Positive Example of the Effects of Research on Children and/or Families

The Head Start PFCE Framework is an organizational guide for collaboration among families and Head Start and Early Head Start programs, staff, and community service providers to promote positive, enduring outcomes for children and families. (NCPFCE, 2013)

Working for an Early Head Start (EHS) program has showed me the benefits of building relationships.  Head Start offers a unique whole child/whole family program design coupled with a delivery system that includes local programs, national standards, monitoring, professional development, and family engagement (NHSA, 2020). Through child development research we can create prevention, health education, and intervention programs, help communities plan for services for children and their families, and determine what additional research studies are needed (CDC, 2020). Looking at the criteria that meets child development research and the goal of Head Start I can see how research benefits children and families.

Head Start programs are a resource for the community. These programs help build and encourage positive- parent child relationships.  Working toward Positive Parent-Child Relationships Outcome, providers and programs can 1) provide emotional and concrete support to parents, 2) respect diverse parenting styles, 3) value cultural differences and home languages, 4)  reinforce the importance of fathers and other co- parents, 5)  help parents connect with other parents and community members and resources, and 6) model warm, responsive relationships by engaging in these relationships with parents and other family members (NCPFCE, 2013).

Since August I have seen parents become more confident in being an advocate for their child. Parents have formed relationship with other parents and been support for one another. Through the modeling of positive relationships, children are then able to build relationships with their peers. Research shows that when families are isolated, lack resources, and live with greater stress and instability, the risk of negative child health and behavioral outcomes is higher. Children’s development can be thrown off track when parents are highly stressed or lack social support, or when they see their child’s temperament as difficult (NCPFCE, 2013).  With the current pandemic many Head Start programs in my area are still trying hard to ensure families have the resources and support they need.

References

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2020). Child Development Research. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/childdevelopment/research.html  

The National Center on Parent, Family, and Community Engagement. (2013). Positive Parent-Child Relationships. Retrieved from https://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/pdf/rtp-parent-child-relationships.pdf

NHSA Why Head Start. (2020). Retrieved from https://www.nhsa.org/why-head-start/why-it-matters

My Personal Research Journey

The development of young children is an important goal to me. Children need safe and caring environments but sometimes that isn’t always the case. I currently work for an Early Head Start program which serves low-income families and sometimes these children and families come with trauma. Trying to help these children and families cope and overcome their trauma sometimes can be overwhelming. In turn behavior guidance has become a new focus for me. According to Teachstone behavior guidance is how teachers support children’s positive behaviors, help children understand classroom expectations, and manage classrooms in a way that enables children to develop self-regulation skills and actively participate in classroom activities.

Through the help of a new understanding of quality research, I used NAEYC articles to help guide me with finding information to help with positive guidance. “Young children benefit when teachers and families establish healthy partnerships and define common goals for children. (Isik-Ercan, 2017). When it comes to behavior guidance, I think modeling becomes a great way for children to understand acceptable behavior.

Behavior guidance allows requires me to understand developmentally appropriate behaviors. In order to make decisions about the well-being and education of children based on child development and learning; individual characteristics/ experiences; and social and cultural contexts (NAEYC, 2009). Once understood about developmentally appropriate behaviors then behavior guidance can be accomplished through regulating feelings and developing assertiveness and communications strategies.

I plan on continuing to research more on this topic and I work with two-year-old who are turning three and are developing rapidly and showing new behaviors that may sometimes seem challenging but are age appropriate.

I found this video that shares a little more insight on behavior guidance. I think this is a great program they have implemented. 

References

Crump, S. (2016). Toddler’s “Behavior Guidance” & Pre-K’s “Behavior Management”: They're Like a PB&J Sandwich. Teachstone. Retrieved from https://info.teachstone.com/blog/class-pre-k-toddler-behavior-guidance-management-comparison

Isik-Ercan, Z. (2017). Culturally Appropriate Positive Guidance with Young Children. NAEYC. Retrieved from https://www.naeyc.org/resources/pubs/yc/mar2017/culturally-appropriate-positive-guidance

Ormondroyd, J., Engle, E., & Cosgrave, T. (2011). Critically analyzing information sources. Cornell University Library. Retrieved from https://olinuris.library.cornell.edu/content/critically-analyzing-information-sources

YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZZQAOiq5eo

Change, Contexts, Consequences, Constants

https://twitter.com/UNICEFUSA/status/1179502822884347904

Three consequences of learning about the international early childhood field is learning about poverty, violence, and lack education. Researching organizations such as UNICEF discusses the difficulties in other countries on receiving basic needs. Families in Central America have some migrant children trying to escape poverty. When children and families have to worry about to their basic needs will be met education does not always become a priority.

UNICEF says “We won’t stop working for every child”. I think we need to support goals such as this because children don’t always get to make choices the adults around them do.

References

https://www.unicefusa.org/

"Be the change you want to see in the world"- Mahatma Gandhi

Thank you to all my colleagues, keeping making a difference.