Beyond the Classroom Wall: Community Engagement Instruction

Abstract

This study (n=11) examined active community-school collaborative classes using sociocultural constructivist approaches over an academic year in an early childhood institute. A semi-formal interview was conducted to describing how the early childhood teachers and community members worked collaboratively to develop community engagement activities in a constructivist manner for an early childhood instruction. The guiding research questions sought to explore both teachers and community members' perspectives regarding integrating community activities within the early childhood curriculum. Results from the qualitative data of perspectives of past experiences, collaboration between the school and its community, interaction with the school teachers/community officials, and attitudes toward into collaborative community/school activities, were examined and analyzed based on grounded theory. Both school and community emphasized school-community collaborative engagement to enhance and extend existing classroom practice. Findings suggest teachers' positive teaching impacts resulted from involvement, instant feedback, and productive teaching resources with the community engagement. Findings also suggest community's positive impacts resulted from active engagement, community-school relationship, and contribution in community activities. By providing collaborative community engagement activities and embedding community contribution in instruction, young children may be better to maximize their learning development and optimize their levels of competency. Activities for community integration in the early childhood learning are discussed.