Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore how a veteran teacher implemented a state-approved commercial math curriculum in a prekindergarten classroom. In this action research study, guided by ethnographic principles, I employed Spradley's (2016) developmental research sequence to study what resources from the curriculum the teacher used, how the teacher adapted the curriculum, and what influenced the decisions the teacher made while implementing the curriculum. Data collected for this study included: the teacher guide provided by the commercial curriculum; teacher lesson plans; photographs of student created artifacts; the teacher's reflection journal and notes; and videos of a teacher implementing the math portion of a commercial curriculum. Spradley's (2016) developmental research sequence was used to analyze the data for domains linked through semantic relationships of strict inclusion, rationale, and means-end. The domains were then linked to create a taxonomy representing resources, adaptations and influences for a teacher's choices in math curriculum implementation in a prekindergarten classroom. The teacher in this study needed to use a hidden set of resources in order to implement the curriculum, adapted the instruction from whole group to small group, and adjusted the curriculum to correct for misalignments of scope and sequence between the curriculum and the State mandated learning outcomes. Based on these findings, I recommend more rigorous teacher preparation in prekindergarten mathematics and ongoing training support while implementing a commercial curriculum. I also encourage school districts to evaluate commercial curriculum to ensure they align with state standards.

Notes

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Graduation Date

2021

Semester

Fall

Advisor

Skukauskaite, Audra

Degree

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)

College

College of Community Innovation and Education

Department

Learning Sciences and Educational Research

Degree Program

Curriculum and Instruction

Format

application/pdf

Identifier

CFE0008806; DP0026085

URL

https://purls.library.ucf.edu/go/DP0026085

Language

English

Release Date

December 2021

Length of Campus-only Access

None

Access Status

Doctoral Dissertation (Open Access)

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