Blog Assignment: Research Around the World

Blog Assignment: Research Around the World 

After exploring this web site, I learned about SIG or Special Interest Groups whom work collaboratively with delegates and put their heads together to see if they have a common interest and  work together to explore possible theme collaborations.  In addition, after reviewing this web site, I found another piece of noteworthy information, I learned the EECERJ, the Journal of EECERA, is one of the most prestigious early childhood journals in the world, and is one of only four early years journals indexed by the Institute for Scientific Information.  Furthermore, I find it interesting that the EECERA was formed as a way to provide support for colleagues in Europe and in the UK as a way to develop different perspectives on issues of early childhood and families. In addition, I learned that the aims of EECERA is to do the following:

• to provide a relevant academic forum in Europe for the promotion, development and dissemination of high quality research into early childhood education;
• to facilitate collaboration and cooperation between European researchers in this field and the wider early childhood community across the World;
• to encourage the clear articulation and communication of the links between research, practice and policy;
• to offer interaction, development and support to those interested in early childhood education;
• to raise the visibility and status of European research in early childhood education throughout the World

As an educator in the United States of America, I have a support system from various organizations i.e., Teacher leadership programs, my union,  whom puts out newsletters and provides educators with information as it pertains to educating our youth and there are even conventions held so that teachers from across my state can take the time and spend two school days to ask questions as it pertains to education and more specifically early childhood education. I was simply blown away that researchers and those in the Early Childhood field have to wait so long for publications/research findings to come out so that they are enlightened about various topics as it pertains to the field of Early Childhood.

One of the current international research topics I found on this web site is the link/article that suggests computer use enhances computer self-esteem,  for children with access to computers both at home and in preschool and the first year of schooling. Technology is something that all children should have access to because it opens up the doors to so many opportunities and if a child develop technological skills at an early age, it will only increase their sense of self esteem, but it will also provide opportunities to make the all have a better quality of life.

Reference:

http://www.eecera.org/journal/  

Nicky

Blog Assignment: Research that Benefits Children and Families—Uplifting Stories

Blog Assignment: Research that Benefits Children and Families—Uplifting Stories 

As a teacher at a bilingual school, my administrations often gets stressed out to make sure my school makes AYP and that student are proficient in skills such as language/literacy, and math. However, I learned that there is a gap in literacy/writing due to a language beerier.

Research indicates that children from inner cities/lower socio economic backgrounds, enter school with fewer words/vocabulary than their counterparts from suburban areas/higher socio economic backgrounds. And children whose family incomes are at or below the poverty level are especially likely to struggle with reading, a pattern that emerges early and strengthens in the elementary school years.

In addition, research indicates the contribution of print skills to early literacy, vocabulary and other language skills as providing an important foundation.  

As a result of these findings, my kindergarten team and I come up with a list of thematic vocabulary words for each unit we teach, we created word walls for each content area, and display word walls filled with high frequency words. We all agreed by doing this, we hope to close the achievement gap in terms of reading/literacy/writing at our school. In addition, we label all materials in the classroom with the assistance of each kindergartner. The bilingual kindergarten teacher, has received a lot of positive feedback from the first and second grade teachers and are pleased with what we are doing in kindergarten because kindergarten is the foundation for education, and I am proud to say that since we have been doing this my school has made AYP and my administration believes the teachers in kindergarten have laid the foundation so the teachers in the upper grades can continue to build off of the skills leaned in kindergarten.

I hope Head Start programs around the nation gives children the tools they need so that they can attain personal success in kindergarten so that kindergarten teachers can build off of that prior knowledge and leave kindergarten with the tools they need to have a successful academic career.

http://josephrodgers.wiki.westga.edu/file/view/Vocabulary.pdf

Nicky

Your Personal Research Journey

I want my personal research journey to allow me to identify and focus on a topic which is affects many new parents and families; my research will be on quality care in early childhood.  With that said, I would like to find additional information on day care subsidies, the correlation between income and quality care, and biases between educators and  the community in which they serve.

The simulation process thus far has been a little overwhelming for me because I want to learn from this in a positive way, without being penalized so harshly; my goal is to do well, and learn from this experience so that it can help me in my profession and so that  I can share new information with my kindergarten team at work.

After starting my research, I realized there was so much that I had forgotten that I need to include in my work so that I can give an unbiased view by simply stating the facts in my research.

I would appreciate it if one of my colleagues could suggest how I can clearly state my subtopics in my paper so that it pulls the reader in….Thank you in advance for all of your suggestions!!!!

Nicky