early childhood education Archives

August 24, 2017

Six Ways to Establish Good Homework Habits

When returning to school after summer break, many students are excited to see their friends and return to the routine of school. Although, many students and parents alike dread the idea of homework again. The topic can haunt parents as the stacks of flashcards and worksheets start to come out of backpacks. Many families deal with frustrations and tears from homework time, and the jury is still out on whether or not homework has a positive or negative effect on students. Many families have arguments about homework, and some students struggle tremendously to complete their homework. It can be a constant battle of wills with the child on one side and the parent on the other.

These frustrations and arguments that arise from homework are sometimes the results of poor preparation. Adjusting to homework time can be difficult for many students as they are already mentally spent from working all day in school. Homework, however, is a fact of life for most students, so it is important to establish good homework habits as soon as possible. Establishing good homework habits can make the routine smoother, studying more successful and it can also make everyone more relaxed and happier. Teaching good homework habits at a young age teaches the child self-discipline and good work habits. Having good homework habits can make the student more successful in school which leads to a more successful life. To establish good homework habits, try some of these tips:

Create a routine

Whether you child begins homework as soon as they get home or they start working on it after dinner, creating a consistent routine tells the child what to expect. Knowing what to expect will prevent arguments and frustration from the child. Some students need time to recuperate after school ends while others do their best work while the information is still fresh in their mind. Experiment with different routines and see what works best. A child that struggles in school may benefit from taking a break from studies and instead play a video game which allows them to win and be a hero. Once their self-confidence and self-esteem are higher, working on homework may be more successful as they feel less defeated. Allow your child to have some input on what time of day they would like to complete their homework.

Designate a place for homework

Some students work well in their bedrooms while others are successful at the kitchen table. No matter where it is at, designate a place for homework to be done. This place should be well lit and free from distractions such as television or younger siblings that may interfere. If you find your child fidgeting or distracted in an area, try out a new area to see if their concentration improves.

Provide materials

Get a tub or designate a drawer to homework materials. Having a functioning pencil sharpener, markers, a ruler and other supplies will ensure that they will have the supplies they need to complete the homework. Sharpen several pencils, so they are ready to go should a pencil break and also provide a basic calculator for the student to check their answers. Having the materials already provided will prevent wasted time spent on searching for or preparing materials.

Observe your child doing homework

Keep track of what your child is doing. Review their homework before they start. Did they learn about this in class today or is it new information? Note any distractions that occur and try to prevent them in the future. Is your child fidgeting or unable to focus? Rearranging the routine to allow for some downtime in between school and homework may help a child focus. Is your child struggling with a subject? Check their answers periodically to be sure they understand what is expected of them.

Do not do their homework for them

Sometimes it can take serious self-control to not take the paper from them and write in the correct answer. While homework can be frustrating, it is often a necessary evil and is only productive when the child does it. If the parent helps too much or does the homework for them, the student does not learn anything and will likely struggle as a result. Help the student should a problem arise, walk them through math problems and give them hints on answers. However, should your child struggle on each question of a subject on a consistent basis, it may be time to contact the teacher with concerns.

Stay in contact with the teacher

Usually, your child’s teacher will inform you of the expectations for homework whether it is through a presentation or a flyer sent home. Learn the expectations and ask the teacher any questions you may have. Ask if the homework is supposed to reinforce what is taught at school or prepare the student for what’s coming up next. Does the teacher expect all the answers to be correct or does she want the child to get incorrect answers so she can address the missed problems if there are any? If your child is ill for longer than a day, contact the teacher right away to get a homework packet, so your child doesn’t fall behind.

Conclusion

Establishing a routine, making expectations clear, providing materials, preventing distractions and helping your child through problems are all ways to improve their success in homework. Regardless of your opinion on homework, it is often part of the classroom, and the students must complete it to get a passing grade. Creating a distraction free environment will prevent mistakes and confusion as well as speed up the process. Your child’s success in school largely depends on their ability to complete homework, and the good homework habits begin with you. Show your child how to establish routines, work efficiently and meet expectations with homework as you will not only help them get better grades in school, but you will also teach them self-discipline which will go a long way.

August 21, 2017

How to Manage the Terrible Twos

Child rearing is a long and involved process. From birth, we’re called to feed and care for babies who are essentially helpless. At the time they start walking and talking, they begin to form opinions and explore boundaries. These early stages of learning are the toddler years, also known as the terrible twos. And with a little preparation, however, you can handle the ups and downs that come with this exciting age range.

