THE CONTRIBUTION OF ALL-DAY SCHOOLS TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF SOCIAL SKILLS OF PUPILS: THE CASE OF TRANSITION FROM PRESCHOOL TO PRIMARY SCHOOL

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship among children’s attendance of all-day preschool centers and their social acceptance and popularity in the first, second and third grade of primary school. The results were collated using a combination of two methods, a sociometric nomination test and the Teacher-Child Rating Scale (TCRS). 281 students from the first, second and third grade of public primary schools from the region of Western Macedonia in Greece, participated in the study. The analysis of variance showed that children who attended all-day preschool centers displayed more developed social skills and abilities than those who attended half-day preschool centers. Moreover, the children from all day preschool centers were more independent, had better working habits and fewer learning difficulties compared to those who attended half day pre-school centers. Finally, they had higher level of social acceptance and popularity from their peer group in comparison with their fellow students.  Article visualizations

Patterns of teacher-child relationships quality: Young children’s perspectives

Examining children’s perspectives about the quality of teacher-child relationships can contribute significantly to our understanding of how the quality of these relationships is developed. The Child Appraisal of the Relationship with the Teacher Scale (CARTS) is a newly developed measure that assesses the quality of teacher-child relationships from children’s perspectives. The purpose of this study was a) to confirm the factor structure of the Greek version of CARTS, b) to examine whether any patterns of teacher-child relationships exist, and c) if they are associated with children’s gender and age. The sample consisted of 365 preschool children from Greece. Results confirmed the construct validity of the CARTS scale. Consistent with attachment-based research, results revealed four types of teacher-child relationships. In addition, results showed that patterns of teacher-child relationships based on children’s perspectives, similar to those of teachers’ perspectives, are existent from the early years

PRELIMINARY OUTCOMES AND CHALLENGES TO IMPLEMENTING SCHOOL-WIDE POSITIVE BEHAVIOR INTERVENTIONS AND SUPPORTS IN 30 GREEK PRIMARY SCHOOLS

School-Wide Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (SWPBIS) is an evidence-based three-tier school-wide framework for preventing and treating challenging behavior in schools, improving overall school climate, and promoting teachers' teaming and collaboration. SWPBIS outcomes, such as the decrease of students' behavioral problems and improvement of teachers' cooperation, have been well established across various educational systems in many countries. The purpose of this qualitative study is to investigate stakeholders' perceptions about the preliminary outcomes and challenges of the SWPBIS Tier 1 implementation in 30 Greek primary schools. A semi-structured focus group was conducted with stakeholders from Greek primary schools about their experiences from the implementation of SWPBIS Tier 1 during the 2019-2020 school year. Three key categories were identified: (a) perceptions about the initial SWPBIS outcomes, (b) implementation challenges, and (c) suggestions on additional supports. Practical implications and results are discussed in terms of how they can be used in sustaining SWPBIS in the Greek context.  Article visualizations

Comparing aspects of the process quality in six european early childhood educational settings

The European project ‘Early Change’ (http://earlychange.teithe.gr) attempts to evaluate the quality of early childhood education (ECE) environments of six European countries, Greece, Portugal, Finland, Denmark, Cyprus and Romania. The purpose of this paper is to compare the level of two dimensions of the process quality of these environments a) Space & Furnishings, and b) Personal Care Routines. Theorists, practitioners and researchers agree that in order to provide qualitative education to young children, one of the basic needs of all children must be met; that need is the protection of their health and their safety. A high quality early childhood education program must contain a safe and stimulating environment for the child (Lindsey, 1998). Such an environment includes indoor space, outdoor space, furniture, and room arrangement, and it is considered an integral part of a high quality early childhood program. 117 early educators from the six participating countries attended the training seminars about the evaluation of ECE quality using the Early Childhood Environmental Rating Scale-R (ECERS-R). The trained educators evaluated the 8 indicators of the subscale ‘space & furnishings’ and the six indicators of the subscale ‘personal care routines’ in approximately 600 early childhood classrooms from six European countries. The results of this study highlight the similarities and differences concerning the specific dimensions of the process quality of ECE environments in six European countries, and reflect the diversity of ECE environment across these countries. The findings of this study may provide a valuable insight to researchers and educational policy makers for an enhanced understanding of the cultural diversities and the strengthening of the common values and targets of the European Union.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Interpersonal relationships in kindergarten. Kindergarten teachers' and children's perceptions of their relationships

