Learning & Development
Policy Brief/Analysis
Degrees in Context
Asking the Right Questions about Preparing Skilled and Effective Teachers of Young Children
Date
April 1, 2011
By Marcy Whitebook and Sharon Ryan
NIEER Policy Brief (Issue 22, April 2011)
Summary
In this brief, authors Marcy Whitebook and Sharon Ryan argue that too much attention has been given to debating the baseline qualifications required of preschool teachers – AA vs. BA. They contend that it is just as necessary to take into account the nature of the education teachers receive en route to a degree, supports for ongoing learning, and the effects of the workplace environment on teaching practice.
The Authors
Dr. Sharon Ryan has worked as an early childhood and special education teacher, administrator, consultant, and teacher educator in Australia and the United States. She is an Assistant Professor of Early Childhood Education in the Department of Learning and Teaching at Rutgers University and the Director of Qualitative Studies at the Center for Early Education Research (CEER) at Rutgers University.