Study: Understanding the cognitive development of a two-year-old certainly helps in raising them. There are plenty of early childhood resources that share age appropriate behavior for toddlers and offer advice in working with that behavior. Finding books, blogs, and/or videos that share information for the toddler years will support in developmentally appropriate practices that you can implement within your home.
Preparation: Once you’ve prepared yourself, it’s important to prepare your toddler. Much of the struggle parents deal with in raising toddlers is the defiance of instructions given. It’s important to remember, however, that toddlers need warnings and reminders. Talk with your child about what is going to happen, so they are mentally prepared. Then reinforce it as it is happening. For instance, if you are going to the grocery store, explain to your child that they must hold your hand while you are in the parking lot before you even leave the house. Discuss it on the way there. As you are getting out of the car, repeat your instructions so that they are being followed as you proceed. Toddlers need to know what to expect before it happens. Keep “surprise” rules very limited as a change in rules is likely to precede a change in attitude.
Be Firm and Concise with Explanations: The attention span of a toddler is short. Choose your words wisely as they are still developing language and learning to grasp concepts that are new to them. As a parent, you must clearly outline what positive behavior looks like for a toddler by modeling and using words that make sense to them.
Repeat: Raising a toddler calls for repetition. Repetition of songs, stories and most certainly instructions. Repeating instructions for toddlers helps remind them of things that need to be done and how they need to be done. For added reinforcement, asking them to explain what you’ve stated will improve the chances of them following your directions.
Read to Them (Often): Reading and discussion increases vocabulary acquisition and dialogue. Children also learn empathy, life lessons, and reasoning through the exploration of characters and their stories. This encourages a parent-child relationship based on effective communication that will aid in verbal exchanges as they grow.
Engage in Positive, Active Dialogue: As your toddler grows, engaging in discussion is important. Actively listening to them speak, asking questions and giving a response is especially important because it shows that you value their perspective. That acknowledgment (in most instances) will help them feel safe and build on the trust they have for you.
Give them Options: Toddlers are exploring boundaries and independence. There needs to be an opportunity to allow for options in decision making that must be done. For example, if they need to put on shoes, offer the choice of picking the pair that they wear as a compromise.
Follow Through: When you have outlined consequences for their actions, be sure to keep your word. Along with repetition, toddlers need reliability and consistency. It is yet another aspect of trust in which your child will develop.
Focus on the process: The end result isn’t always what’s important with toddlers as they are learning at every opportunity afforded to them. See the process of learning for what it is: a process. Changing a negative and product oriented mindset about toddler growth to one of patience and compassion will help in times when your toddler may test you.
Be Realistic: Developmentally, toddlers are still coming into their own and making sense of the world. While you want to challenge them in areas of advancement, you also need to have realistic expectations of what is appropriate for their age and as an individual. Every child is different so be mindful of the pace at which they are growing.
Realize they’re not so terrible. At all: As an adult, you’ve come to know what you know because you have matured. But even with challenging behavior, toddlers are learning and growing every day. Toddlers are exactly where they need to be with their wisdom. Understand that your life with them is a space for you to grow in new ways as well and just because it might be uncomfortable or new for you, that doesn’t mean it’s necessarily terrible.

Did we miss anything? How did/would you handle the toddler years?

August 9, 2017

How to Identify Early Signs of Autism

The possibility of their child having an Autism Spectrum Disorder is a concern for many parents. As a child develops they begin to learn social skills, vocabulary and other capabilities which are vital to their communication and growth. A parent’s concern is valid considering that 1 in 45 children between the ages of 1 and 17 are diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder. Not developing certain areas of growth typically begins at a young age. However, it is possible to identify Autism in children as young as six months old. As a baby matures into a toddler, there are often signs of Autism which may not be obvious immediately. When examined by psychiatrists, children with Autism typically began to show signs and symptoms as infants or toddlers. Knowing that a child has Autism is the first step toward treatment.

Early intervention therapies and procedures can make a massive impact on the progression of the disorder. The earlier a child can get into treatment, the better, which is why early detection is key in the treatment of Autism. It can be difficult to decipher whether a behavior is simply a behavior or a symptom of Autism. While there is no a blood test or physical exam that can determine if a child has Autism, there are psychological evaluations which can detect the disorder. There are also small clues which may help parents and caregivers identify symptoms of Autism in a child. Looking for these red flags while a child develops could result in early detection of Autism which would lead to early intervention.

Not smiling or having little facial expression

One of the first social skills a baby learns is facial expressions. As their parent bonds with them, the baby will begin to mimic the parent’s facial expression. Often this leads to big dramatic smiles and laughs. However, should a child not mimic facial expressions or otherwise smile and laugh, it may be cause for concern. When a child with Autism is developing, there is no abnormal development occurring but rather a lack of development in certain areas. A person with Autism often has limited facial expressions and does not react to others facial expressions. Lacking facial expressions is not the sole indicator of Autism although it is deemed as a red flag for early detection.

