Uplifting Research Outcomes--Benefits to Families

I have been a supporter of stem cell research for quite some time.  Nearly eight years ago, the son of a friend of mine was diagnosed with Batten Disease.  Batten Disease is an autosomal recessive (needing the defective, recessive genes of both parents), neurodegenerative condition, which is not preventable or curable at this time.  Batten Disease is diagnosed in childhood and follows a typical progression of mental impairment, worsening seizures, and a progressive loss of sight and motor skills.  At age 5, my friend’s son was unable to be potty trained, and was considered legally blind.  He suffered tremendous social-emotional delays and struggled tremendously as changes were occurring so frequently, he had little time or ability to process them.  He was eventually enrolled in a special needs school where he did well, and he currently attends public school in his town and does well there, but the family’s life will never be easy.  He just celebrated his tenth birthday, but his condition has continued to worsen and odds are he will never become a teenager.  There are several research projects underway to attempt to learn more about the characteristics of the disease, whether or not it can be detected through prenatal screenings, improved treatments, and hopefully an eventual cure.  (www.bdsra.org)

Research projects have helped countless families battling seemingly insurmountable odds.  One such organization, of which I am a member is ViaCord.  Their research involves the stem cells collected from the umbilical cords of newborns.  Currently, their initiatives have shown benefit in the treatment possibilities for eighty known diseases.  This is double the potential of only three years ago.  While the topic of stem cell research can rouse many feelings and opinions, I feel as though the possibility of aiding in the treatment of a multitude of life-threatening conditions makes it highly valuable.  (www.viacord.com)

Both of these organizations provide countless stories and testimonials by families who have direct experience with medical research involving children and families.   It is through the sharing of stories, continued research proposals, and humans in need that great discoveries are made.  The insatiable quest for knowledge,  rigorous ethics standards and continuous collaboration of researchers and governmental organizations across the globe allows us to reap many of the benefits we take for granted today.  I hope that my story has, at the very least, invoked an appreciation for the efforts of researchers and given you yet another lens through which to view the bigger picture.

Narrowing it Down

After further contemplating my proposed research topics for the next several weeks, I have chosen to study the correlation between negative classroom behaviors and the amount of physical outlets of energy provided during the typical care/school day.  In conjunction with the knowledge that hands-on exploratory experiences are often the most well absorbed in regards to learning and the theory that children need at least an hour of physical activity built into their days, I believe that the rise in a more “structured” day without the outlet for physical energy has caused an increase in negative behaviors among young children.  It is my thought that as we struggle to attain high national expectations regarding education these days, we have taken away so many of the practices that work best when teaching children.  It is my hope to bring the natural, hands-on element back into the classroom, which should reduce stress levels for instructors, children, and their families, and also allow for greater absorption of required material by learners. 

By studying the correlation between behavior and physical expression, I hope to provide a base line for further research on the topics.  My study will be more broad-based, which can eventually lead to a dissection of behaviors among narrower age groups.   Further studies can also included the home and community elements regarding physical experiences outside of the school day. 

In the short time I have been completing this simulation, I have already encountered some roadblocks, including the amount of material available for study, deciphering between worthy sources, and digging deep to figure out what I hope to gain from my experiences and trials.  I enjoy the research process, but have always had a difficult time limiting myself, as I tend to want to include as much as possible.  I foresee this as being one of the greatest challenges for me.  I am excited to learn how others view my proposals and hope to learn a great deal from everyone’s experiences.  I look forward to working constructively with others to strengthen our research methodology and take greater strides toward improving early childhood efforts.

Research as the next step

As I take the next step in my journey, I want to wish all of my colleagues the best of luck.  Increasing the effectiveness of my research strategies is something that I look forward to.  I also hope to be able to utilize my background in the Biological Sciences to aid others on their quest.  I am hoping that not only will this new knowledge help me to become more successful in my profession, but also will allow me to better serve the children and families I have and will become privileged to work with.

Final Thoughts...for now.

I knew that studying current Issues and Trends in the field of Early Childhood would be fulfilling, but I never would have guessed the roller coaster of emotions I have felt during this course, how much new knowledge I have gained, and how conflicted I would find myself as I pushed deeper and deeper into each issue.

The concept of developing international contacts was one that I likely would not have attempted on my own.  It was a struggle, but I can say that I am pleased with the outcome.  First off, simply determining who I wished to contact seemed difficult, but once I began making contacts, the choices were made for me.  I was surprised to see just how many people from a wide variety of countries were interested in also making contact with me.  The greatest struggle is in the waiting to hear from the other professionals, even in this day and age of superior technology.

The discoveries I made internationally were quite interesting.  While many of us share the same set of values and goals for the field, we also are up against many of the same roadblocks.  It is refreshing and disheartening all the same.  Most of all, it is unsettling to know that while we all understand that we must build up the next generation if we are ever to sustain our nations, they are the first to face hardship, cutbacks, and misrepresentation among politician and big business in most industrialized nations. 

I was also quite challenged by the notion that while Puerto Rico is a U.S. territory, they are living an extremely different life on the island.  While it can be understood that they may not receive full representation within our country, I never would have believed the disparity of aid they do receive from us, even though some of it seems to be at the will of their own individual government.

I hope to maintain and strengthen the contacts I have made in hopes that a continued sharing of information will lead, not only to a greater understanding of global early childhood issues, but also in a greater ability for all parties to feel more comfortable sharing their concerns.  Perhaps if we all placed the same value system to our own professional development that we expect of the children and families we work with, we will be able to establish an open forum for creating the change in the field of early childhood that is so desperately needed.

