Date of Conferral
2021
Degree
Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)
School
Education
Advisor
Derek Schroll
Abstract
Kindergarten students in a Title 1 elementary school are lacking school readiness skills. When students enter kindergarten unprepared to learn, they may experience difficulties with approaches toward learning skills related to physical, language, social, emotional, and cognitive development, which are reliable predictors of subsequent academic and life success. The purpose of this qualitative bounded case study with a constructivist framework was to examine how kindergarten teachers implemented the five domains of school readiness at a Title 1 school to improve incoming kindergarten students’ learning. Convenience sampling was used within a bounded system of four kindergarten teachers in a Title 1 elementary school. Semistructured interviews and observations provided data for thematic qualitative analysis using open and selective codes. Findings indicated that all kindergarten teachers taught the five domains of school readiness using differentiated instruction and used encouragement to improve incoming kindergarten students’ learning. Based on the findings, a summer kindergarten boot camp was designed to improve kindergarten teachers’ pedagogy and affective teaching strategies to improve incoming kindergarten students’ readiness skills. The project may promote positive social change by helping kindergarten teachers and leaders to improve their pedagogical approaches and affective teaching strategies. The development of differentiated instruction and encouragement may enhance students’ preparation for kindergarten.
Recommended Citation
Woods, Beverly Vashon, "Kindergarten Teachers’ Implementation Methods for School Readiness Skills in a Rural School" (2021). Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies. 10402.
https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/10402
