Browsing by Author "Coelho, Vera"
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- Bebés, famílias e creches: Relato de um workshop para profissionais e para famíliasPublication . Coelho, Vera; Cadima, Joana; Peixoto, Carla; Pinto, Ana Isabel; Pessanha, Manuela; Barros, SílviaAtualmente, a creche representa um dos contextos principais de desenvolvimento de bebés, sendo a transição do contexto familiar para a creche um momento crítico para os bebés e respetivas famílias (e.g., Balaban, 2011; Merril, 2010). O presente estudo descritivo tem por objetivo conhecer as práticas de transição dos bebés do contexto familiar para a creche, implementadas em instituições da Grande Área Metropolitana do Porto, assim como a utilidade percebida destas práticas por parte de profissionais de educação a desempenhar funções em salas de bebés. No âmbito do projeto de investigação Transição dos bebés para a creche: comunicação família-creche, qualidade dos contextos e adaptação do bebé , foram recolhidos dados, entre Setembro de 2013 e Março de 2014, junto de 90 profissionais de educação de salas de bebés através do Questionário sobre características estruturais de berçários (QSCE-B; Barros, Pessanha, Pinto, & Cadima, 2013) e do Questionário sobre práticas de transição dos bebés para a creche (QPTBC; Peixoto, Pinto, & Barros, 2013). Em geral, os resultados indicaram a preocupação dos profissionais com a adaptação dos bebés e das famílias ao contexto de creche através da implementação de algumas das práticas de transição recomendadas na literatura do domínio.
- A experiência do bebé na creche: Perceções de mães e de educadoras no período de transição do contexto familiar para a crechePublication . Grande, Catarina Rodrigues; Nunes, Inês Brandão; Coelho, Vera; Cadima, Joana; Barros, SílviaA transição do bebé para a creche constitui um processo crítico e complexo para os profissionais das creches, as famílias e as crianças, que experienciam a separação dos pais e a adaptação a um novo espaço, a novas rotinas e a novas pessoas com quem passam a interagir (Datler, Ereky-Stevens, Hover-Reisner, & LarsErik Malmberg, 2012). Assim, uma transição cuidadosamente planificada deve ser integrada no funcionamento global da creche procurando identificar fatores que influenciam a adaptação do bebé ao novo contexto e fatores que promovam a continuidade de práticas e rotinas entre o contexto de creche e o contexto familiar (Peixoto, Coelho, Pinto, Cadima, Barros, & Pessanha, 2014). Este estudo visa contribuir para a compreensão da experiência do bebé no período de transição do ambiente familiar para a creche, analisando a perceção das mães e das educadoras acerca do estado emocional do bebé, da manutenção das rotinas e da comunicação família-creche nesse período. Mães e educadoras de 90 bebés da Grande Área Metropolitana do Porto responderam ao Questionário de Experiência na Creche (Skouteris & Dissanayake, 2001), na primeira e na quarta semana de frequência da creche. A perceção das mães e educadoras acerca do estado emocional dos bebés, da manutenção das rotinas e comunicação família-creche foi positiva, verificando-se perceções mais positivas das educadoras relativamente ao estado emocional e à comunicação família-creche. Da primeira para a quarta semana registou-se (a) uma avaliação mais positiva do estado emocional dos bebés, percebido pelas mães e educadoras; e (b) uma diminuição da frequência da comunicação. Adicionalmente, os resultados indicam que um estado emocional dos bebés mais positivo parece estar associado a uma maior frequência de comunicação entre a família e creche, relatada pelas educadoras. Foi ainda verificado que as crianças que permanecem menos tempo na creche na primeira semana são as que apresentam um estado emocional mais positivo na quarta semana, de acordo com a perceção das educadoras. Este estudo parece sublinhar o cuidado das famílias e educadores na transição dos bebés para a creche e destacar a importância do envolvimento das famílias e profissionais para um melhor ajustamento do bebé.