I wish each and every one of my colleagues and professional connections nothing but the best in their quest to improve themselves, the field, and the lives of children and families.

Words from Around the World

I never thought that my experience reaching out internationally would be so difficult yet rewarding all at the same time.  Although I never had a “pen pal” as a child, I can now imagine the anticipation of waiting for the next letter.  I check my email and message center feverishly in hopes of more information.  This week had some highs and lows.  I did finally receive a brief response from my contact in Puerto Rico regarding poverty struggles, and managed to make two new connections, which added two more countries to the mix.  I have now made contact with representatives of Puerto Rico, Australia, Bangladesh, Nepal, Nigeria, Scotland, and two other American women who have seen great success in the field.  Unfortunately, it is not always easy getting a fluent conversation going across the miles. 

While I still hope to get responses from those I reached out to, I will share a few tidbits of what previous responses have offered me.

In Puerto Rico, my contact reiterated that conditions are bleak for many of their residents.  Their struggle lies furthermore, in the fact that due to they are a territory of the United States their representation is different.  Global agencies working with the US do not always consider the unique needs of Puerto Rico or even provide services to them because of their status.  While they do receive some federal and local governmental support, they must also rely heavily on citizen driven, non-profit, volunteer workforces or NGO’s (non-governmental organizations).

In Australia, my contact wholeheartedly believes in the ELYF (Early Learning Years Framework) under which they currently operate, but fears the day that big business and political concerns overshadow the field resulting in big changes.   Due to their ELYF implementation , they were able to reduce teacher: child ratios and prioritize early care quality over profits.  She inferred that if the government there ever removed the current system in favor of one that took away some of the beneficial, family/child oriented policies, that would be the day that she closed her doors for good and walked away.  While I can guess from her passion that this would not actually be the case, I can relate to her frustration and comforted a bit by the fact that we share many of the same struggles.   

Opening the Treasure Chest of Information

I have mentioned the NIEER.org website many times, for many reasons.  It is an incredible resource for early childhood information due to it’s current information on the relevant issues in the field today.  As our research this week and last took us down the path toward removing the barriers between children, families, and quality care, I found myself reaching into the NIEER treasure chest yet again.  

The NIEER site has a section dedicated specifically to “ACCESS”.  Additionally they have sections dedicated to other similar issues such as, ECONOMICS AND FINANCE, GOVERNANCE AND ACCOUNTABILITY, STATE PROGRAMS, AND UNIVERSAL AND TARGETED, among others.  Within these sections I was able to find an incredibly intriguing article written by NIEER Senior Fellow Jim Squires entitled, Promoting a Culture of Inclusion for Birth-Third Grade Systems within State and Local Education Agencies.   His discussion aids in the understanding of proposed Birth-Third Systems frameworks regarding barriers, strategies, cultural supports, inclusion, classroom practices, and state and local policies, practices, and values.

I have included a link to his presentation .pdf file from the 2013 National Early Childhood Inclusion Institute event in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. http://nieer.org/sites/nieer/files/NII%20Presentation.pdf

  

After learning, that Mr. Squires work was more pointedly for CEELO (Center on Enhancing Early Learning Outcomes, a division of NIEER, I decided to further investigate their website (ceelo.org).  Their practice is dedicated to, “fostering sustainable change in state policy and practice for children birth to third grade” by working with State Education Agencies to develop effective early learning opportunities and promote innovation and accountability in the field of early education.  Their work is seen frequently in the NIEER newsletter and blog updates and is interesting to read as it contains not only positive breakthroughs, but also reflects and informs about disappointing setbacks and struggles.

I am also including a link to the Trends in State Funded Preschool Programs: Survey Findings from 2001-2002 to 2011-2012 research project performed and compiled by NIEER and CEELO.

http://nieer.org/sites/nieer/files/Trends%20in%20State%20Funded%20Preschool%20Programs_0.pdf

Not only did this research initiative point out current data, the latest statistics and field composition, and program evaluations within specific attributes, but it also offered some suggestions as to how to improve conditions from their standpoint.

By mentioning this site so frequently, I hope that it is understood how truly grateful I am for all of the hard work they do over there.  It is incredibly valuable for busy early childhood professionals to be able to share critical information as quickly and easily as possible.  Without their organization of the latest and greatest, I know that my journey for sure would be much more complicated.

International Contact!!

I am beyond thrilled to report that my persistence has paid off!  It may have taken more than half of the class, but I have finally made four international connections and have received an informative response from one of my contacts in Australia!  I am incredibly appreciative of the information that was shared with me and hope to learn so much more about methods across the globe.

I have learned that, in Australia, they operate in much the same fashion as we do.   The particular center discussed utilizes a Reggio Emilia approach in conjunction with influence from Rudolf Steiner.  They have instituted a national policy referred to as EYLF (Early Years Learning Framework) which offers a much more holistic approach to learning than we currently offer in the United States.  This policy was just adopted in 2009, so I feel that we have much to learn from the benefits they are receiving from an approach that we had implemented so long ago, but have since neglected. 

We have become so consumed with testing and standards that, more often than not, we focus on “teaching to the test” rather than respecting the individuality, respect, and acceptance that this nation was founded upon.  In Australia, especially in Tasmania, where my contact is from, they readily practice within our ideals of a strong community, family support, and individual instruction.  If we truly desire to “catch up” with the rest of the world once again, we need to put our egos aside and embrace the values that we have always held dear, instead of becoming “slaves to the system”.    We will survive—we always have—but only if we maintain the morals and principles of a productive and empathetic social value system