Teachers' perceptions and experiences around creating a sense of belonging in head start classrooms

The need for membership in early childhood settings is supported by a joint position statement on inclusion developed by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) and the Division of Early Childhood (DEC) of the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC). This position statement defines high-quality inclusion as fostering “a sense of belonging and membership, positive social relationships and friendships, and development and learning” (DEC/NAEYC, 2009, p. 2). When working with young children in inclusive settings, practitioners need to recognize that (a) children with disabilities who feel a sense of belonging will realize enhanced engagement and outcomes, (b) there is a need for positive relationships between children with disabilities and early childhood professionals, and (c) there is a need to identify appropriate, relevant, and meaningful strategies that support membership and positive relationships between children with disabilities and early childhood professionals. The purpose of this interview study with nine Head Start teachers was to learn about the practices and experiences they reported using to build membership in their inclusive preschool classrooms. Findings indicate a need for a holistic approach to fostering membership in the classroom, as well as a need to for policies and professional development that focus not only on inclusion but also on supporting children with disabilities, so they become full members of their classrooms and perceive they “fit in” with their peers.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Special Education

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2023

Author dc:creator

• Hayslip, Loretta Ann

Contributors dc:contributor

• Ostrosky, Michaelene
• Santos, Rosa Milagros
• Burke, Meghan
• Quesenberry,, Amanda

• Membership
• Belonging
• Children With Disabilities
• Head Start
• Inclusion

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright 2023 Loretta Hayslip

Language dc:language

en, eng

Handle dc:identifier

https://hdl.handle.net/2142/120419

OAI record oai:identifier

https://www.ideals.illinois.edu/oai-pmh?verb=GetRecord&metadataPrefix=etdms&identifier=oai%3Awww.ideals.illinois.edu%3A2142%2F120419