Graduation Year

2023

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree

Ph.D.

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

Degree Granting Department

Curriculum, Instruction, and Learning

Major Professor

Jolyn Blank, Ph.D.

Co-Major Professor

Elizabeth Shaunessy-Dedrick, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Sophia Han, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Lisa López, Ph.D.

Keywords

Teachers’ perspectives, teachers’ responsiveness, advanced young learner, differentiation, early childhood, in-service teachers

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to shed light on preschool teachers’ perspectives on education of young advanced preschoolers. I conducted this study in a public preschool in the northwestern neighborhood of a city in the Black Sea Region of Türkiye. While choosing this research site I employed convenience sampling based on the accessibility of individuals and the site (Bloomberg & Volpe, 2012). This study designed as a qualitative study, three semi-structured interviews were used as main data collection methods. Two observation sessions took place during participants’ teaching and these observation notes were used as supporting data. I utilized grounded theory (Charmaz, 2014) for analyzing the data. I employed multiple types of coding; word-by-word, lie-by-line, incident-by-incident, axial (Charmaz, 2014), and lastly theoretical coding (Saldaña, 2016). Three main themes emerged from the data (a) perspective, (b) practice, and (c) factors affecting practices. The preschool teachers’ stereotypical perspective disrupted when their students identified and attended Science and Art Centers later in elementary school. The participants felt short for providing a responsive environment for these students during their practice. The participants identified factors that affected their perspective and teaching, including the school facilities, the parents' profile, and their previous experience with students. The results of this study inform policymakers, researchers, and practitioners in the field. This can guide future studies and help develop professional development programs for both in-service and pre-service teachers.

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