AN EXAMPLE OF THE IMPORTANCE OF RESEARCH IN THE EARLY CHILDHOOD FIELD OF EDUCATION

Personally and professionally, the importance of research being conducted as well as having access to this research is really important.  As a licensed child care educator since June, 1990, I have seen many changes in both the licensing standards/regulations as well as what is expected of the child care field professionally.  I have also learned how important it is to view situations from a variety of viewpoints as well as being a neutral third-party when it is needed.  It is very important to keep our minds open in order to learn a greater variety of tools which can be used personally, professionally, and in a local context.  In order for me to run a high-quality child care it is important for me to understand and keep myself apprised of the newest research as well as the conclusions this research has found.  Research, in my opinion, is one of the greatest tools I have available to me.

Further understanding of tools such as awareness viewpoints are beneficial in many situations, including but not limited to, situations working with families, when conducting research, and when advocating.  Becoming aware of factors such as the importance of respecting that each student and their family have a culture that is to be valued and affirmed; allowing students and families to fully participate in the educational process – keep communication open in both directions; reflection periodically on our own definition of diversity and educating ourselves in any areas in which we, as educators, need more information in, are also very important (Salend, 2008).

As I have written in previous assignments, there is no doubt how important the early years are to children’s lives. A positive beginning to life means a positive foundation for future development, health and general well-being throughout a child’s life. However, policy and practice in early education and care still lacks focus in many areas of the United States as well as Internationally (Elliott, 2006).

Quality/effectiveness as it relates to early childhood programs, regardless of the programs being center-based, family home based, nursery school, or learning centers, require the same components to be present in order to be considered as a quality/effective program. Examples of what a quality/effective program should include are, but not limited to: The relationship between the educator and the child; a rich curriculum; and the presence of a responsive/well-educated staff/educator-child ratios.

Research has shown the ongoing relationship which the educator has developed with each of the children is very important to the child’s learning. Research on brain development of young children, according to Galinsky (2006), shows that human relationships are the building blocks of human development (Galinsky, 2006). High-quality programs place an emphasis a curriculum with a focus on language; emergent literacy; early mathematics skills; motor; social/emotional development; health; nutrition; structured/unstructured play; and a curriculum which allows for the involvement of parents/guardians in the curriculum itself as well as educational opportunities for the parents/guardians (Olson, 2005). High-quality early learning programs will be the strongest if the educator-child ratios allow for the best responsiveness/sensitivity to the children. Recommendations by the National Research Council include assigning at least one educator with a minimum bachelor’s degree and specialized education in early childhood to each group of children (Olson, 2005). The preparation and compensation of educators is also very important (Olson, 2005).  These components should include focuses (as referenced above) on a combination of nurturing relationships, a focus on the children’s health and safety, and making sure a developmentally-appropriate curriculum is provided for all of the children’s developmental needs regardless of their abilities.

Plainly speaking, without research, none of these facts would be known.  In the long-run this helps all of us in one capacity or another.  But it is our job to make sure the research we are basing our decisions on has been done both ethically and has met the proper standards.

Reference

Galinsky, E. (2006). The economic benefits of high quality preschool: What makes the difference? Retrieved from http://familiesandwork.org/site/research/reports/ced.pdf

Olson, L. (2005). Early childhood education: Investing in quality makes sense. Research Points, 3(2). Retrieved from http://www.aera.net/uploadedFiles/Journals_and_Publications/Research_Points/RPFall05 .pdf

Salend, S. J. (2008). Creating inclusive classrooms: effective and reflective practices. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Merrill Prentice Hall.

MY PERSONAL RESEARCH JOURNEY

First I wanted to start off with letting everyone know how happy I am to be working/learning with everyone.  These past two weeks have been full of so much information and advice that I am really looking forward to seeing where the next six weeks bring.

My chosen topic for this research simulation is poverty and its affect on a child’s cognitive development.  Specifically, what are the affects of a child’s home environment which falls into the socio-economic level considered at or below the poverty line when said children are all in a high quality early childhood learning environment at least part time?  This topic and question were chosen as the effects of poverty involve a complex amount of risk factors which can/will adversely affect the community population in many ways.  According to Jensen (2009), there are four primary risk factors which afflict families who are living in poverty.  The risk factors are:  emotional and social challenges; acute and chronic stressors; cognitive lags; and health and safety issues.  These risk factors can and do make everyday living a struggle for individuals in poverty.  Each of these factors builds and plays off one another.  Which simply stated means one problem created by poverty contributes to another problem, which in turn contributes to another? 

During a previous class taken (Issues and Trends in the Early Childhood Field) the issue of poverty was studied.  As I was doing research for this issue, it became apparent to me that I needed to research more about this particular issue within my own community and see what its affects are on the children I work with in my child care.  Working in the child care field for the last twenty-two years has given me some insight as to the state of poverty in my town as well as the surrounding areas as I work with different programs and families.  My work has also exposed me to various programs which are present to assist those in need.  However, through researching the subject of poverty in a more in-depth manner, I have gained the knowledge of just how many programs are in my community as well as the different types of poverty in general.  Now it is important for me, both professionally and personally, to bring my knowledge to the next level in order to improve the quality of my child care.  I am expecting a very informative learning experience now and in the future.

Working on this particular research simulation so far has been very interesting.  I love how everything is broken down into little sections in order to better understand the process of conducting research.  I sometimes forget that the process can be broken down in order to save so much time in the future.  I personally struggle with taking a topic and finding a way to narrow it down into a subject that is not too broad of a subject.  I tend to start big and use unnecessary time in order to narrow the topic down to a specific question which needs to be researched.

If anyone has any ideas or advice on narrowing topics down, I would appreciate the input. 

Good luck to everyone!  Once again I am happy to be working/learning with everyone.

Reference

Jensen, E. (2009). Teaching with poverty in mind: what being poor does to kids' brains and what schools can do about it. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.