Abstract
There is a growing recognition that young children’s social competence is critical because it is positively associated with their school readiness and academic success. However, professional development (PD) opportunities for early childhood teachers to enhance their roles in promoting young children’s social competence are limited. In this article, five key components of best PD on social competence for early childhood teachers are recommended. These include (1) identifying PD content based on participants’ contextual needs; (2) sequencing PD aligned with the positive behavior support framework; (3) providing opportunities for participants to receive feedback on their implementation; (4) guiding participants to reflect on their own practices; and (5) embracing socio-cultural perspectives throughout the PD.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Albrecht, K. M., & Engel, B. (2007). Moving away from a quick-fix mentality to systematic professional development. Young Children, 62(4), 18–25.
Apple, P., & McMullen, M. B. (2007). Envisioning the impact of decisions made about early childhood professional development systems by different constituent groups. Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood, 8, 255–264.
Avalos, B. (2010). Teacher professional development in teaching and teacher education over ten years. Teacher and Teacher Education, 27, 10–20.
Birch, S. H., & Ladd, G. W. (1996). Interpersonal relationships in the school environment and children’s early school adjustment: The role of teachers and peers. In K. W. Wentzel & J. H. Juvonen (Eds.), Social motivation: Understanding children’s school adjustment (pp. 199–225). New York, NY: Cambridge University Press.
Bradshaw, C. P., Mitchell, M. M., & Leaf, P. J. (2010). Examining the effects of school-wide positive behavioral interventions and supports on student outcomes: Results from a randomized controlled effectiveness trail in elementary schools. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, 12, 133–148.
Buscemi, L., Bennett, T., Thomas, D., & Deluca, D. A. (1995). Head start: Challenges and training needs. Journal of Early Intervention, 20, 1–13.
Buysse, V., Winton, P. J., & Rous, B. (2009). Reaching consensus on a definition of professional development for the early childhood field. Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, 28, 235–243.
Carter, D. R., & Van Norman, R. K. (2010). Class-wide positive behavior support in preschool: Improving teacher implementation through consultation. Early Childhood Education Journal, 38, 279–288.
Cochran-Smith, M., & Lytle, S. L. (1999). Relationships of knowledge and practice: Teacher learning in communities. In A. Iran-Nejar & P. D. Pearson (Eds.), Review of research in education (pp. 249–305). Washington, DC: American Educational Research Association.
Dall’ Alba, G., & Sandberg, J. (2006). Unveiling professional development: A critical review of stage models. Review of Educational Research, 76(3), 383–412.
Dana, N. F., & Yendol-Hoppey, D. (2008). The reflective educator’s guide to professional development: Coaching inquiry-oriented learning communities. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.
Darling-Hammond, L., & Garcia-Lopez, S. P. (2002). What is diversity? In L. Darling-Hammond, J. French, & S. P. Garcia-Lopez (Eds.), Learning to teach for social justice (pp. 9–38). New York, NY: Teachers College Press.
Darling-Hammond, L., & McLaughlin, M. (1996). Policies that support professional development in an era of reform. In M. W. McLaughlin & I. Obserman (Eds.), Teacher learning: New policies, new practices (pp. 202–218). New York, NY: Teachers College Press.
Dickinson, D. K., & Caswell, L. (2007). Building support for language and early literacy in preschool classrooms through in-service professional development: Effects of the Literacy Environment Enrichment Program (LEEP). Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 22, 243–260.
Durlak, J. A., Weissberg, R. P., Dymnicki, A. B., Taylor, R. D., & Schellinger, K. B. (2011). The impact of enhancing students’ social and emotional learning: A meta-analysis of school-based universal interventions. Child Development, 82, 405–432.
Epstein, A. S. (1993). Training for quality: Improving early childhood programs through systematic in-service training. Ypsilanti, MI: High/Scope Press.
Fox, L., Hemmeter, M., Snyder, P., Binder, D. P., & Clarke, S. (2011). Coaching early childhood special educators to implement a comprehensive model for promoting young children’s social competence. Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, 31, 178–192.
Fox, L., & Lentini, R. H. (2006). You got it: Teaching social and emotional skills. Young Children, 61(6), 36–42.
Gilliam, W. S. (2005). Prekindergarteners left behind: Expulsion rates in state prekindergarten systems. Retrieved from www.fcdus.org/PDFs/NationalPreKExpulsionPaper03.02_new.pdf.
Gupta, S., & Daniels, J. (2012). Coaching and professional development in early childhood classroom: Current practices and recommendations for the future. National Head Start Association Dialogue, 15, 206–220.
