The Happy Teacher Project team proudly celebrates the retirement of two esteemed collaborators, Dr. Ken Randall and Dr. Diane Horm, whose contributions have significantly advanced research in early childhood education and teacher well-being. Dr. Randall, as an inaugural member and mentor of the team, played a vital role in studying the physical well-being of teachers, bridging the fields of education and health sciences and developing the innovative concept of early childhood educators as “educational athletes”. As a founding director of the Early Childhood Education Institute (ECEI), Dr. Horm provided groundbreaking insights into infant-toddler teachers, shaping policies and practices that support early childhood educators. The Happy Teacher Project was born thanks to the early childhood interdisciplinary research grant provided by the ECEI. Their dedication has left a lasting impact on the field, and their legacy will continue to inspire future research. The Happy Teacher Project extends its deepest gratitude for their invaluable contributions and wishes them a fulfilling retirement.
News & Events
1. What People Say About the Happy Teacher Wellness Program
2. Happy Teacher Project Research Featured on Zero to Three
The Happy Teacher Project is proud to announce that its latest research on intervention models to improve educator well-being has been published in Zero to Three, a leading resource for early childhood professionals.
Read the full article here: Zero to Three Research Publication
You can also find some visual findings shared on Zero to Three LinkedIn Post.
3. Dr. Ford Appointed Associate Editor of American Educational Research Journal
We are proud to announce that Dr. Ford has been appointed as an associate editor of the American Educational Research Journal (AERJ), one of the most prestigious publications in the field of education research. As an associate editor, Dr. Ford will play a crucial role in shaping the journal’s scholarship, overseeing peer reviews, and ensuring the publication of high-quality research that impacts educational policies and practices.
4. Celebrating the Retirement of Dr. Ken Randall and Dr. Diane Horm
5. Dr. Kwon’s Presentation at National Institute of Early Childhood in Singapore
Dr. Kwon delivered a compelling presentation at the National Institute of Early Childhood in Singapore in October 2024. The event brought together leading scholars, policymakers, and educators to discuss innovative approaches and research shaping the future of early childhood learning. Dr. Kwon’s participation at the conference reflects her ongoing commitment to advancing early childhood education research and advocating for effective educational practices worldwide.
6. Dr. Kwon’s Presentation at European Early Childhood Education Research Conference
Dr. Kwon delivered an insightful presentation at the European Early Childhood Education Research Conference in September 2024. The EECERA conference is one of the most prestigious international gatherings in early childhood education, bringing together academics, practitioners, and policymakers to discuss the latest research and innovations. Dr. Kwon’s presentation sparked engaging discussions among attendees, furthering conversations on how early childhood education can evolve to meet contemporary challenges.
7. Happy Teacher Project Featured in Tulsa World
The Happy Teacher Project has been featured in the Tulsa World, highlighting the critical issue of teacher retention in early childhood education. The article sheds light on the challenges educators face and the importance of workplace support in addressing high turnover rates. The publication of this research in the Tulsa World brings increased awareness to the pressing workforce challenges in early childhood education, encouraging policymakers and stakeholders to take action. The Happy Teacher Project team continues to work on innovative solutions to improve teacher retention and classroom quality across the state
8. Happy Teacher Project Team Presents Key Findings at 2024 Oklahoma Early Childhood Research Symposium
The Happy Teacher Project team had the honor of presenting significant findings at the 2024 Oklahoma Early Childhood Research Symposium, hosted by Oklahoma Partnership for School Readiness (OPSR). Dr. Kwon and Dr. Kile delivered a podium presentation on "Holistic and Human-Centered Approaches to Impact the Head Start Workforce." Additionally, other team members presented six insightful poster sessions, highlighting key findings from the project.
