National Survey of Practices in Early Childhood Settings

This study has concluded.

Investigators: Diane Early (diane_early@unc.edu ) , Dick Clifford, Gitanjali Saluja

Research method, findings: In 1997, a national survey of 1,902 teachers of 3- and 4-year olds was conducted. The purpose was to identify practices that early childhood teachers believe are best for young children, practices they are implementing and the barriers they perceive that impede implementation of the practices they endorse.

Teachers were given 21 practices and asked to rate to what extent a practice happened in their classroom and to what extent they would want the practice to occur "in a perfect world."

Overall, few discrepancies were found between "reported" practices and beliefs and "desired" practices and beliefs. Most teachers reported that they were able to use the early childhood practices that they endorsed.

However, findings did reveal differences in the kinds of practices that teachers from different types of early childhood settings endorsed.

Publication: National Center for Early Development & Learning. (1999, May). Spotlight # 10: A survey: Quality Practices. Chapel Hill, NC: author.

(The "Practices in Early Childhood Settings" survey used in this study is available. Go to the Survey page.)