Perceptions of mothers of preschool children in Qatar regarding developmentally appropriate programs for their children

This study was designed to investigate the perceptions of mothers in Qatar regarding developmentally appropriate programs and practices for the education of their young children. A survey was used to address the research questions. Five-hundred-thirty-five mothers of children in the Qatari private preschools in the city of Doha were randomly selected to complete the developed questionnaire. The response rate was 96 percent. Mothers' perceptions of the established curriculum in Qatar were investigated regarding curriculum goals and content, teaching strategies, and teachers' roles. The study also investigated mothers' perceptions regarding the purpose of preschool education, the cognitive developmental status of preschool children, and the appropriate roles of mothers in their children's education. Descriptive statistics and analysis of variance were used to test the hypotheses generated from the research questions.;The findings indicated that mothers who participated in this study had a common Islamic religion and cultural background. The child's enrollment status, mother's educational level, nationality, and occupation, however, did not reveal any noteworthy differences, nor were such factors related to mothers' perceptions regarding their children's education.;The study also found that these mothers of preschool children viewed selected aspects of both the traditional and the developmental approaches as important; thus, it is suggested that both approaches be represented in the established preschool curriculum mandated by the Ministry of Education. The elements selected, however, must be chosen carefully, and the focus must remain on the best developmental interests of the children.