The Role of Principals in Supporting Early Childhood Teachers

Abstract

Dissertation Abstract As access to state-funded preschools continues to increase, a steady rise in the number of preschool children enrolled in public education has occurred across the United States. Since 2004, the percentage of preschool children enrolled in state programs has increased from 14 to 32 percent (Barnett et al., 2017). This growth prompts an increase in the scope of responsibility for elementary principals to develop an understanding regarding best practices for supporting effective early childhood programs in their schools. To meet these challenges, it is essential for principals to possess background knowledge, education, and experience with preschoolers so they can effectively recognize and support quality early childhood programs within their schools. Principals participating in this study share ways to increase their knowledge and understanding of early childhood and ways to build quality programs in their elementary schools. Implications for educational practice, as well as potential future research, are discussed. This qualitative study reveals essential considerations for principals charged with overseeing early childhood programs and promotes engaged play through developmentally appropriate practices as the academic rigor school leaders are searching for in their classrooms. The revised Bloom’s Taxonomy (Anderson & Krathwohl, 2001) and Piaget’s (1954) constructivist theory are provided as constructs for academic learning in ECE. The purpose of this study is to provide elementary principals with essential information needed for a deeper understanding of early childhood education (ECE) and how teachers and students achieve high levels of learning in early childhood classrooms.