How a Preschoool Implements and Sustains CREDE Practices.

Abstract

This study focused on how educators at the University of Hawai`i at Mānoa Children’s Center implemented and sustained use of the Center for Research on Education, Diversity, and Excellence (CREDE) Standards for Effective Pedagogy. The model focuses on the social and cultural aspects of learning and originally was developed for older learners. Ten years prior to the current study, educators at the preschool were involved in adapting the Standards for early childhood education. Using qualitative interviews with teachers and observations of the classroom settings, I wanted to understand how the educators learn about, implement, and sustain their use of the Standards. I found that the student-centered aspect of the school, the curriculum they use, and the community surrounding it are important components to understanding the Children’s Center. I also found that the CREDE Standards provides the educators with labels for what they are doing, and although the newer staff may not be familiar with those specific labels, they still incorporate CREDE into their teaching because CREDE is so integrated into the Children’s Center. Support from others within the Children’s Center and formal professional developments are what allows the staff to sustain the use of the CREDE Standards in practice.