ABSTRACT
This study investigates early childhood education teachers’ and assistant teachers’ views about a year-long professional development model that focuses on developing intentional teaching. The study shares the results of interviews conducted with the teachers at the end of the implementation of a one-year experimental professional model in Head Start settings in a large metropolitan area. The purpose was to gather feedback on the model, which included large-group, on-site and one-on-one interactions. Teachers and assistant teachers were asked about the various components of the model and the influence the professional development opportunities had on their practice and classroom interactions. The results of this study support the importance of providing networking opportunities across sites and sharing usable knowledge and strategies that can be applied directly to their work with young children.