The interpersonal relationships between kindergarten teachers and children constitute the subject of this study. More specifically, their perceptions for this relationship are being thoroughly looked into. Furthermore, kindergarten teachers’ perceptions concerning the children’s adjustment to the school environment are being recorded. In addition, the criteria used by children to assess the quality of their relationship with their kindergarten teachers are being examined, as well as the correlation between teachers’ and children’s perceptions regarding the quality of their relationship. The topic is being approached both from a theoretical and an empirical level. In the theoretical part the theoretical framework of the current dissertation is being presented and analyzed. The attachment theory and the self-system theory are being presented and their basic principles are being described. The problems related to the research and assessment of small children’s perceptions both from a theoretical and methodological scope are being elaborated. The nature of the teacher-child relationship is being presented together with its role for the child’s social, emotional and cognitive development. The research part of the study includes its goals and aims as well as the methodology used. Sixty-seven kindergarten teachers and four hundred and three children from Thessaloniki municipality kindergartens participated in the sample of the dissertation. In order to assess the research questions, two questionnaires were administered to teachers and two interviews with children were conducted, one interview with visual aids and one interview with puppets. According to the results of the study the relationships between kindergarten teachers and children are generally described as positive. However one cannot overlook the fact that there is a small number of children whose relationships with their teachers were described as negative and conflictuous. Such children who could be “at risk” for problems regarding school adjustment and school failure should become the focal point of the researchers’ interest. Kindergarten teachers describe the existence of conflicts and tensions mainly deriving from children who disrupt the class atmosphere and operation. An important finding of the study concerns the fact that the quality of the teacher-child relationship is significantly correlated with the child’s adjustment to school according to teachers’ perceptions. Another finding of equal importance is that the kindergartners’ perceptions regarding their relationship with their teacher can be sufficiently and reliably measured. The majority of the kindergartners are capable of formulating clear and reasonable criteria for the assessment of their relationship with their teacher. Further findings also indicate that the student’s gender is related to the teachers’ and children’s perceptions for the in-between them relationship. Finally, it was found that there is a positive association between the teachers’ and children’s perceptions concerning their relationship The quality of the teacher-child relationship influences the academic and social competence and the adjustment of the child to kindergarten. The teacher-child interactions constitute an accessible field for educational intervention programmes aiming at confronting a wide range of daily school problems. All the same, the improvement of the quality of the kindergarten teacher-child relationship does not automatically imply an immediate resolution of behavioral problems or a normal school adjustment. However, hardly can one expect the improvement of a child’s adjustment to kindergarten without having first restored the emotional contact and the communication with the teacher. Finally, it could be suggested that the kindergarten teachers’ further education ought to be directed towards the realization of the importance and the role of interpersonal relationships between teachers and children, as well as the teachers’ impact on various domains of daily school lifΑντικείμενο της παρούσας εργασίας αποτελούν οι διαπροσωπικές σχέσεις μεταξύ νηπιαγωγών και μαθητών προσχολικής ηλικίας. Ειδικότερα επιχειρείται η διερεύνηση των αντιλήψεων των νηπιαγωγών και των παιδιών για τη μεταξύ τους σχέση και κατα­γράφονται οι αντιλήψεις των νηπιαγωγών για την προσαρμογή των παιδιών στο σχολικό περιβάλλον. Επιπλέον εξετάζονται τα κριτήρια που χρησι­μοποιούν τα παιδιά για να «αξιολογήσουν» την ποιότητα της σχέσης με τη νηπια­γωγό τους, καθώς και ο βαθμός συμφωνίας ανάμεσα στις αντιλήψεις νηπιαγωγών και παιδιών για την ποιότητα της σχέσης τους. Η προσέγγιση του θέματος επιχει­ρείται σε θεωρητικό και εμπειρικό επίπεδο. Στο θεωρητικό μέρος παρουσιάζεται και αναλύεται κριτικά το θεωρητικό πλαίσιο του θέματος. Παρουσιάζονται η θε­ωρία της προσκόλλησης και η αυτοσυστημική θεωρία και περιγράφονται βασικοί άξονες των θεωριών