The final questions

Throughout this course, I have come to better understand the versatility of research. I didn't realize until this week how many different options researchers have when development research questions. Even when thinking about the process of developing research, I never knew how simple it can be to design a study just by thinking about if you would rather highlight a relationship between different variables or if you would like to define the correlations between variables. 

After this course I can honestly say that the process of research does not scare me as much! With my new knowledge of the different types of research, as well as the various components, I realize that the process is much more fluid than I previously thought. So many aspects of research design are so closely connected, such as ethical implications, extraneous variables, and limitations, that the process isn't nearly as complicated as I once thought.

I have also come to learn that if taking a step-by-step approach to designing research, the process flows quite smoothly. The research simulation outlines each week were an incredible tool at teaching this concept. Thinking about these very outlines, I found that one major challenge was not only thinking about each component as an individual piece, but as a unit of the whole picture. Each week as I planned my outline, I made to sure reference the previous weeks outlines- looking at each together and envisioning the larger ideas embedded within my study. 

Overall, I have gained an even stronger view of early childhood professionals as researchers. Each and every day a professional interacts with a child, we are constantly thinking of the observations we make, the data that are collected, and the steps we can take forward using our new knowledge of the child's behavior, interaction, expression, etc. Although this field is driven by human nature, it is supported in full by the scientific process of research. Without consistent units of study, we would never fully understand the value of our interactions, and in turn would never find ways to increase the productivity of support we provide to children, families, and the communities they live within.

International Research

According to the Early Childhood Development Virtual University, there are several key issues present across the globe. Specifically in Sub-Saharan Africa researchers are focusing on issues related to relationships between young children and both their families and their communities. When browsing the provided research through the ECDVU website, I found that many of the topics, though the details were specific to Sub-Saharan Africa, were topics that are discussed across the globe. Some of these topics related to parent-child relationships, others were related to how school professionals can improve their practice to better meet the needs of the children and their communities. Within the many different research studies available to the public through this organization, I found it particularly helpful to find that several of the studies provided clear outlines of the resources available to parents and early childhood professionals alike. One of the key studies available was simply an outline of several of the organizations available in Uganda that help support the general well-fare of children.

How research shapes us

As I’ve thought of this week’s blog prompt, I realized that I could think of many different instances where I have personally seen research benefit children and families in great capacities. Most of these connections, though, stem from my experience working as a special education teacher with children spanning across ages 2-7.

Were those clear benefits seen in special education the only one that’s I knew of?  I had to really think about the different connections that exist between research and the early care and education field. The base of everything revolves around what we know about children, and adults for that matter. Research is the very tool that tells us how, why, and in what ways children grow. Each and every time I interact with a child, or a parent, I think of what I know about the science behind a person’s physical, emotional, social, and behavioral development. I know that when I meet a 2 year old, I will alter my interactions with them differently than I would if I was interacting with a 7 year old.

This fall I was fortunate enough o attend a Columbia Teacher’s College Saturday Reunion. During the day’s workshops, I met a teacher from an inner city elementary school. She was telling me how her school was struggling to meet the needs of their youngest readers. Most of her students were not meeting their benchmark standards in reading, and she was beginning to get frustrated. After researching available resources in her community, she had learned more about the Reading and Writing Project. She spent time reading the different publications and studies produced by Lucie Calkins and her team at TC. After this teacher learned more about the evidence behind the practice, she determined that the Reading and Writing Project would help to support the needs of her students. She developed a clear map of how she would implement the curriculum, and performed a self-study and application of the curriculum in her classroom. After a trial period, she presented her principal with her findings of successful growth in her students through implementation of the Reading and Writing Project. She now has helped to guide the curriculum in her school to better meet the needs of all grade levels. The research she conducted help to support an entire community of learners.

Checking in: my simulation challenge

For my research topic this time around I have chosen to focus on the connection between NJ state curriculum regulations and the social emotional growth of children in kindergarten through second grade. Something that I have been having a hard time with, though, is the process of narrowing my research simulation topic into a more specific research question. 

I want to examine the number of required hours teachers must spend teaching social studies and general social skills as stated by the New Jersey Common Core Standards. From the examination of the required timing, I would like to look further into how schools are actually implementing the required curriculum, as well as the growth of the students in social-emotional development as stated through social-emotional evaluations. If this topic is specific enough, I’d begin to look into the different assessments that could be used to measure social-emotional growth. I think that the process of narrowing my topic is especially challenging since I won’t actually be conducting the study. I have a tendency to learn best through experience. 

One of the reasons that I’m leaning towards this particular topic is that it is one that plagues my every day. As a first grade teacher, I am finding less and less time to provide my children with opportunities to grow as people, not just learners. I would like to know if I am in the same situation as most other teachers in my state, or if there are some teachers that are having drastically different experiences.