Not making eye contact

Infants will often follow objects with their eyes including their parent as they walk across a room. If the parent moves closer to the baby, it is instinctual for the baby to make eye contact. This interaction would typically end with a smile or laugh from the child. However, an infant with Autism might not follow their parent around the room as intently, and they would likely avoid eye contact once the parent was up close. One theory is that eye contact is aversive or painful to a person that has Autism, while it is possible that those with Autism simply deem eye contact as unimportant or not instinctual. Nonetheless, eye contact is a major part of human social development and lacking the instinct to make eye contact with other people may be an early indicator of Autism.

Not babbling

An infant learning to make sounds will begin with simple sounds with no real meaning or babbling. As they develop, the babbling (“da”) slowly turns into sounds with meaning (“dada”) which eventually transform into words (“daddy”). As the baby transitions to verbal communication, they begin to make demands verbally, call objects by name and identify people. Babbling is the precursor to developed speech and is essential to further speech progression. Should this process fail to develop or should the child regress and begin to lose vocabulary, Autism may be present. An infant’s babble is the first step towards language development, and if a child is not babbling by 12 months of age, it could be cause for concern. It is important to have a hearing test done to rule out the possibility of a hearing impairment. While the lack of speech by itself may not indicate Autism, it should be brought to their doctor’s attention.

Not pointing

As a baby develops into a toddler, they will begin to desire specific toys, people, foods or objects. At first, a baby may simply wave his hand in the direction of the desired item, and over time he will develop the motor control to point at desired objects. Children with Autism typically do not point or gesture toward desired objects. A typically developed child may even verbally attempt to say the name of the object while a child with Autism likely does not react to the object at all. Children with Autism typically do not react as enthusiastically to their environment as neurotypically developed children do. A lack of gestures toward desired items is not enough to diagnose a child Autism however it is an early warning sign of the disorder.

Not responding to their name

As a baby develops they will learn their name, and they will react to their name being called by eye contact, turning their head, making gestures or making sounds. A child with Autism likely will not react at all. Even when a parent attempts to get their attention in other ways, the child with Autism will appear to ignore the parent. Responding to your given name is socially important in society as it will give others a way to get your attention. A child with Autism will appear to ignore attempts to get their attention whether it is by calling their name, clapping or other gestures and sounds. This alone is not an indicator of Autism although it is a possible symptom should the child be diagnosed.

Avoiding physical touch

It is unclear why a person with Autism avoids physical touch although it is believed to be physically painful for them. A baby or toddler will desire cuddles and hugs from their family. They will search for physical affection and desire close contact with their parents. A child with Autism will likely avoid physical contact with people. They will move away from hands attempting to touch them, and they will wiggle their way out of a hug. They likely will not initiate any form of physical contact, and if they do, it is brief and rare. Avoiding physical touch can be found in infants that do not enjoy being held and toddlers that do not seek out cuddles or hugs. This early indication of Autism can be found in young children as early as nine months old. Being touched is often desired although the lack of desire may indicate the possibility of Autism.

Doesn’t show interest in other children

A toddler without Autism is likely to interact with other children. He/she will likely babble or talk to the other children, touch them, show them toys, attempt to take toys from them and otherwise engage in play time with them. A child with Autism will likely appear to ignore the other children and will appear to be in “their own little world.” Neurotypical children are naturally social and desire interaction with others. A child with Autism appears not to have that desire and instead appears to be content by themselves. When presented with a social situation, a child with Autism is likely to shy away from others or ignore them altogether. A lack of social interaction with others is not alone an indicator of Autism, but it is a symptom.

Conclusion

Early detection is key in improving the prognosis of the child with Autism. Learning these symptoms and watching out for them could mean early detection and intervention. When given early intervention, children with Autism can improve tremendously and the earlier they are in treatment, the better. Early detection is life changing for someone with Autism. These symptoms are small and seemingly insignificant, but they are the first signs of Autism. Some children may develop slower than others however if they fall too far behind, it is a good idea to seek medical treatment. Furthermore, if a child has developed a skill such as speech, and then they regress, it should be brought to their doctor’s attention as soon as possible. Autism Spectrum Disorders can be intimidating, scary and at times devastating. However, with tools such as early intervention and therapy, a person with Autism can improve greatly.