- Exploring teacher-family partnerships in infant center-based care: A comparative study of teachers' and mothers' perspectives and influential factorsPublication . Coelho, Vera; Barros, Sílvia; Peixoto, Carla; Pessanha, Manuela; Cadima, Joana; Bryant, DonnaTeacher-family partnership are elements of high-quality early childhood education and care (ECEC). Nevertheless, the need for better understanding such partnerships and factors influencing it particularly for children under three is underlined. This study compares teachers’ and mothers’ reports regarding real and ideal partnership practices, exploring child, ECEC and family level predictors of partnership. Mothers and teachers of 90 infants answered the Real-Ideal Teacher-parents Partnership Scale (Gaspar, 1996). Classroom quality was observed with CLASS-Infants (Hamre et al., 2014); home environment with HOME (Caldwell & Bradley, 1984); child temperament with IBQ (Rothbart, 1981). Results show that both mothers and teachers report a medium-high number of implemented practices. Ideally, they would like a significantly higher number of practices to be implemented. Mothers and teachers report of real and ideal practices were significantly associated. Teachers tend to report more practices than mothers. Teacher qualification was uniquely and positively associated with real partnership practices reported both by teachers and mothers. Teacher qualification was the only statistically significant predictor of ideal practices reported by teachers; mothers’ education predicted mothers’ report on ideal partnerships. Results point to the relevance of teacher qualification for better partnerships, particularly considering the variability of legal requirements regarding teacher qualification in infant classrooms across Europe.
- A focus group study on participatory practices in Early Childhood Education and Care across four european countriesPublication . Barros, Sílvia; Coelho, Vera; Wysłowska, Olga; Penderi, Efthymia; Taelman, Helena; Araújo, Sara Barros; Correia, Nadine; Markowska-Manista, Urszula; Petrogiannis, Konstantinos; Boderé, Anneleen; Pessanha, Manuela; Guimarães, Cristiana; Aguiar, CecíliaParticipation in educational settings is a universal right of every child, consigned by the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. This right encompasses the need to protect and encourage young children´s active participation and decision-making in early childhood education and care. Research Findings: This qualitative study, inspired by the Lundy model (2007), examined ECEC teachers’ (n = 25) and coordinators’ (n = 25) perceptions about participation practices, collected through focus groups conducted in Belgium, Greece, Poland, and Portugal. Participants were previously referred as implementing participatory practices. Results showed that the four dimensions of the Lundy model emerged in teachers’ and coordinators’ group discussions: Participative space, Children’s voice, Audience of children’s perspectives, and Influence. Furthermore, a number of subcategories in each dimension reflected different orientations toward participatory pedagogy. Practice or Policy: This study contributes to informing and inspiring participation practices in ECEC across Europe and to enriching policy discussions regarding children´s participation rights, particularly in the early years. Promising participatory practices were identified in the various dimensions of participation, though some challenges remain, requiring in-depth knowledge about pedagogical practices and the promotion of initiatives to empower professionals to enhance children’s right to participate, particularly at the center-level.
- Infant child care quality in Portugal: Associations with structural characteristicsPublication . Barros, Sílvia; Cadima, Joana; Bryant, Donna M.; Coelho, Vera; Pinto, Ana Isabel; Pessanha, Manuela; Peixoto, CarlaThis study examines the quality of infant center care in Portugal through a multi-measure approach and investigates the associations among process quality dimensions and structural quality indicators. Ninety infant child care classrooms were observed during two full mornings with the Infant/Toddler Environment Rating Scale (ITERS-R), the Classroom Assessment Scoring System-Infant (CLASS-Infant) and the Caregiver Interaction Scale (CIS). Results revealed that a two-factor structure of process quality with the domains (a) Relationships and (b) Use of Space and Materials provided the best fit to the data. Of the structural indicators that were examined, teacher training showed the most robust relation to both process quality domains. In addition, classrooms with smaller groups and in centers located in non-urban areas were likely to show more sensitive relationships between teachers and infants. These findings have implications for public policy and professional development efforts on infant center care.
- Infant child care quality in Portugal: Associations with structural characteristicsPublication . Barros, Sílvia; Cadima, Joana; Bryant, Donna M.; Coelho, Vera; Pinto, Ana Isabel; Pessanha, Manuela; Peixoto, CarlaThis study examines the quality of infant center care in Portugal through a multi-measure approach and investigates the associations among process quality dimensions and structural quality indicators. Ninety infant child care classrooms were observed during two full mornings with the Infant/Toddler Environment Rating Scale (ITERS-R), the Classroom Assessment Scoring System-Infant (CLASS-Infant) and the Caregiver Interaction Scale (CIS). Results revealed that a two-factor structure of process quality with the domains (a) Relationships and (b) Use of Space and Materials provided the best fit to the data. Of the structural indicators that were examined, teacher training showed the most robust relation to both process quality domains. In addition, classrooms with smaller groups and in centers located in non-urban areas were likely to show more sensitive relationships between teachers and infants. These findings have implications for public policy and professional development efforts on infant center care.
