Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Teacher Professional Development through Children’s Project Work

  • Published:
Early Childhood Education Journal Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Teachers working in early care and education programs are engaging in professional development activities, many times without a foundation in child development or early childhood education. It is difficult for teachers to apply what is presented in professional development experiences to their classroom. The use of children’s projects, the topic of many research studies and published manuscripts, can be used as a catalyst in teacher development. One such project, the development of an outdoor learning center at the Child Development Center of the University of Missouri-St. Louis has provided some of the teachers involved with opportunities to recognize the development of their own constructive practice. As they supported the children’s interest in the on-going outdoor project, teachers honed their skills in observation, documentation, curriculum development, and reflective practice.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • L. E. Berk A. Winsler (1995) Scaffolding children’s learning: Vygotsky and early childhood education National Association for the Education of Young Children Washington, DC

    Google Scholar 

  • J. G. Brooks M. G. Brooks (1999) In search of understanding: The case for constructivist classrooms Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development Baltimore, MD

    Google Scholar 

  • Center for the Child Care Workforce. (2002). Estimating the size and components of the U.S. child care workforce and caregiver population. Washington, DC: Center for the Child Care Workforce and Human Services Policy Center, Seattle, Washington.

  • R. DeVries L. Kohlberg (1987) Constructivist early education: Overview and comparison with other programs National Association for the Education of Young Children Washington, DC

    Google Scholar 

  • D. Diffily C. Sassman (2002) Project-based learning with young children Heinemann Portsmouth, NH

    Google Scholar 

  • E. Duckworth (1987) The having of wonderful ideas and other essays on teaching and learning Teachers College Press New York

    Google Scholar 

  • N. M. Ferry J. M. Ross-Gordon (1998) ArticleTitleAn inquiry into Schon’s epistemology of practice: Exploring links between experience and reflective practice Adult Education Quarterly 48 IssueID(2) 98–112

    Google Scholar 

  • C. T. Fosnot (1989) Enquiring teachers enquiring learners. A constructivist approach for teaching. Teachers College Press New York

    Google Scholar 

  • C. T. Fosnot (2003) ArticleTitleLearning to teach, teaching to learn: The center for constructivist teaching/teacher preparation project Teaching Education 5 IssueID(2) 69–78

    Google Scholar 

  • Goodlad, J. (1987). School renewal and the education of educators: The partnership concept. University of Massachusetts Newsletter, 9–11.

  • E. Jones (1993) Growing teachers: Partnerships in staff development National Association for the Education of Young Children Washington, DC

    Google Scholar 

  • L. G. Katz S. C. Chard (1998) Issues in selecting topics for projects Educational Resources Information Center No. ED424031 Champaign, IL

    Google Scholar 

  • A. S. Palincsar A. L. Brown (1984) ArticleTitleReciprocal teaching of comprehension-fostering and comprehension-monitoring activities Cognition and Instruction 1 117–175

    Google Scholar 

  • J. D. Rainer M. W. Matthews (2002) ArticleTitleOwnership of learning in teacher education Action in Teacher Education 24 IssueID(1) 2–30

    Google Scholar 

  • C. Rinaldi (1994) Staff development in Reggio Emilia L. G. Katz B. Cesarone (Eds) Reflections on the Reggio Emilia approach ERIC Clearinghouse on Elementary & Early Childhood Education Champaign, IL 55–60

    Google Scholar 

  • D. A. Schon (1987) Educating the reflective practitioner Jossey-Bass Publishers San Francisco, CA

    Google Scholar 

  • S. Waite-Stupiansky (1997) Building understanding together. A constructivist approach to early childhood education Delmar Publishing Albany, NY

    Google Scholar 

  • C. A. Wien (1995) Developmentally appropriate practice in “Real Life”: Stories of teacher practical knowledge Teachers College Press New York

    Google Scholar 

  • K. M. Zeichner D. P. Liston (1996) Reflective teaching an introduction Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Publishers Mahwah, NJ

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Early Childhood Education, University of Missouri-St. Louis, MO

    Susan Catapano

  2. Department of Early Childhood Education, University of Missouri-St. Louis, 369 Marillac Hall, 8001 Natural Bridge Road, St. Louis, MO, USA, 63121

    Susan Catapano

Authors
  1. Susan Catapano
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Susan Catapano.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Catapano, S. Teacher Professional Development through Children’s Project Work. Early Childhood Educ J 32, 261–267 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-004-1428-2

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-004-1428-2

Keywords

Search

Navigation