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National research center grant
from the US Department of Health and
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Human Services, Administration
on Children and Families (ACF), Office
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of Planning, Research, and
Evaluation; (2008-2012)
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University-Head Start
Partnership grant to conduct research on promoting effective teaching
practices in Head Start classrooms in the Appalachian region of Pennsylvania
and West Virginia, through a newly developed and validated COMET model for
structured and individualized mentoring.
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Professional development
training and mentoring on developmentally-appropriate practices in
assessment, instruction, management, and care of young children
The
central mission of COMET is to examine the functional interrelationships
mentoring, teaching practices, and child progress. Our research hypothesizes
that individual mentoring with teachers encourages the effective use of
specific instructional practices which foster the development of specific
early school success competencies in young children. There is a dearth of
research in this important area.
Three major aspects of "best practices"
will be the focus of this University-Head Start applied research partnership:
1.
On-site and in-vivo
individualized mentoring, collaborative professional development and
supervision provided to Head Start teachers focusing upon using
developmentally-appropriate and specific "evidence-based" practices
with young children;
2.
Progressive changes during
mentoring in the efficacy of teacher's specific instructional behaviors,
interactions, and management and care practices in influencing children's
early school success;
3.
Children's progress and success
in acquiring competencies in early literacy skills, social-emotional
relationships with peers and adults, and self-control behaviors which are prerequisites
for early school success.
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