Rsearch Around The World

I chose the Early Childhood Australia website, some of the current research topics on the website are health and nutrition, practice and learning series for early childhood education in Australia.

Some surprising facts/insights/new ideas about early childhood that I gained form exploring the international website about Australia: Early childhood in Australia has been around since 1938, it advocates to ensure quality, social justice, and equity in all issues relating to the education and care of children between the ages of birth to eight years. Every young child is thriving and learning is the ECA’s vision. Australia future prosperity is linked to the collective investments that we make in all of our children’s development and the reason is when programs are improved; services that help children to be healthy and to receive a good education benefit everyone in the long run. The website has helpful information for parents like health and wellbeing info that consist of recipes, posters and safety tips.

I also found other information I found was interesting and that was the learning hub. I clicked on there to see what it was about and I saw it had educator’s resources some were free online courses while some have to be paid in order to take courses. The start early course tells how everyday behavior and attitudes shape a child’s relationship over their lifetime. ECA has a blog that is helpful as well and newsletters that have various information inside.

 

Research that Benefits Children and Families

                                                          Positive Parent-Child Relationships

When a child has a positive relationship with their parents it provides the basic foundation for children's learning. It also has a great effect on the child's overall development and well-being. Children will do better in school when they have positive relationships with parents because if they have a positive relationship the parents are involved more in their child's education. When parents have a warm, trusting, and reliable relationship with peers, family, community members, and service providers, they are more likely t have positive relationships with their children (2013). Having a positive parent-child relationship benefits not only the child but the parents and family members as well. I can remember a child I had in my class whose mother as a single mother and had no clue on what she needed to do for her child to be successful in school and life. She told me that it was the same way with her mother it was a cycle and she had to break it soon. After I gave her some avenues to help her and I spoke with her throughout the process she formed a better positive relationship with all her children. She told me that she was taking parenting classes, read to her children nightly, attended church weekly and did family movie nights. Her child improved tremendously after this happened. Last year I was told by her friend that she is in her second year of a radiology program in college. A story like this really is proof that the effects of research on children and families will lead to positive outcomes along with happy endings.

                                                                    Reference

Understanding Family Engagement Outcomes: Research to Practice Series. Positive Parent-Child Relationships. (2013). Retrieved from http://eclks.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/ha-system/family

Personal Research Journey

The topic I chose was Social Emotional Development and the reason I chose it is because since starting my career as a teacher I have come in contact with so many children with social-emotional problems. I find ways to help a child social emotional problems, I seek out help if needed for feedback on the issue. I also have partnered other children with children who is lacking in this area. I can recall a child I had before who didn't talk, play or interact with the other children. After speaking to parents I decided to partner the child with another child and soon the child who is lacking in the area began to interact with other children and talking more in class. We never know what children are dealing with at home and they bring those issues to school with them. I strive to find ways to improve children's thinking skills and social emotional skills. Over the next 6 weeks I will be researching this topic more to get a better understanding of it and finding ways to improve a child's social emotional skills so they can lead successful productive lives.