More-intensive preschool teacher training and mentoring could boost the effectiveness of early-childhood education, according to a new study by researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, and the University of Texas Health Science Center’s Children’s Learning Institute in Houston.
The researchers found that, while more than three out of five 4-year-olds and two out of five 3-year-olds attend public or private early education, the programs’ academic benefits disappear in early elementary school. Moreover, state and federal efforts to regulate preschool quality standards and teacher-certification levels have not translated into better cognitive or academic benefits for students, according to the study.
The report profiles two models to train and support preschool teachers to improve instruction: the Classroom Assessment Scoring System, which focuses on developing positive teacher-student relationships, and the Texas Early Education Model, which uses more-explicit teacher training in curriculum and preliteracy, math, and social skills. The authors conclude that such comprehensive teacher training models can improve preschool quality.