August 8, 2017

9 Ways to Positively Impact Your Kid’s Language Development

Learning to talk is an important milestone in the development of any child. Spoken language allows children to verbalize their emotions and communicate their needs. However, for new parents figuring out how to help their child develop language skills may be a mystery. In this piece, we will discuss the nine ways that you can positively impact your child’s language development.

Talk through common Count the steps while walking down the stairs. Ask your child to lift their bottom or turn their body while changing their diaper. Describe what you are doing when you change their clothes. The words attached to everyday things will be the first words a child says.
Read books to them. Books provide a language that a child might not hear during everyday It’s a good way to bond with your child since you will either hold them or sit directly in front of them. When sitting directly in front of them, make sure to make eye contact when asking questions. This helps with eye contact in the future, and the child sees how you move your mouth when you speak.
Go on conversation rhymes. Walks are a great way to provide positively impact your child’s language development, so try walking around the neighborhood, at zoos or local farms. While walking, describe the people, places, and things that you encounter.
Enunciate your words. This makes a difference in the quality of words children will produce. This will help your child to register what you are saying more easily. The speed should still sound somewhat natural.
Sing nursery songs. These songs are catchy and easy for your child to remember.
Speak in short, simple sentences. When you speak in simpler sentences, a child is more likely to repeat it and understand it. This should not be done when having regular conversations. This is so that your child can repeat after you so only use this strategy when you are expecting a response.
Use Apps that label like Puzzingo. The app is one with lots of puzzles that children line up. While the child picks up the picture piece, the application voices the label. Every time the puzzle is completed, there is some sort of reward.
Do hands on projects. When doing hands on projects, make sure to label everything. Remember, when something is fun, it’s more memorable. When there are various senses used, the brain gets an opportunity to process the information. This is great for storing information into long term memory.
Take picture walks through books. Instead of just reading books, talk through the pictures.

Can you think of any additional ways that you can positively impact your child’s language development?

August 8, 2017

7 Amazing Learning Activities for Toddlers

When we think of toddlers, many thoughts come to mind. Runny noses, messy hair, picky eating are just some of the traits we relate to this curious age group.

Cognitively, there’s so much more than what meets the eye. Fine and gross motor skills are being acquired, and an overall sense of the world and the relationships within it are being developed. So how do we support the amazing evolution of the toddler?

Here are 7 great activities to help your toddler learn:

Sand table play– Sand play strengthens sensory development and basic science and math skills through scooping, pouring and early forms of measuring.
Independent book exploration– Allowing time for your child to look at books on their own develops an appreciation for books and literacy as well as gives practice in turning pages.
Making play dough– A homemade recipe of flour, water, salt and food coloring is an excellent way to practice following instructions as well as understanding sequence. In making play dough, a child is exposed to mixing, measuring and pouring in a specific order to create a finished moldable product.
Hoop jumping– With a few hula hoops lined along the ground, toddlers can gain gross motor practice in jumping from one hoop to the next. This activity helps strengthen muscles and coordination in landing their feet at the same time from one hoop hop to the next. For a bigger challenge, spread the hoops further apart for an increased
Painting with primary colors– Utilizing the primary colors of red, blue and yellow are not only fun for a painting activity, but it also is an excellent way to observe color changes and verbally identify each color that it creates.
Cardstock paper structures– This thick paper can be folded by toddlers for fine motor practice to create art structures. Using scissors or a tearing method to cut the paper into smaller pieces and tape to hold them together by building “up” a structure is a stimulating introduction to age appropriate engineering.
Salad spinner painting– Toddlers are invited to add drops of paint onto a coffee filter. Place the coffee filter into the salad spinner with the lid and begin to spin. This activity produces open ended art and gives toddlers practice in with fine motor in using their hands to turn the salad spinner.

Can you think of any additional activities?

August 7, 2017

Seven Questions to Ask When Touring Preschools

Of all the milestones in childhood, starting school can be the most dramatic. Your baby has grown into a school aged child and they will spend their days in a classroom. Therefore, the transition to school can be a big change for the entire family as the child further increases their independence. When first shopping around for preschools, it can feel overwhelming. There are several styles of preschools which vary from Montessori to public school. While each preschool will be different than the next, they all serve the same purpose: to prepare them for kindergarten.

Regardless of the style of preschool, they all share similar goals and values. Keeping your child safe is their first priority above all else. Guiding their development, establishing routines and habits, introducing them to letters and numbers and teaching them how to be a successful student in the classroom are all objectives that each preschool has. The varying teaching styles of each preschool is unique to them and gives you choices when choosing a preschool. Researching each method is helpful when selecting a preschool as well as taking tours and talking to the staff. When asking questions about a potential preschool, there are seven questions that you could ask which may help you select the right school for your child. Bring a list with you if you need to, but be sure to ask these questions when you tour a preschool:

What certifications or accreditations does this school have?