αυτών. Γίνεται αναφορά στα προβλήματα που σχετίζονται με την προσπάθεια διερεύνησης και εκτίμησης των αντιλήψεων των μικρών παιδιών από θεωρητική και μεθοδολογική σκοπιά και παρουσιάζεται η φύση της παιδαγω­γικής σχέσης και η σημασία της για την κοινωνική-συναισθηματική ανάπτυξη του παιδιού. Στο ερευνητικό μέρος περιγράφονται οι βασικοί άξονες τους οποίους αποσκοπεί να διερευνήσει η εργασία, διατυπώνονται οι σχετικές υποθέ­σεις και παρουσιάζεται η μεθοδολογία της έρευνας. Το δείγμα της έρευνας αποτελεί­ται από 67 νηπιαγωγούς και 403 μα­θητές νηπιαγωγείου του νομού Θεσσαλονίκης. Για την εκτίμηση των υπό έρευνα παραγόντων χορηγήθηκαν δύο ερωτηματολό­για-κλίμακες εκτίμησης στις νηπια­γωγούς και πραγματοποιήθηκαν δύο συνεντεύ­ξεις, μία συνέντευξη με οπτικές αναπαραστάσεις και μία συνέντευξη υπόδυσης ρόλων με κούκλες με τα παιδιά προσχολικής ηλικίας. Σύμφωνα με τα αποτελέσματα της έρευνας η εικόνα των σχέσεων νηπιαγω­γών και παιδιών είναι γενικά θετική. Δεν παραβλέπεται βέβαια το γεγονός ότι ένα μικρό ποσοστό των παιδιών, που δεν είχαν αρμονικές σχέσεις με τις νηπιαγωγούς τους, πρέπει να τύχουν ιδιαίτερης προ­σοχής, διότι μία ενδεχόμενη αποτυχία προ­σαρμογής στο πρώτο ίδρυμα αγωγής που εντάσσονται μπορεί να σημαδέψει την κατοπινή τους πορεία στο σχολείο. Οι νηπιαγωγοί περιγράφουν την ύπαρξη αντι­παραθέσεων και προβλημάτων κυρίως με παιδιά που διαταράσσουν την εύρυθμη λειτουργία της τάξης. Σημαντικό εύρημα αποτελεί η διαπίστωση ότι η ποιότητα της σχέσης νηπιαγωγού-μαθητή συσχετίζεται με το βαθμό προσαρμογής των παι­διών στο νηπιαγωγείο, κατά τις αντιλήψεις των νηπιαγωγών. Άλλο σημαντικό εύ­ρημα είναι ότι οι αντιλήψεις των παιδιών προσχολικής ηλικίας για τη σχέση τους με τη νηπιαγωγό τους μπορούν να εκτιμηθούν με ικανοποιητική αξιοπιστία. Η πλειοψηφία των μαθητών νηπιαγωγείου είναι σε θέση να διατυπώσει τεκμηριωμένες και λογικές απαντήσεις για τα κριτήρια με βάση τα οποία χαρα­κτηρίζει την ποιότητα των σχέσεών τους. Τα αποτελέσματα δείχνουν επίσης ότι το φύλο του μαθητή συσχετίζε­ται με τις αντιλήψεις νηπιαγωγών και νη­πίων για τις μεταξύ τους σχέσεις. Τέλος τα αποτελέσματα έδειξαν ότι υπάρχει θετική συσχέτιση ανάμεσα στις αντιλήψεις των μαθητών και στις αντιλήψεις των νηπιαγωγών για τις μεταξύ τους σχέσεις. Η ποιότητα της σχέσης της νηπιαγωγού με το κάθε παιδί συσχετίζεται με την επίδοση, την κοινωνική ικανότητα και τη συνολική προσαρμογή του παιδιού στο νηπιαγωγείο. Οι αλληλεπιδράσεις της νηπιαγωγού με το παιδί αποτελούν ένα προσιτό και δεκτικό πεδίο για προγράμματα παιδαγωγικής παρέμβασης με στόχο την αντιμετώπιση διαφόρων προβλημάτων της σχολικής καθημερινότητας. Φυ­σικά, η βελτίωση της ποιότητας της σχέσης νηπιαγωγού-μαθητή δεν συνεπάγε­ται την άμεση επίλυση προβλημάτων συμπεριφοράς ή τη διασφάλιση της προ­σαρμο­γής στο σχολείο. Ωστόσο, δύσκολα μπορεί κανείς να φανταστεί τη βελτί­ωση της προσαρμογής ενός παιδιού στο σχολείο χωρίς πρώτα να έχει αποκατα­σταθεί η επικοινωνία και η συναισθηματική επαφή με τη νηπιαγωγό του. Μία πρόταση που θα μπορούσε να διατυπωθεί αφορά την επιμόρφωση των νηπιαγωγών, η οποία θα πρέπει να προσανατολιστεί στην κατεύθυνση της συ­νειδητοποίησης της σημασίας και του ρόλου των διαπροσωπικών σχέσεων, κα­θώς και των επιδράσεων των νη­πιαγωγών σε διάφορους τομείς της σχολικής κα­θημερινότητας

Quality of teacher–child relationship and preschoolers’ pro-social behaviour in German kindergartens

Glüer M, Gregoriadis A. Quality of teacher–child relationship and preschoolers’ pro-social behaviour in German kindergartens. Education 3-13. 2016;45(5):1-14

Computer use at schools and associations with social-emotional outcomes - a holistic approach. Findings from the longitudinal study of Australian Children

In drawing upon cultural-historical theory, this paper reports on the use of computers in Australian schools where a holistic analysis was undertaken to explore the possible associations with social-emotional outcomes. By conducting a quantitative analysis framed around a conceptual model that used the concept of perezhivanie, it was possible to examine a sample of 3345 children (8-9 years old) who participated in the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children (wave 5) and to fill a gap in the literature on whether computer use has an influence on three social-emotional outcomes: self-concept, emotional problems and school liking. Findings suggest that Australian children are using computers in school in a very similar way, mainly practicing specific learning skills (e.g. maths and literacy) and rarely engaged in creative activities. In addition, findings reveal that overall computer use does not appear to have a significant impact on children's social-emotional outcomes. One exception, a small significant association between creativity and self-concept was found and further explored. Implications for practice and recommendations for future research are discussed.17 page(s