Teachers' Views of Quality Teaching/Learning at the Infant Level in a New Primary School

Authors

  • Sabeerah Abdul-Majied The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine Campus
  • Margaret Cain The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine Campus

Keywords:

Educational Quality, Primary Schools, Early Childhood Care and Education, Kindergarten Children, Teacher Attitudes, Trinidad and Tobago

Abstract

This study sought to gain an understanding of the quality of teaching and learning provided at a newly built primary school. This school was intended to provide a setting for high-quality education for young children, and was equipped with modern physical facilities. A qualitative approach was used to obtain teachers' views of the quality of teaching and learning provided at the Infant level of the school. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews. The questions that guided the study were: (a) What are teachers' views about factors that support quality teaching and learning in the Infant Department of a primary school? and (b) What are teachers' views about factors that inhibit quality teaching and learning in the Infant Department of a primary school? The findings indicate that the quality of teaching and learning provided in the Infant level classrooms was influenced by a number of factors related to the home/school connection, critical school support, teacher attributes, and student attributes. New findings about educational change issues that could facilitate quality teaching when moving to a new school setting also emerged.

Author Biographies

Sabeerah Abdul-Majied, The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine Campus

School of Education, Lecturer

Margaret Cain, The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine Campus

School of Education, Lecturer in Teacher Education

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Issue

Vol. 20 (2013)

Section

Articles

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