Halle, T., Zaslow, M., Tout, K., Starr, R., Wessel, J., & McSwiggan, M. (2010). Beyond how much: What we are learning about structuring effective early childhood professional development. In S. B Neuman & M. L. Kamil (Eds.), Preparing teachers for the early childhood classroom: Proven models and key principles (pp. 175–188). Baltimore, MD: Brookes.
Han, H. S. (2010). Sociocultural influence on children’s social competence: A close look at Kindergarten teachers’ beliefs. Journal of Research in Childhood Education, 24, 80–96.
Han, H. S. (2012). Professional development that works: Shifting preschool teachers’ beliefs and use of instructional strategies to promote children’s peer social competence. Journal of Early Childhood Teacher Education, 33, 251–268.
Han, H. S., & Thomas, M. S. (2010). No child misunderstood: Enhancing early childhood teachers’ multicultural responsiveness to the social competence of diverse children. Early Childhood Education Journal, 37, 469–476.
Helms, J. H. (2007). Building communities of practice: Energize your professional development by connecting with a purpose. Young Children, 62(4), 12–16.
Hemmeter, M. L., Corso, R., & Cheatham, G. (2006). Issues in addressing challenging behaviors in young children: A national survey of early childhood educators. Paper presented at the Conference of Research Innovations in Early Intervention. San Diego, CA.
Hemmeter, M. L., & Fox, L. (2008). Supporting teachers in promoting children’s social competence and addressing challenging behavior. In P. J. Winton, J. A. McCollum, & C. Catlett (Eds.), Practical approaches to early childhood professional development: Evidence, strategies, and resources (pp. 119–141). Washington, DC: Zero to Three.
Hirsh, S. (2009). A new definition. Journal of Staff Development, 30(4), 10–16.
Horner, R. H., Sugai, G., Smolkowski, K., Eber, L., Nakasato, J., Todd, A. W., et al. (2009). A randomized, wait-list controlled effectiveness trail assessing school-wide positive behavior support in elementary schools. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, 11, 133–144.
Joyce, B., & Showers, B. (2002). Student achievement through staff development. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
Kamil, M. L. (2010). A comprehensive perspective on early childhood: Educator professional development. In S. B Neuman & M. L. Kamil (Eds.), Preparing teachers for the early childhood classroom: Proven models and key principles (pp. 1–15). Baltimore, MD: Brookes.
Kantor, R., Elgas, P. M., & Fernie, D. E. (1993). Cultural knowledge and social competence within a preschool peer cultural group. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 8, 125–147.
Katz, L. G., & McClellan, D. E. (1997). Fostering children’s social competence: The teacher’s role. Washington, DC: National Association for the Education on Young Children.
Ladd, G. W. (2007). Social competence: An importance educational objective? Asia-Pacific Journal of Research in Early Childhood Education, 1(1), 3–37.
McCabe, L. A., & Frede, E. C. (2007). Challenging behaviors and the role of preschool education. New Brunswick, NJ: National Institute for Early Education Research. Retrieved from http://nieer.org/resources/policybriefs/16.pdf.
McLaren, E. M., Hall, P. J., & Fox, P. (2009). Kentucky’s early childhood professional development initiative to promote social emotional competence. National Head Start Association Dialogue, 12, 170–183.
Morris, P., Raver, C. C., Millenky, M., Jones, S., & Lloyd, C. M. (2010). Making preschool more productive: How classroom management training can help teachers. New York, NY: MDRC.
National Child Care Information and Technical Assistance Center. (2010). Minimum requirements for preservice qualifications and annual ongoing training hours for center teaching roles in 2008. Retrieved from http://nccic.acf.hhs.gov/pubs/cclicensingreq/cclr-teachers.html.
National Staff Development Council. (2001). Standards for staff development (Rev. ed.). Oxford, OH: Author.
Neuman, S. B. (2010). The research we have; The research we need. In S. B Neuman & M. L. Kamil (Eds.), Preparing teachers for the early childhood classroom: Proven models and key principles (pp. 221–236). Baltimore, MD: Brookes.
Neuman, S. B., & Cunningham, L. (2009). The impact of professional development and coaching on early language and literacy instructional practices. American Educational Research Journal, 46, 532–566.
Ochshorn, S. (2011). Forging a new framework for professional development. A Report on the science of professional development in early childhood education: A national summit. Washington, DC: Zero to Three.
Peterson, S. M., & Valk, C. (2010). Beyond babysitting: Challenges and opportunities in early childhood education. In S. B Neuman & M. L. Kamil (Eds.), Preparing teachers for the early childhood classroom: Proven models and key principles (pp. 49–64). Baltimore, MD: Brookes.
Rasmussen, D., Hopkins, S., & Fitzpatrick, M. (2004). Our work done well is like a perfect pitch. Journal of Staff Development, 25(1), 16–25.