9. Korean Research Partner Team of Happy Teacher Global Project Visits Oklahoma
The Korean research partner team (Dr. Jihyun Sung and graduate students from Sungkyunkwan University) of the Happy Teacher Global Project visited Oklahoma in September 2024. These visitors, warmly welcomed by the Happy Teacher team, visited key educational and research institutions, including Educare in Tulsa, Educare in OKC, Cherokee Nation Tribal Head Start, ECEI, OU Norman and Tulsa campuses, and Science Museum Oklahoma. This visit allowed the team members from Korea and the U.S. to exchange insights on early childhood learning environments. As the partnership continues, researchers look forward to leveraging their combined expertise to enhance early childhood education practices worldwide.
10. Happy Teacher Project: A Powerful Partnership with Sunbeam Family Services
Dr. Kwon and Dr. Ford were invited to present the preliminary findings of the Happy Teacher Project at the board meeting of Sunbeam Family Services. Twelve centers from the Sunbeam agency participated in the project, serving as exceptional partners who invest in and advocate for the well-being of teachers and leaders. Their dedicated efforts in implementing intervention strategies have been instrumental in sustaining the positive impact of the Happy Teacher Wellness intervention. We deeply appreciate all the leaders and teachers who participated, and a special thanks to Paula Gates, our board member, for her invaluable insights and support!
11. Happy Teacher Project Team Presentation on Educare Teacher Turnover
The Happy Teacher Project team (Drs. Kyong-Ah Kwon and Wonkyung Jang) was invited to present longitudinal trends and factors of Educare teacher turnover at the Annual Educare Learning Network Meeting. This research project is funded by the secondary analyses of Head Start and Early Head Start data grant from the Administration for Children and Families of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
12. Happy Teacher Global Project Launches to Tackle Early Childhood Workforce Challenges Worldwide
The Happy Teacher Global Project has officially launched! Spearheaded by the Happy Teacher Project team, this collaborative initiative brings together leading early childhood scholars from six countries—Australia, Finland, Hong Kong, Korea, Singapore, and the United States. The project aims to deepen our understanding of the global challenges facing the early care and education (ECE) workforce and to inform research, practice, and policy to support ECE professionals worldwide.
In June 2024, Drs. Kwon and Ford visited research partners at Macquarie University in Australia, where they shared key findings from the Happy Teacher Project and Wellness Intervention. In Korea, research partners Drs. Jihyun Sung and Hyungin Park, along with Dr. Kwon, received a competitive grant from the National Research Foundation of Korea to replicate and expand the project in South Korea. Korean partners are scheduled to visit Oklahoma in September 2024 to meet with the Happy Teacher Project team and other early childhood researchers at OU, along with touring research partner sites.
13. OK Happy Teacher Project Secures $100K Grant to Strengthen Early Childhood Workforce
The OK Happy Teacher Project, which aims to strengthen the state’s Early Care and Education (ECE) workforce, received a grant ($100,000) from the Oklahoma Partnership for School Readiness. Drs. Kyong-Ah Kwon (PI), Dr. Timothy Ford (PI), and Wonkyung Jang (Co-PI) at the Jeanine Rainbolt College of Education will lead this initiative. This proposed study will aim to provide, through online surveys, individual interviews, and focus groups, a detailed description of the status of the current and future OK workforce in terms of demographics, working conditions, qualifications, well-being, recruitment, and retention as well as how these factors are associated with critical educational outcomes. The team will also investigate teacher demand and supply across Oklahoma and the factors driving shortages. They will use a supply and demand framework to define shortages as an insufficiency of a “well-qualified” workforce and cutting-edge cross-sectional and time-series data analysis methods. The research findings from our proposed study will help provide state and local communities with better data to inform ECE policy and practice to support our ECE workforce and the children and families they serve.
14. Happy Teacher Project Team Shines at NRCEC: A Record-Breaking Presentation Showcase!
The Happy Teacher Project team, including PIs, research staff, and graduate students, made a remarkable impact at the National Research Conference on Early Childhood (NRCEC), a prestigious event in early childhood education sponsored by the Administration for Children and Families of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The team delivered twelve presentations, including those at grantee meetings, symposiums, and poster sessions—setting a new record!