- Infant child care quality in Portugal: Associations with structural characteristicsPublication . Barros, Sílvia; Cadima, Joana; Bryant, Donna M.; Coelho, Vera; Pinto, Ana Isabel; Pessanha, Manuela; Peixoto, CarlaThis study examines the quality of infant center care in Portugal through a multi-measure approach and investigates the associations among process quality dimensions and structural quality indicators. Ninety infant child care classrooms were observed during two full mornings with the ITERS-R, the CLASS-Infant and the CIS. Results revealed that a two-factor structure of process quality with the domains (a) Relationships and (b) Use of Space and Materials provided the best fit to the data. Of the structural indicators that were examined, teacher training showed the most robust relation to both process quality domains. In addition, classrooms with smaller groups and in centers located in non-urban areas were likely to show more sensitive relationships between teachers and infants. These findings have implications for public policy and professional development efforts on infant center care.
- Parceria família-creche na transição do bebé para a crechePublication . Coelho, Vera; Barros, Sílvia; Pessanha, Manuela; et al.Este estudo apresenta atitudes e probabilidade de comportamentos de parceria família-creche, relatadas por mães e educadoras, durante o período de entrada de bebés na creche. Mães e educadoras de 90 bebés responderam à Escala de Parceria Educadores-Pais. Os resultados indicam uma grande valorização, por parte das mães e educadoras, da parceria creche-família para dar resposta às necessidades das crianças, bem como uma elevada probabilidade de se envolverem em comporta - mentos de parceria. Os relatos das mães são relativamente mais positivos do que os das educadoras quer no que se refere às atitudes, quer no que se refere à probabilidade de comportamentos de parceria. Verificaram-se associações positivas entre os relatos das mães e das educadoras, assim como entre as atitudes das mães e a qualidade do ambiente familiar. Encontraram-se associações negativas entre a idade e experiência das educadoras em contexto de creche e as suas respostas relativas a atitudes e à probabilidade de comportamentos de parceria. Na discussão, destaca-se a necessidade de investir na formação e na melhoria da qualidade das creches, de modo a promover parcerias família-creche mais efetivas.
- PLAYING-2-GETHER: can brief in-service training influence preschool teachers’ awareness of play-based strategies for improving relationships?Publication . Coelho, Vera; Araújo, Sara Barros; Sanches-Ferreira, Manuela; Vancraeyveldt, CarolineThis study explores how brief in-service training influences preschool teacherś awareness of competences relevant for building high-quality teacher–child relationships. A pre- and post-test design was used, with a 5-h training session in-between. Thirty-four in-service preschool teachers completed a video-based task before and after training. Qualitative and quantitative analyses were conducted. After the session, the number of teachers identifying the key principles of building relationships with children was significantly higher for one out of the five situations analysed; the number of teachers identifying competencies for building positive relationships was significantly higher for three out of the five situations. Strategies such as observing children were easily identified (before and after training) and strategies such as taking into account the child relational needs were hardly ever identified (before and after training). Discussion highlights potential differential effects of brief in-service training according to the complexity of the training content.
- Predictors of parent-teacher communication during infant transition to childcare in PortugalPublication . Coelho, Vera; Barros, Sílvia; Burchinal, Margaret R.; Cadima, Joana; Pessanha, Manuela; Pinto, Ana Isabel; Peixoto, Carla; Bryant, Donna M.Although literature reports associations between parent-teacher communication and childcare quality, little is known about how such communications are related to family, child and childcare characteristics. This study examines whether child, family and childcare experience characteristics predict the level of parent-teacher communication, and differences between parents’ and teachers’ reports of communication. Participants were mothers of 90 infants and their teachers in childcare in Portugal. Results show that both parents and teachers report higher levels of communication in higher-quality programmes. Teachers reported more frequent communication than parents. Teachers, but not parents, reported more frequent communication when children spent fewer hours in childcare. Discussion highlights the relevance of monitoring the quality of childcare contexts, especially in early ages, and to increase parent-teacher communication when children spend more time in childcare. The importance of promoting high-quality childcare and accounting for variables at the mesosystemic level of development in teacher training are also discussed.