Reedy, W. B., & Jamison, K. (1988). Team building: Blueprints for productivity and satisfaction. Alexandria, VA: National Institute for Applied Behavioral Science.
Reyes, L. (2006). Creating an inclusive early childhood professional development system in New Mexico, USA. Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood, 7, 292–301.
Robert, C. (2000). Distant places, diverse spaces: Early childhood professional development in isolated locations. Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood, 1, 277–286.
Rogoff, B. (2003). The cultural nature of human development. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
Rogoff, B., Radziszewska, B., & Masiello, T. (1995). Analysis of developmental process in sociocultural activity. In L. M. W. Martin, K. Nelson, & E. Tobach (Eds.), Sociocultural psychology: Theory and practice of doing and knowing (pp. 125–149). New York, NY: Cambridge University Press.
Rose-Krasnor, L. (1997). The nature of social competence: A theoretical review. Social Development, 6, 111–135.
Rubin, K. H., Bukowski, W., & Parker, J. G. (1998). Peer interactions, relationships, and groups. In N. Eisenberg (Ed.), Handbook of child psychology: Social and emotional development (pp. 619–700). New York, NY: Wiley.
Sanchez, S. Y., & Thorp, E. K. (2008). Teaching to transform: Infusing cultural and linguistic diversity. In P. J. Winton, J. A. McCollum, & C. Catlett (Eds.), Practical approaches to early childhood professional development: Evidence, strategies, and resources (pp. 81–97). Washington, DC: Zero to Three.
Sheridan, S. M., Edwards, C. P., Marvin, C. A., & Knoche, L. L. (2009). Professional development in early childhood programs: Process issues and research needs. Early Education and Development, 20, 377–401.
Snyder, P., Hemmeter, M. L., Meeker, K. A., Kinder, K., Pasia, C., & McLaughlin, T. (2012). Characterizing key features of the early childhood professional development literature. Infants and Young Children, 25, 188–212.
Snyder, P., & Wolfe, B. (2008). The big three process components of effective professional development: Needs assessment, evaluation, and follow-up. In P. J. Winton, J. A. McCollum, & C. Catlett (Eds.), Practical approaches to early childhood professional development: Evidence, strategies, and resources (pp. 13–51). Washington, DC: Zero to Three.
Stormont, M., Lewis, T. J., & Smith, S. C. (2005). Behavior support strategies in early childhood settings: Teachers’ importance and feasibility ratings. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, 7, 131–139.
Stormont, M. A., Smith, S. C., & Lewis, T. J. (2007). Teacher implementation of precorrection and praise statements in Head Start classrooms as a component of program-wide system of positive behavior support. Journal of Behavioral Education, 16, 280–290.
Van Der Heyden, A., & Snyder, P. A. (2006). Integrating early intervening frameworks from early childhood intervention and school psychology to accelerate growth for young children. School Psychology Review, 35, 519–534.
Webster-Wright, A. (2009). Reframing professional development through understanding authentic professional learning. Review of Educational Research, 79, 702–739.
Willer, B. A., Lutton, A., & Ginsberg, M. R. (2011). The importance of early childhood teacher preparation: The perspectives and positions of the National Association for the education of young children. In E. Zigler, W. S. Gilliam, & W. S. Barnett (Eds.), The pre-k debates: Current controversies & issues (pp. 77–83). Baltimore, MD: Brookes.
Yendol-Hoppey, D., & Dana, N. F. (2010). Powerful professional development: Building expertise within the four walls of your school. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.
Zaslow, M. (2009). Strengthening the conceptualization of early childhood professional development initiatives and evaluations. Early Education and Development, 20, 527–537.
Zaslow, M., Tout, K., Halle, T., Whittaker, J. V., & Lavelle, B. (2010a). Emerging research on early childhood professional development. In S. B Neuman & M. L. Kamil (Eds.), Preparing teachers for the early childhood classroom: Proven models and key principles (pp. 19–47). Baltimore, MD: Brookes.
Zaslow, M., Tout, K., Halle, T., Whittaker, J. V., & Lavelle, B. (2010b). Toward the identification of features of effective professional development for early childhood educators: Literature review. Washington DC: U. S. Department of Education. Retrieved from http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/opepd/ppss/reports.html.
Zins, J. E., Bloodworth, M. R., Weissberg, R. P., & Walberg, H. (2004). The scientific base linking social and emotional learning to school success. In J. E. Zins, R. P. Weissberg, M. C. Wang, & H. J. Walberg (Eds.), Building academic success on social and emotional learning (pp. 3–22). New York, NY: Teachers College Press.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Han, H.S. Supporting Early Childhood Teachers to Promote Children’s Social Competence: Components for Best Professional Development Practices. Early Childhood Educ J 42, 171–179 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-013-0584-7
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-013-0584-7