As the spring 2023 session came to a close, the Happy Teacher Project team gathered at Dr. Kwon’s house to reflect on the progress and recharge for the final cohort of the study. The event brought together PIs, GRAs, project coordinators, and wellness coaches to celebrate key findings from three cohorts and discuss areas for improvement in the last phase of research. With renewed energy, the team looks forward to advancing their research and fostering a healthier, more sustainable early childhood workforce. As researchers studying well-being, we recognize the importance of practicing it ourselves! Prioritizing Well-Being to Support Educators!
15. Happy Teacher Project Team Gathers to Reflect, Recharge, and Celebrate
16. Dr. Kyong-Ah Kwon Leads Special Issue on Infant and Toddler Care in Prestigious Journal
Kyong-Ah Kwon is serving as an executive editor for the Special Issue of Early Childhood Research Quarterly, a leading journal in our field, dedicated to infant and toddler care and services. She is collaborating with esteemed colleagues, Drs. Carlomagno Del Carmen Panlilio, Rachel Chazan Cohen, and Laura Wallace, on this initiative. The goal is to boost attention and synergy toward improving the quality of care, education, and services to promote the well-being of infants, toddlers, and their families, as well as to support the infant and toddler workforce. This Special Issue will inspire further research and discussion, ultimately leading to significant advancements in our field.
17. Top-Cited & Most Popular Paper for Three Years!
Our peer-reviewed article in the Journal of School Psychology has been recognized as one of the most cited and most popular papers for three consecutive years.
Kwon et al. (2021) – Testing a Holistic Conceptual Framework for Early Childhood Teacher Well-Being
Honored to see our work making an impact!
18. Featured in 40 Years of Zero To Three Journal!
We are honored that our paper was selected as a standout publication in Zero To Three’s 40-year history.
Kwon, Horm, & Amirault (2021) – Early Childhood Teachers’ Well-Being: What We Know and Why We Should Care
Grateful to contribute to the field and the well-being of early childhood educators!
19. Graduate Researchers Showcase ECE Work Climate Study at OU Symposium
Graduate research assistants (Junghyun Min, Weiyi Cheng, and Sun Geun Kim) had the opportunity to present their research at Graduate & Postdoc Research and Scholarly Activity Day and deliver an oral presentation at the Graduate Student Symposium 2024 at the University of Oklahoma. Their study examined how the work climate in early childhood education (ECE) settings moderates the negative association between job demands and teacher-child conflict, highlighting that a supportive work environment can help teachers maintain positive relationships with children. This marks a significant milestone in their research journey- but this is just the beginning. Way to go, Happy Teacher Project team!
20. Dr. Brenda Lloyd-Jones Honored with 2023 Women of Color Lifetime Achievement Award
We are proud to announce that Dr. Brenda Lloyd-Jones received the 2023 Women of Color Lifetime Achievement Award at the Tulsa Women of Color Expo. Recognized for her academic excellence and community impact, Dr. Lloyd-Jones was honored for her dedication to education and social change. We are incredibly proud to have her as part of our team, where her leadership and passion continue to inspire both students and colleagues!
