The nature of teacher collaboration around evidence-based teaching in an early childhood program serving a diverse group of at risk children

Today's K-12 student population is growing increasingly diverse from many perspectives. In particular, many of these students are from low-income backgrounds, second language learners, new arrivals to our country and students who receive special education services. While these features are not negatives in and of themselves, students with these characteristics are often placed at risk for educational failure for a variety of complicating factors while many of our public institutions are failing in their efforts to help these students become successful learners.;This descriptive qualitative case study investigated how seven kindergarten teachers and their literacy coordinator collaborated around both mandated and locally developed assessments and were able to help these types of students become successful learners. The research question that drove this study was: How does a grade-level cohort of early childhood teachers collaborate using evidence-based teaching in an early childhood program serving a diverse group of at risk children? The study investigated the specific ways these seven teachers were able to share students, assessments, teaching materials, curriculum and student work by developing their own model of collaborative teaching using teacher learning cohorts as a framework. The study was conducted at an early childhood setting in an urban public elementary school in northeastern Massachusetts that serves a growing population of at-risk learners.;Data collection methodology included observations of teacher meetings, interviews of the participants and collection of both visual and artifactual data that was stored, coded and analyzed using qualitative research computer software. Four key points emerged from the study. The first key point was that the seven kindergarten teachers blended the sharing of both students and teaching materials. Second, the seven teachers shared and subscribed to a common program, vision, philosophy and a specific set of goals for their learning program. Third, the teachers blended teacher created materials with publisher created materials and saw this as essential to providing their students with the best instruction. Finally, there was a high level of both formal and informal teacher interaction that took place on a regular basis during the school year and during the summer months.;Based on this study the following four recommendations can be made: (1) the need for public school districts to institute full-day kindergarten and other pre-school early childhood programs aimed especially at those urban school districts that mainly serve large numbers of our nation's youngest at-risk learners, students that are three, four and five years old; (2) school districts should provide opportunities and support for meaningful teacher collaboration around evidence-based practices that support academic achievement; (3) the need to increase mentoring and support for novice teachers; (4) the implementation of evidence-based teaching and learning approaches as a way to increase the academic achievement of at-risk learners. These subgroups of students have historically performed poorly on state mandated assessments that are based on a strict framework of learning standards. Since all students in Massachusetts must demonstrate adequate mastery of these learning standards in order to receive a high school diploma; the need for quality full-day early childhood programs has never been greater. The mastery of early learning skills is crucial to both continued academic success and improved test performance in the upper grades.