How Elementary School Principals Made Sense of Supporting Prekindergarten and Kindergarten Teachers: A Case Study in Texas
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| Title: | How Elementary School Principals Made Sense of Supporting Prekindergarten and Kindergarten Teachers: A Case Study in Texas |
|---|---|
| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Christopher Pierce Brown (ORCID |
| Source: | Early Childhood Education Journal. 2026 54(1):345-356. |
| Availability: | Springer. Available from: Springer Nature. One New York Plaza, Suite 4600, New York, NY 10004. Tel: 800-777-4643; Tel: 212-460-1500; Fax: 212-460-1700; e-mail: customerservice@springernature.com; Web site: https://link.springer.com/ |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 12 |
| Publication Date: | 2026 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Reports - Research |
| Education Level: | Early Childhood Education Preschool Education Elementary Education Kindergarten Primary Education |
| Descriptors: | Principals, Preschool Education, Kindergarten, Preschool Teachers, Teaching Conditions, Administrator Role, Educational Needs, Elementary Schools |
| Geographic Terms: | Texas |
| DOI: | 10.1007/s10643-024-01820-8 |
| ISSN: | 1082-3301 1573-1707 |
| Abstract: | As prekindergarten and kindergarten (PreK/K) programs continue to expand into public elementary schools, a key actor in this process of integration and alignment is the school principal. While there is a growing body of scholarship that examines how principals integrate and align these programs with the later grades of elementary school, little is known about how principals identify the support prekindergarten and kindergarten teachers need to be successful in educating and preparing their students for school success; such information can provide insight into principals' understanding of the work PreK/K teachers are doing daily in their classrooms. This case study examines this issue by investigating how a sample of elementary school principals in Texas made sense of the support PreK/K teachers require to be successful in their positions. Such findings reveal principals' sensemaking of PreK/K teachers and their programs. These findings also illuminate what principals and their teachers might need from district and state administrators to lead these programs more effectively so that all students can begin their academic careers on a trajectory to thrive in elementary school. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Entry Date: | 2026 |
| Accession Number: | EJ1503800 |
| Database: | ERIC |
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| Abstract: | As prekindergarten and kindergarten (PreK/K) programs continue to expand into public elementary schools, a key actor in this process of integration and alignment is the school principal. While there is a growing body of scholarship that examines how principals integrate and align these programs with the later grades of elementary school, little is known about how principals identify the support prekindergarten and kindergarten teachers need to be successful in educating and preparing their students for school success; such information can provide insight into principals' understanding of the work PreK/K teachers are doing daily in their classrooms. This case study examines this issue by investigating how a sample of elementary school principals in Texas made sense of the support PreK/K teachers require to be successful in their positions. Such findings reveal principals' sensemaking of PreK/K teachers and their programs. These findings also illuminate what principals and their teachers might need from district and state administrators to lead these programs more effectively so that all students can begin their academic careers on a trajectory to thrive in elementary school. |
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 1082-3301 1573-1707 |
| DOI: | 10.1007/s10643-024-01820-8 |