| Successful Completion of the Second Round of the Happy Teacher Wellness Program | |
We are pleased to report the successful completion of the second round of the Happy Teacher Wellness Program, which has once again garnered overwhelmingly positive feedback from participants. This initiative is a cornerstone of our commitment to a holistic approach to supporting the well-being of teachers and leaders, recognizing them as whole individuals beyond their professional roles. This year, both personally and professionally challenging, has underscored the value and comfort derived from our exceptional team and program participants. Despite the additional time and effort required by the program, the feedback indicates that participants found the experience profoundly worthwhile. A select group of participants was introduced to Tier 4 of the program, receiving comprehensive support, including Fitbit devices, wellness modules, coaching, access to a wellness room, extra staffing for breaks, and weekly deliveries of healthy snacks. The outcomes have been enlightening, showing significant benefits from these additional resources. Participant Feedback Highlight: One participant shared, "I loved being able to take actual breaks each day, thanks to the additional staff provided by the Happy Teacher Wellness Program. It was very relaxing, and I felt rejuvenated returning to the classroom. The wellness room offered a tranquil environment, and the healthy snacks introduced me to new options I’ve since added to my home. The additional support was beneficial for me and the children enjoyed the new interactions." Following the intervention, many participating centers have added similar resources, indicating a ripple effect toward a broader adoption of wellness practices in educational settings. We thank our incredible team, participants, and advocates for their dedication and support. Your contributions have been instrumental in the success of the Happy Teacher Wellness Program. As we look forward to another year, we remain committed to enhancing the support and resources available to educators, fostering a positive and healthy work environment for all. | |
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| Happy Teacher Project received an Award for Excellence in Transdisciplinary, Convergence Research and Research and Creative Activity Award! |
| The Happy Teacher Project received OU’s 2023 Vice President for Research and Partnerships Award for Excellence in Transdisciplinary, Convergent Research and Research and Creativity Award. Our team also has been selected for the Vice President for Research and Partnerships Annual Award for Excellence in Research Grants. Only one research team is selected per year at OU. This is a great honor and clear evidence of the success of team science. The leadership team was invited to Award Celebration Luncheon & Banquet and had a great time. I am so proud of our team! |
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| Happy OU Project CAMPISS received Research and Creative Activity Award! |
| Project CAMPISS was honored last April 18th at the OU Research and Creativity Awards. This fantastic team of Jeanine Rainbolt College of Education faculty, led by Kyong-Ah Kwon, aims to support OU students with child care and support services. Their work stands to transform the lives of families for years to come! Congratulations! |
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| Happy Teacher Project team presented at SRCD |
| Dr. Kwon and Dr. Jang along some graduate students attended Society of Research in Child Development (SRCD) at Salt Lake City March 23-25 and presented findings on the topic of a holistic view of personal and work-related factors for Early Care and Education (ECE) teacher turnover intent. |
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| Happy Teacher Project attended Early Childhood Workforce Well-Being Convening at Yale University |
| Dr. Kwon and Dr. Ford were honored to be invited by Drs. Walter Gilliam and Ayse Cobanoglu to the Early Childhood Workforce Well-Being Convening at Yale University last week along with nationally leading researchers and practitioners. The purpose of the Convening was to develop a shared vision for policy and research actions that support ECE workforce well-being. As Ayse said, "this is just the beginning, and this amazing network will continue to collaborate to impact research and policy to support the well-being of ECE professionals doing the heavy work in the field." We will work diligently to honor ECE teachers' critical work and improve their working conditions and well-being! Thank you teachers. |
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| Megan Spears won the Dean P. Kevin Rudeen Research Enhancement Award at the College of Allied Health Research Day |
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| Megan, one of the GRAs for the Happy Teacher Project presented the physical wellness part of the Happy Teacher Project and won the Dean P. Kevin Rudeen Research Enhancement Award at the College of Allied Health Research Day! This is an exciting accomplishment as a graduate student. Thanks for representing our team well, Meagan. Great mentorship, Jessica, Carolyn, and Ken! |
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| Introducing our incredibly awesome wellness coaches for the Happy Teacher Wellness Program. |
| We successfully finished pilot implementation of the Happy Teacher Wellness Intervention. We are grateful for positive feedback and look forward to a full implementation study in Head Start programs in Tulsa and OKC this spring and fall! Please let me know if your center is interested in participating. We have a dream team! |
Book Club Alert! Morning Gets Bettter with Dr. Sorrels. A Book Club with Trauma Sensitive Care for Infants, Toddlers, and Two-Year-Olds |
