research on
transfer of training suggest that as much as 90 percent of
skills attained and applied is due to coaching in the work
environment (Joyce and Showers, 1988). Therefore, coaching
that Fosters reflection and self-evaluation, should be a
component of in-service programs for early childhood
educators (Abbott-Smith, 1990).
With this in mind, between 1992 and 1994 an innovative
in-service program was put in place at one of the Head Start
programs in Puerto Rico, operated by Iglesia de Dios
Pentecostal, a sectarian Christian church. The project
stemmed from the implementation of my curriculum for optimal
development in preschoolers, published in 1994 by the
University of Puerto Rico Press (Molina Iturrondo, 1994).
The curriculum is grounded on the theories of Jean Piaget
and Erik Erikson, putting the emphasis on the teachers' need
to construct a cognitive-developmental framework that
provides the base for a developmentally appropriate
practice. Four curricular themes related to the dimensions
of human development provide the structure around which
prototypes of integrated educational activities are
suggested. The teachers were urged to reflect and understand
the conceptual rationale for the activities in terms of the
developmental profiles of the children, and the reasons for
a particular interaction; and to adapt or create totally new
activities that respond to particular strengths and needs of
the children, thus transcending the rationalistic view of
the curriculum as a prescription.
Methodology
A sample of 16 teachers and teacher aides participated in
monthly coaching visits and seminars aimed at: 1) helping
them construct a developmental conceptual framework for
transforming their views on preschoolers' development and
learning, as well as their educational practice on the basis
of the Piagetian and Eriksonian theories; 2) engaging in a
critical and reflective analysis on their ideas on children
and educational practice through interaction with a mentor
--myself. The first group of eight teachers participated
during 1992-93. A second group participated during 1993-94.
Before the monthly visits began, 33 contact-hours
distributed in three months, were devoted to an interactive
seminar in which participants engaged in a reflection
process of their views on development, learning and
teaching. The theories of Piaget and Erikson were also
analyzed in terms of their pertinence for the transformation
of the goals, objectives, activities, interaction and
assessment of learning and development in early education.
The educational coordinator and the supervisor of the
teachers actively participated in the project. Monthly
seminars dealt with topics and issues identified in the
clinical visits with the teachers: active learning through
curricular integration, creative exploration of the written
language from a whole language standpoint, critical
thinking, projects for active learning, and number concept
formation through the interaction with manipulative object,
among others.
Clinical visits occurred twice a month. I visited the
classroom in dates previously arranged, to observe the
educational interaction for two hours during the morning. As
the observation was in progress, a written protocol was
prepared. After two hours, the observation stopped to review
the protocol. A section containing my analysis of the
educational interaction was written. Next, the teacher and
teacher aide met with me to discuss the protocol. In order
to foster a critical analysis, I read the first part of the
protocol and engaged in a dialogue with the teachers, making
sure that key aspects on the nature of the interaction with
the children, their goals, objectives, and activities became
the salient aspects of the discussion. Participants were
encouraged to discuss and reflect on issues openly, in an
atmosphere of cordiality and trust. The Piagetian and
Eriksonian theories were mentioned frequently. Their
educational implications were addressed as frame of
reference for reflecting and analyzing teachers' actions.
The last part of the meeting was spent to discussing the
mentor's analysis. All parties involved also agreed on
suggestions to transform the educational practice.
Frequently, these suggestions were proposed by the teachers
themselves. Copies of the protocols were provided to the
teachers, to the educational coordinator and supervisors.
Results, Conclusions and Implications
The analysis of the protocols and the written reports
prepared by participants at the end of each program-year,
documented a change in teachers' views of children's,
development and learning. Participants said that because of
their involvement in the project, they began to see
preschoolers as active individuals developing and learning
as they interact with the social environment. This new
vision allowed them to engage in spontaneous and frequent
reflections on their actions in the classroom. The result
was a significant change in the way educational practice was
carried out. For example, large group instruction was
eliminated and replaced by small group arrangements. In the
small group settings, children were allowed to perform by
themselves, explore and discover. Before, in the large group
arrangement, children were told what to do; were expected to
sit for 45 to 60 minutes listening to the teacher; were
given information that was not pertinent to their interests;
and were expected to conform to the adult's expectations.
After the project was carried out, much more time was
devoted to individualized interaction with the children.
Teachers began to create challenging educational activities
in which truly developmental goals and objectives were aimed
for in an integrated fashion. Teaching practices gradually
became more child-centered and developmentally appropriate.
This change was especially significant in literacy
activities. For example, the frequency and quality of
activities in which written language was integrated,
increased. Writing stations were organized in the
classrooms, thus fostering the creative and playful
exploration writing. Children were encouraged to dictate
texts related to a diversity of themes; and to write and
illustrate original books using mock writing and invented
spelling. Individualized and small group storyreading in
which children had an active role, began to take place
almost daily. Similar activities aimed at the construction
of the number concept also thrived. For instance, teachers
integrated numerical concepts in other more comprehensive
activities such as in the analysis of readaloud stories; and
used manipulative objects and dialogues that fostered
mathematical thinking. Teachers began to make informed and
systematic observations of the children's activities and
miscues, that became a source of knowledge about the
children's progress in learning and development.
Several important implications derive from this project.
Probably the main implication, is the need for change in the
nature of in-service programs from ones in which
participants are passive consumers of information to ones in
which teachers become active doers and thinkers, reflecting
on their professional practice and ideas and constructing
knowledge as they engage in significant professional
activities within their work environment. In-service
programs need to be developmentally oriented, giving more
attention to the teacher-mentor relationship; provide time
and opportunities in a risk-free environment to explore and
test new ideas; engage in critical reflection; and provide
for change in the classroom without the fear to making
mistakes. Along these lines, in-service programs should
become teacher-centered and authentic, giving credit to
participants' initial strengths, previous experiences and
knowledge, no matter how inaccurate, unconventional or
eclectic these might be. As it has been pointed out before,
adults who provide care and education for preschoolers, are
the most important determinants of quality in early
childhood programs (National Association for the Education
of Young Children, 1991). In-service programs such as the
one I have described, become means for the intellectual
empowerment of preschool teachers, who in turn, exert the
strongest influence on the quality of education services
provided to children.
References
Abbott-Smith, M.S. (1990).
In-service training: A means to quality care. Young
Children, 45(2), 14-18.
Duff, R.E., Brown, M.H., Van Scoy, I.J. (1995). Reflection
and self-evaluation: Keys to professional development. Young
Children, 50(4), 81-88.
Joyce, B. and Showers, B. (1988). Student achievement
through staff development. New York: Longman Press.
National Association for the Education of Young Children.
(1991). NAEYC to launch new professional development
initiative. Young Children, 46(6), 37-39.
Molina Iturrondo, A. (1994). Niños que exploran y construyen:
currículo para el desarrollo integral en los años
preescolares. Río Piedras, Puerto Rico: Editorial de la
Universidad de Puerto Rico.
Schön, D.A. (1983). The reflective practitioner: How
professionals think in action. New York: Basic Books, Inc.
Schön, D.A. (1987). Educating the reflective practitioner.
San Francisco: Jossey- Bass Publishers.
|
indice
| |
|
