Research Around the World

I read about research which has been conducted on different settings of staying and playing or playing and chatting in reference to supported playgroups.  The two different environments have been furthered studied between Australian supported playgroups and English Parent-Toddler groups.  The main focus was on parents talking and the children playing.  It has information examining the similarities of how service models function (Needham & Jackson, 2012).

A study was done in Dutch daycare centers to examine how friendships are developed and what factors have the greatest impact.  The two- and three- year-olds tend to develop friendships with other children which were the same gender including age.  The cultural background had no noticable effect on the friendship developed between the children.  The major effect on friendships and young children was when children attended the program part-time.  It created an environment which is unpredictable.  The information provided in this study suggests that cultural diversity is not an issue for young children to make friends (van Hoogdolem, Singer, Wijingaards & Heesbeen, 2012).

The article focused on the negative perspective pre-school and kimdergarten teachers have on mathematics.  A survey was given to pre-school and kindergarten teachers.  The results showed that an active and  constructive way to learning mathematics was accepted.  The pre-school and kindergarten teachers suggested that their service training needs to have more in-depth insights to teaching including learning mathematics (Benz, 2012).

I found the study about young children developing friendships was eye opening.  Many of my education classes stress cultural diversity.  Young children do not see different cultures.  Young children do not have an issue making friends with other children which have a different background.  They prefer to play with other children which are the same age and same gender.  The techniques I have learned to make children more comfortable in the classroom would not effect the child making friends.  The families as a whole may feel more comfortable displaying different items from their culture.  It may be that displaying culture items from different cultures will make the families more comfortable allowing their child to be educated in our school. 







This is a wonderful resource for my future plans in opening my own school.  I will be able to join as a partner and be able to develop an exchange program.  There could be research opportunities within the collaboration with European Early Childhood Education Research Association (EECERA).  The Korea Institute of Child Care and Education has a link.  They have an issue with parents preferring to raise their children in a childcare facility.  In Korea, they also face the concern of parents not having the options to raise their child at home.  The population which does receive a childcare stipend prefers to use the childcare facility to raise their children.  Even in Korea, salaries effect their society from raising their children at home.  I am looking into becoming a member where I would have full access to all the journals.

www. eecera.org

References

Benz, C. (2012).  Maths is not dangerous- Attitudes of people working in German kindergarten about mathematics in kindergarten. European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 20(2), 249-261.  doi:  10.1080/1350293X.2012.681131

van Hoogdalem, A., Singer, E., Wijngaards, L. & Heesbeen, D. (2012).  The role of familiarity and similarity in friendship relationships in toddlers in Dutch daycare centers. European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 20(2), 189-204.  doi:  10.1080/1350293X.2012.681134

Needham, M. & Jackson, D. (2012).  Stay and play or play and chat; comparing roles and purposes in case studies of English and Australian supported playgroups.  European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 20(2), 163-176, doi:  10.1080/1350293X.2012.681133





"It takes a village to raise a child." -African Proverb-

Research that Benefits Children and Families- Uplifting Stories

One of the families I have the pleasure to assist participated in a six month study for young children on the autism spectrum.  The study took place in a pre-school setting.  The parents were very pleased with the results of the study.  Their child demonstrated minimal skills compared to his typically developing peers.

The family was extremely concerned about the well-being of their child in a pre-school setting.  By the end of the six month study, the child was demonstrating many age-appropriate skills in order to socialize and succeed academically.  The parents noticed a huge difference in their child.  Several months later, the family followed up with Kennedy Krieger Institute Center for Autism and Related Disorders (CARD) as part of the study.

The parents expressed that they would not be able to teach their child the skills they learned through the Kennedy Krieger Institute (CARD).  They were grateful the study existed and their child has able to participate.  The child's parents were encouraged due to the child developing the essential skills in order to reach their full potential from participation in the program study.  The six month research project helped families with young children on the autism spectrum  learn skills which will assist them in reaching their full potential in a pre-school setting.

www.kennedykrieger.org





"It takes a village to raise a child." -African Proverb-

My Personal Research Journey

The general topic I chose is assisting young children with special needs reach their full potential.  I broke my general topic down to co-teaching opportunities for early intervention specialists and early childhood professionals; behavioral concerns in the classroom; and behavioral concerns in the home environment.  Many of my families are exasperated finding techniques to handle behavioral challenges of their young children with unique needs.  Families have little options which result in medication management to deal with the increasing concerns with behavior.  Personally, behavioral issues in young children with unique needs is close to my heart due to the fact my youngest son has unique needs where his behavior can be very challenging.  I am fortunate that he does not require medication management in order to function.  More families need more options to handle behavior challenges in young children with unique needs.

Now that I have taken the beginning steps to research, I have learned there are quite a few additional steps which must be taken before data collection can begin.  The Ethics Committee at Walden University has approved the research, it is essential to map out the timeline.  Whether I chose the qualitative approach or quantitative approach, unpredictable factors can occur.  If I chose quantitative approach to collecting data,  I must collect the approvals from the directors of the facilities in order to interview the teachers or staff.  I realize it is wise for me to allow for unpredictable circumstances with the research in my timeline.

Colleagues, do you have any additional resources about young children with unique needs and behavioral concerns identified in the classroom or home environment?

"It takes a village to raise a child." -African Proverb-