We all love Barbara Sorrels who is also on our Happy Teacher Project team. Her book just came out and we cannot help having a book club with her! Please join us. 1st Session (Chapter 1-7) 2/25/2023 9-10:30 AM CT 2nd Session (Chapter 8-13) 4/01/2023 9-10:30 AM CT |
| HTP Wellness Room |
It is not complete yet, but we worked hard to turn a closet into our first wellness room for the Happy Teacher Project today within 2 hours!! Don't all teachers deserve a space like this? Thanks, our amazing crew, Mia, Hanna Lee, Emma, and partners!! I wish you all were there to feel it firsthand! A quiet space you can rest and decompress with soothing music, aroma, images of nature, soft lighting, a comfy chair, water, and healthy snacks, etc. We will have fresh snacks delivered to them every week. Mia (interior design faculty on our team) said this should be a standard for any educational setting. I can't agree with her more. -Kyong-Ah, Kwon- |
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| Happy OU Project |
We are very pleased to announce that our Happy OU Project team received a grant of nearly 3 million dollars ($2,998,016 for 4 years) from the U.S. Department of Education to support our project entitled “OU Child Care Access Means Parents in School Program for Students’ Success”. This is an exciting opportunity for OU low-income student parents! We are not creating average on campus child care services--we dream big pursuing the best early childhood program that one can possibly imagine as a model university laboratory school. It includes well-trained, well-paid, and respected teachers, care for well-being of children, teachers, and families, beautiful and ergonomic work and learning environments, nature-based outdoor environments, Reggio-Inspired curriculum and culturally responsive practice, a place for building a sense of community, and well-equipped site for research, innovative practice, and cross-disciplinary collaboration! This proposal was developed by a team from the Jeanine Rainbolt College of Education at OU in partnership with the Institute of Child Development (ICD) at OU, other OU organizations, and community partners. As a part of the Happy OU Project Team led by Kyong-Ah Kwon (PI), the Cable Endowed Chair and Associate Professor; and including Dr. Courtney Dewhirst, Assistant Professor (Co-PI); Dr. Brittany Hott, Associate Professor and Associate Director of ICAST (Co-PI); Dr. Erin Casey, Associate Professor (Co-I), Dr. Diane Horm, GKFF Endowed Chair, Director of the Early Childhood Education Institute (ECEI), and Associate Director of ICAST (Co-I); and Ms. Becca Waggoner, Director of the ICD at OU. This project will provide OU low-income students with access to high quality, campus-based child care and wrap-around services (e.g., additional financial aid to cover educational costs, transportation costs, mental health services, tutoring and academic support, peer support groups, parenting workshops and support, free food and baby supplies). |
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| ACF Grant “Unpacking the Complex Story of Head Start Teacher Turnover: Patterns, Factors, Mechanisms, and Outcomes” | |
Our Happy Teacher Project team's proposal entitled “Unpacking the Complex Story of Head Start Teacher Turnover: Patterns, Factors, Mechanisms, and Outcomes” has been selected for funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (A total of $100,000 for the 18-month project). To address urgent concerns about the stability of the HS workforce, the purpose of the proposed project is to investigate patterns, factors, mechanisms, and outcomes of HS teacher turnover using advanced analytical techniques. This proposal was developed by a cross-campus OU Happy Teacher Project Team, led by Kyong-Ah Kwon (PI). The team includes a new Childhood Well-being cluster hire Dr. Wonkyung Jang, Assistant Professor in ILAC, Dr. Tim Ford, Associate Professor in the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies and Director of the Leadership and Policy Center for Thriving Schools and Communities (THRIVE), and Dr. Diane Horm, GKFF Endowed Chair in ILAC and Director of the Early Childhood Education Institute (ECEI), in collaboration with Dr. Noreen Yazejian and researchers at Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute at the University of North Carolina and her team as well as collaborators at Educare Learning Network. We would like to acknowledge several OU internal investments that supported the development of this team and proposal including: ECEI Seed Grant (funded by previous VPR funds), Faculty Investment Program (funded by the OVPR), and the Associate Vice President and Academic Affairs at OU-Tulsa, the recent OU cluster hire initiative, additional research support for Endowed Chairs, and support from the Departments, College, the ECEI, ORS, and Research Financial Services. We want to extend our gratitude for all support we are fortunate to have to make this happen! Our team also wants to extend a sincere gratitude to the Educare Learning Network and the FPG Educare National Evaluation Team for graciously granting access to unique and high-quality data collected over the past 16 years on the Educare teacher workforce, program characteristics, and child outcomes. We appreciate the tireless work and resources the Educare staff, leaders, evaluators, and funders invested to create this remarkable dataset that documents Educare practices that build on Head Start’s performance standards and contemporary research. We hope this collaborative study informs and makes a significant impact on practices and policies to support the early childhood teacher workforce, not only across Educare and Head Start but across the ECE field. | |
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Want to stay healthy and happy? Please join our new fun FB support group on Happy Teacher Project and Beyond! Any ECE teachers, teacher educators, researchers, and advocates can join, and you can invite your colleagues and friends.