Research Around the World

Throughout the past few months, each course I have taken at Walden University has pushed me to grow my cultural competence. Working with young children requires the act of accepting the differences; no matter where we see them. As a young adult, I have also been spending a great deal of time supporting my own growth as I strengthen my abilities to advocate on behalf of both children and their families as well as for my own self. Since I love to travel, I always wonder what my life would be like in a new place- whether it's a state in the U.S. or a foreign country. When given the option to learn more about the Australian equivalent to NAEYC, Early Childhood Australia definitely caught my attention.

As I began to explore ECA's website at http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/ I was reminded very much of NAEYC's webpage: it is visually inviting, and organized to share resources with families and professionals, as well as easy access to information and newsletters. Yet, it did seem as though ECA publishes more print and collaborative journals and newsletters than I am familiar with seeing in the U.S. Along with having more options of resources for families and professionals to peruse, ECA provides clear access to information being published and shared through a nation wide initiative called Kids Matter.This initiative is designed to advocate for and educate the public on children's mental and emotional health. Kids Matter shares tools such as a "programs guide summary" which allows families to search for available early care and education programs to enroll their children in based on a number of very specific qualities.

After making this discovery, I began to realize that this model of support and accessibility for families and professionals is so similar to the desire to provide those resources to families in the United States. On the ECA's website I was able to locate several resources available on topics such as ethics in the field, separation anxiety, and school transitions. These topics are all familiar to the topics we discuss every day in the United States. What seems to be the case is that Australia is one step ahead as we are in the U.S. As I think about it, it makes me excited to know that there others around the world that share such a common goal. As Australia shows more connectivity between the various dimensions of supporting young children and their families, we in the U.S. can continue to strengthen our relationship with our international colleagues, all while gaining bright new ideas on how we can continue to improve our access to appropriate supports for our children. 

Working with families affected by disabilities has given me countless experiences that allow me to see the positive effects that research has on the early education field.  As the early intervention field continue to evolve, practitioners must be able to seek proven intervention methods for the diverse children they work with. As a toddler teacher, I found myself often working closely with early interventionists. With one particular case, I began working closely with a developmental psychologist. This professional introduced me to several techniques she commonly uses to not only support children's developmental growth, but  also to support the growth of families' interactions with their children. During our time working together, I was able to see the direct impact that the research based intervention DIR-Floortime. This intervention is one that is increasingly used with individuals with ASD. The approach utilizes a development approach that allows for growth in all areas of development. Currently, research on DIR-Floortime has been conducted in several countries, and consistently shows that the approach increases children's emotional skills. With a therapy such as this,  it is essential that research continues in order to share the findings of either the success or challengers of the therapy so that more families will be able to utilize it.

Kindergarten Readiness Standards

With so much attention focusing on national improvements to access to preschool and prekindergarten, I often find myself weary of how school readiness standards are being interpreted. The topic I chose to study for a research simulation is that of the process of creating the kindergarten readiness standards that are being accessed across the nation. I am hoping to learn more about how certain programs and school districts are interpreting standards, and integrating them into their curriculums. I hope to find that most interpretations include a whole-child approach, taking community and family development into account. As I enter the role of pre-k teacher in suburban public district, I am hoping that I will have new resources to share with my families and colleagues. I also hope to gain insight as to how I can further prepare the children in my class for kindergarten, still while providing them with ample opportunity to develop their social and emotional skills.

  

          In the 2009 issue of NAEYC’s Where We Stand, the organization outlines a well-balanced framework for schools and early education programs to follow when developing their kindergarten readiness standards. The publication highlights the need to assure access to readiness supports for all families, as well as taking cultural differences into account when developing these standards and experiences. For more information visit: https://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/Readiness.pdf

Consequences & Goal

Awareness of the many organizations available to utilize as resources

I can continue to grow as an advocate for many causes, thanks to the many

new outlets of information that I have become aware of, such as: The National Center for Children in Poverty, UNICEF, and the Children's Defense Fund.

Restored faith of the efforts of improving quality of life of children across the globe

I feel as though I have been sheltered from many of the beautiful efforts set forth in foreign countries, as I have still just begun to learn of efforts in my own country. I have now been exposed to stories of success, research based data, and many other concrete pieces of evidence that have shone a light on progress of Early Childhood Education throughout many parts of the world.

My previous assumptions of the general qualities necessary for obtaining a status of “excellence” in early care and education hold true to several standards set forth by certain researchers and policy makers

I have spent the past several years believing in the power of a well rounded basis of education incorporating both physical experiences with knowledge of child development and EC pedagogy. This particular criterion of holding a sound higher education foundation is one that is believes the play a major role in quality of care and education, especially when building relationships and foundations of language.

Goal

Something that I have always thought of as a distant possibility is the idea of traveling abroad and dedicating my work to global early childhood development. Over the course of the past eight weeks, I have begun to realize how many opportunities there are to become involved in global work. Now, although the possibility is not more near in my future, I realize that I have options to begin my journey. Several organizations design short term trips to gain a hands-on-experience working to support growth in early care and development systems in impoverished countries. I am setting a goal for myself to be accomplished within the next 10 years to spend at least two weeks working with a developing EC program, whether education based or family & community based.