EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION: PROPOSAL FOR AN "IDEAL" SCHOOL
The purpose of the proposed research is to develop an "ideal" early childhood school for students from two to eight years of age (Prekindergarten to third grade). The designed school will be based on the current literature on school reform and change at the early education level. All aspects of the design will be based on research findings demonstrating success in the area of student learning and/or organizational efficiency. In this way, the "ideal" will be grounded in the real.
The school design will include the following elements: (1) a vision statement (the philosophic mission of the school); (2) a statement of the conceptual beliefs about children, education, and schools upon which the school design will be based; (3) a description of the planned school organization and administrative structure; (4) a description of how students will be grouped;
(5) a delineation of the processes that will be used to develop and organize curricula; (6) a compilation of teachers' work schedules; (7) a description of methods that will be used to assess student learning; (8) a specification of managerial and governing functions; (9) a description of personnel roles; and (10) a description of the role of support personnel in the school.
The study's purpose can be characterized as the design of an early childhood school derived from information obtained in reviewing the existing research in relation to answering the following set of research questions:
(1) What are the vision statements of schools that have been successful in student learning, and which is best suited for the school design plan proposed in this study?
(2) Are there certain conceptual beliefs about children, education, and schools upon which successful schools are designed and which are best suited for the school design plan proposed in this study?
(3) How are successful schools organized and which organ...