Effects of Family, Child, and Teacher Demographics on Prekindergarten Children's Access to and Use of Numeracy and Spatial Materials in the Early Education Setting

We have read this thesis and recommend that it be approved. iv DEDICATION I dedicate this thesis to my parents and my husband. Without your unwavering love and support I would not be where I am today. Thank you for everything. v ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I wish to thank Dr. Shannon Pruden for her constant advice and guidance through out this entire process. Her enthusiasm regarding research has fueled my interest in the subject to greater levels. I would also like to thank my friends who have helped me and supported me throughout this entire process. Florida's Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten program (VPK) aims to ensure that all 4-year-olds are prepared to excel in K-12 mathematics. Early numeracy/spatial skills are predictive of success in K–12 mathematics. No research has examined whether VPK classrooms are equipped with the materials necessary to teach numeracy/spatial skill. The Pre-Kindergarten Numeracy and Spatial Environment Survey was created to examine the frequency of access to and use of numeracy/spatial materials in VPK classrooms. The 69-item survey was completed by the lead educator from a sample of 62 pre-kindergarten classrooms in Miami-Dade County. Regression analysis results suggest the location of the pre-kindergarten center, the sex distribution of the children in the classrooms or the number of years of experience that the educator has as a lead teacher along with the extra training courses undertaken by the teachers does not affect the access to or the use of, numeracy and spatial materials in the classrooms.