Professional Development Training for Pre-K and K Teachers, Caregivers and Parents Project (ScienceStart!™)

Principal Investigator
Lucia French
Associate Professor, Teaching and Curriculum and Human Development

Project Web Site
ScienceStart™ Web Site

Description
The project extends the use of the successfully field-tested ScienceStart!™ preschool curriculum developed by the principal investigator. It is funded under a federal program designed to increase children’s language and literacy development through professional development for teachers. A series of workshops and on-site support enable early childhood educators, paraprofessionals, and family daycare providers to use the curriculum in their own settings.

ScienceStart!™ capitalizes on children’s natural curiosity about the world around them, and uses science as a vehicle to develop language, literacy and school readiness skills among preschoolers. “School readiness” skills include problem-solving, group participation, self-regulation, attention management, and the ability to translate back and forth between thought and language.

By the end of the project, approximately 80 administrators, 200 teacher/day care providers, 200 paraprofessionals and 15 home day care providers will participate in a series of professional development workshops followed by individualized on-site support throughout the year.

The project allows investigators to assess the impact of the program on providers’ and teachers’ on-site behavior, the impact of the parent involvement components of the program on parental interaction with their children, and the outcomes for children, including receptive and expressive language skills, problem-solving, and developing a broader knowledge base about the everyday world.

Supported By
The project is supported by $500,697 from the National Science Foundation to further develop and field test ScienceStart! curriculum; and $1,031.947 from the U.S. Department of Education to create and provide professional development training on the use of the ScienceStart! curriculum.

Timeframe
9/01 – 8/31/03