Primary caregivers' values of play and creativity in early childhood in relation to children's academic self-esteem

There is currently a trend to push academics due to laws such as the No Child Left Behind Act (2001) which holds schools accountable for academic learning. Play and creativity are being eliminated in early childhood even though theorists state the value of these elements in the overall development of young children. The purpose of the study was to examine the primary caregivers' values of play and creativity in early childhood and their child's academic self-esteem. Primary caregivers recruited from a university preschool completed the Parent's As A Teacher Inventory (PAAT) and the teachers of the school rated the children using the Behavioral Academic Self-Esteem (BASE) scale. It was found that primary caregivers valued play and creativity. They placed the endorsement of play and creativity over that of academics. Findings revealed that primary caregivers' value of play was a significant predictor of a child's self-confidence.

Name thesis:degree_name

MA

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Learning Sciences and Human Development

Year dc:date.available

2009

Author dc:creator

• Martino, Jill M.

Contributors dc:contributor

• Barbara G. Warash
• Amy Kennedy Root
• Joy Faini Saab

• Early childhood education
• Curriculum development
• Developmental psychology

Identifier

https://researchrepository.wvu.edu/etd/780

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:researchrepository.wvu.edu:etd-1783