Research that Benefits Children and Families—Uplifting Stories

 
In researching information that benefit children and families, I found a research study article about children's engagement in preschool and the development of self-regulation. This study was performed to examine the way children's engagement with teachers, peers, and tasks in the preschool classroom was related to their increase in self-regulation skills. Self-regulation is the ability to manage emotions, control behaviors, and focus attention. Increases in the children's compliance and cognitive control was due to their positive engagement with their teachers. Children's active and sustained engagement with classroom activities was connected with increases in their emotion management.

 

The mix of children's positive and pro-social engagement with teachers or peers and high task engagement or low negative classroom engagement was connected with greater gains in self-regulation. Researchers studied whether children's engagement in the classroom was connected to their development of self-regulation skills in a sample of low-income specifically Hispanic children, a group that has been greatly understudied. The total of participants were 341 children in 100 classrooms across a mass urban area of the southwestern U.S. The average age was a little less than four years old. There were fifty percent female, sixty seven percent Hispanic and the sample primarily low-income. Four children were chosen from each classroom to participate.

 

The findings showed that combinations of children's engagement with teachers, peers, and/or tasks was associated to their development of self-regulation skills. In particular positive engagement with teachers was related to increases in compliance and executive control. Researchers also discovered that children's active engagement in classroom activities was connected with increases in their emotion regulation skills. Children with positive teacher and task engagement showed increases in teacher reports of self-regulation.

 

Results showed as well that observing children's individual engagement in the preschool classroom, researchers can better understand ways to assist children in learning to focus attention manage emotions, and control behavior skills, that are important for future success in school and life. The research findings further support, the idea that children's engagement with other individuals and with classroom activities can aid development of self-regulation skills.

 

This was a great research study that was done by the Curry School of Education who is a part of The National Center for Research on Early Childhood Education (NCRECE) which is an Institute of Education Sciences (IES) funded, cross-university partnership (University of Virginia, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, and University of California at Los Angeles) that focuses on conducting research, disseminating research findings, and carrying out leadership activities aimed at improving the quality of early childhood education across the United States.

http://curry.virginia.edu/research/centers/castl/project/ncrece

Personal Research Journey

I have decided to research cultural diversity due to there being so much diversity in my local area. and I know that being that there is diversity I need to be open.
Cultural diversity in the classroom is very prevalent. I believe that learning to cultivate diversity is a challenge especially if you have children from several different cultures in your classroom. I feel that cultural diversity is a topic that should have significant research.
The subtopics I have chosen are “Ways to foster cultural diversity in the classroom”, “How to approach cultural diversity amongst preschool children”, and, “The influence of family of the cultural diversity in an early childhood program”.
Personally, I chose these topics due to I am concerned with ways to foster cultural diversity in the classroom since I do not speak another language. As I begin this process of research I plan to ensure I obtain reliable, quality and factual information. I also believe that researching will assist in how to better understand and be open to different cultures. I would appreciate any insights and information my colleagues would be able to provide. I am new to this journey and feel that any and all information that I am able to obtain would be greatly appreciated.   

Consequences of Learning about the International Early Childhood Field

In learning about international early childhood field, they face many of the challenges we face here in the United States. One of the consequences that I that I found very relatable was the issue of resources. They have corporate companies working to assist them with their resources. The public and private sectors join together to work on the issues that affect the early childhood sector by researching and evaluating programs. These are also consequences that affect the United States as well. The next consequences that is prevalent is the nutrition aspect of early childhood. The need for nutrition in international early childhood is very necessary. The children in early childhood programs need proper nutrition, and it is important that it is received through the breakfast and lunch programs. These nutritious meals are needed to help children grow and develop their minds. The third consequence is the need for the early childhood profession to be taken as a sector that is respected and considered to be of high standards.

One goal for the field of international early childhood education is to be an advocate for early childhood education. Early childhood professionals recognize the importance of being an advocate and promoting advocacy. It is important to be the voice for our children.