Here are a few highlights of our Happy Teacher COVID-19 impact study (n=1,434 teachers in the U.S.). Early childhood teachers are committed and work hard to survive during the pandemic. However, we have some concerns about their health and well-being during COVID-19.
(1) 35% of early childhood teachers experience depressive symptoms.
(2) 76% of early childhood teachers are overweight or obese.
(3) #1 health-related concern during COVID-19 is “weight gain” and many worry about their sedentary behaviors and lack of physical activities.
(4) Almost 80% has ergonomic pain in at least one area of the body.
Our team decided to take an action! Here are three things we can do together through this mini project:
First, we want to start with a “150-minute workout challenge.” Be physically active (e.g., walking, yoga, dance, everything counts!) for 150 minutes every week. We will post a log every Saturday, and you will simply say you made it!
Second, we have an amazing lineup of leading researchers and experts who are willing to serve as your well-being coach and share their wisdom and tips with you. Feel free to ask any questions about your well-being, health, work environment, and work with children (e.g., your concern about children exposed to trauma). I will continue to add more experts, and you are also an expert!
- Drs. Ken Randall, Jessica Tsotsoros, & Carolyn Cheema (Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, & Physical Wellness)
- Dr. Susan Sisson & Adrien Malek-Lasater (Nutritional Science)
- Dr. Holly Hatton-Bowers (Mindfulness Training)
- Dr. Michael Baxter (Pediatrics—Child Maltreatment)
- Dr. Kyong-Ah Kwon, Dr. Lieny Jeon, & Dr. Diane Horm (Early Childhood Education & Child Development)
- Dr. Tim Ford (Educational Policy and Leadership)
- Professor Mia Kile & Dr. Natalie Ellis (Interior Design—healthy environmental design)
Third, we encourage you to feel free to share photos of your workout, weekend hiking, healthy meals, encouraging words for teachers, and anything to support and boost our minds and energy. Let us motivate and support each other to stay healthy and happy!
Dr. Ken Randall is here to show you some simple ways to beat Zoom neck and feel better. No matter how many meetings and classes you have.
Constructivist Virtual Teaching in a Fun and Meaningful Way
The early childhood education faculty at the University of Oklahoma-Tulsa and the Happy Teacher Project team, are hosting a webinar titled, “Constructivist Virtual Teaching in a Fun and Meaningful Way” for early childhood education teachers and professionals. This is a free event and open to the public. If you have any questions, please contact Dr. Kyong-Ah Kwon (kkwon@ou.edu) or Dr. Libby Ethridge (ethridge@ou.edu). Please join us and learn together!
Topic: OU Constructivist Virtual Teaching Webinar in Fun and Meaningful Ways for Early Childhood Teachers
Time: Feb 20, 2021 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM Central Time (US and Canada)
After you register here, you will receive a confirmation email with a Zoom link.
https://outeducation.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_a5bxzxx6cJjeneC
Building Equitable Futures for Oklahoma’s Children webinar series
Together, the Early Childhood Education Institute at OU-Tulsa (ECEI) and Oklahoma Partnership for School Readiness (OPSR) will present "Building Equitable Futures for Oklahoma's Children," a new three-month webinar series focused on early childhood research, initiatives, and policy.
The second webinar in the series will continue with "Investments in Teachers: Key to Quality Early Childhood Education, Child Well-Being and a Strong Economic Future" from 1-4 p.m., Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2020, featuring Kyong-Ah Kwon and Ken Randall from OU and Lynn Karoly with the RAND Corporation.
Please find more information and the link below to register.
https://okschoolreadiness.org/events/building-equitable-futures/presenters
The Impact of the Happy OU Project on Student Success
