Practical Exploration On The Integration Of Urban And Rural Preschool Education

The study is conducted against the backdrop of the nationwide implementation of "The Rural and Urban Pre-school Education Integration and Development Strategy", with Kindergarten G, which is a urban kindergarten located in Wuhua District, Kunming City, and Kindergarten X, its rural counterpart recently opened in Shalang Township, Kunming City, being the object of the study, and the Action Research being the main approach adopted. The main outcome of the study is a feasible proposal for pre-school education integration and development that is in strict conformity with the said Action Research in the way of thinking and conducting, in contents, and in principles to be followed, etc. In the study, we explored the best, also the most effective, way for the Kindergarten G in order to help, or more precisely,lead the Kindergarten X in school development and improvement, made an analysis of the effectiveness of the approach known as the “Urban-Kindergarten-Driven Development for Rural Counterparts”, identified the problems therein, and explored the solutions thereto, as well as ways to improve. Coming with the study are a package of measures and suggestions addressing such essential aspects of pre-school education as the roles to be fulfilled by government, school management, the transformation needed in thinking and perception for rural kindergarten teachers and kids’ parents, necessary adaptation and localization, ways to improve teachers’ teaching ability and skills, etc. The study aims to find, through real practice in both rural and urban kindergartens, a methodology, and its level of operability as well, by which the Urban-Rural Education Integration and Development can by reliably achieved.The study provides, theoretically, some experience and a paradigm for balanced educational development in rural and urban areas, for enrichment of pre-school education in rural areas, and for equal and fair access to education.The study comprises four sections, summarized below:Section A gives the background of the study, presenting the rural cries for fair access to education, making an analysis of challenges and opportunities facing the pre-school education therein, rationalizing the inexorable trend for a giant leap inpre-school education in rural areas, as well as why the “urban-kindergarten-driven development” is a most effective approach for rural kindergartens that take as their predominant goal to offer rural kids the universal, equal and fair access to education.This section also makes a review of literature and previous studies on fair access to education, on pre-school education currently in rural areas, and on initiatives to accomplish "Urban-Rural Education Integration and Development".Section B gives the overall framework for carrying out the Action Research on Urban and Rural Kindergarten Integration as well as its theoretical basis, together with a briefing of involved kindergartens: an urban public kindergarten located in Wuhua District and its rural counterpart. All study activities are done in this basic framework.Section C presents our practice and exploration of Urban-Rural Kindergarten Integration and Development, involving such aspects as: the establishment of a closely-tied urban-rural kindergarten management mechanism and system,capacity-building for kindergarten teachers, educational resources optimization,integration and development, school localization, schooling and nursery measures necessary for kids’ healthy growth, strategies able to bring forth a change in the perception of rural parents, the kinds of in-school activities required in order to create an physically and emotionally promoting atmosphere, etc.Section D gives a summary of the Action Research herein, and presents a vision of the kindergarten integration in Wuhua District. Specifically, it contains a list of the outcomes achieved by the study, notable features thereof, problems identified and causes therefor, measures and suggestions thereof, etc.