Many preschools have a National Association for the Education of Young Children accreditation or something similar. Having these accreditations certify that these places of learning are up to par with current educational standards. Review their accreditations and find out what they mean. Avoid preschools that do not follow current guidelines and standards as they may fall short of other more viable options. If a preschool is a particular style of education, such as Waldorf, ask if the school is certified in that style. Also, ask if the teachers are certified in that style of teaching. While preschool teachers have an essential requirement for their education, it is optimal for them to be educated and certified in the method of teaching that they teach.

Is there a nap/rest time?

One thing that can vary widely from preschool to preschool is nap time. Some preschools do not have a nap time while others have time set aside every day for the children to lay down and rest. Some kids have outgrown naps by this period while others still need them. A question you can ask yourself is if your child is ready to lose their nap time. Some preschools have part day options which would allow the child to attend school in the morning and then have a nap at home in the afternoon. If your child has outgrown nap time, it is important to ask what the preschool typically has children do if they do not nap any longer. Some will have the child simply lay down and rest while others may have a table or activity set aside for children to occupy themselves quietly while the others rest.

What is the daily schedule?

Studies have shown that a consistent routine can positively influences children’s cognitive, emotional and social development. This helps establish a routine in the classroom while also preventing behaviors, putting the child at ease and communicating clear expectations of the child. Review the daily schedule and see what is included as part of the learning schedule. Ask questions about the schedule such as what happens if it is raining during outside play time or how rigorous they are in maintaining the schedule. It is always a good idea to show up at the preschool unannounced to review the state of the classroom and schedule on a typical day. Each preschool varies in how rigorous they are in maintaining their schedule, but all should have a basic daily routine schedule as it helps the children establish routines and further prepares them for kindergarten.

What do the students eat?

While your child is hard at work learning and developing, they will develop an appetite. Ask what meal time looks like. Does the school provide the food or should you pack your child a lunch? If snacks are given, what do the students eat? If your child has a food allergy, is the school willing to accommodate that? If food is provided, do they follow a nutritional guide when preparing the menu? Some schools provide fresh vegetables to the students, and they encourage the students to try new foods. Also, ask what the policies are should you desire to bring food to share in the classroom.

What is the child to teacher ratio?

For safety, it is important that the teacher has a low ratio so they can attend to each child. Some preschools have teacher’s assistants to help with supervision in the classroom while others have a meager ratio allowing the teacher to focus on only a handful of students. If a teacher has too many students, accidents can happen and students may receive inadequate attention. If there is a field trip, will there be additional supervision? Also, ask what happens when a teacher is sick or otherwise not able to work. A preschool could align perfectly with your values and goals, but they could have an unsafe ratio.

What does outside play time look like?

Some preschools provide a playground or similar equipment while others intentionally provide only nature. Ask what the students typically do during play time. It is a good idea to be familiar with the style of outside play time as that is often unique to each preschool. Some preschools provide tricycles, balls or similar while others provide open ended items such as buckets or sticks. Ask what the supervision looks like during outside play time. Are there teacher’s assistants to help supervise the students? In addition, ask how long outside play time is and how frequently the students get the opportunity to go outside. It is sometimes once a day, but other preschools may have outside play time several times throughout the day. Whatever style of outside play time you desire, ensure that it has adequate supervision and aligns with your goals and values.

Can parents volunteer in the classroom?

Even with teacher assistants, the teachers may still need additional help. Volunteering in your child’s classroom can take pressure off the teacher while also increasing student achievement, promoting positive self-esteem and encouraging positive behavior. Sometimes your schedule will not allow for you to volunteer in the classroom, but you may be able to do things at home such as make activities, cut out cardstock, create worksheets or prepare newsletters. These home projects allow you to contribute to the classroom without having to interrupt your work or school schedule. Relieving the teacher of these job duties gives them more time to spend with the students and gives them a less stressful work environment. Volunteering in the classroom is a good way to encourage your child to have a positive experience in school. However, some students may react negatively to their parent being present so use your best judgment. Try out different ways of contributing and see what works best for your child, yourself and the classroom.

Conclusion

When choosing a preschool, keep your goals and values in mind. This will be your child’s first experience in a classroom so ensuring that a new preschool aligns with your style of parenting and your child’s personality can make it a positive experience for both you and your child. Preparing for the days of preschool can set your mind at ease as you will be confident when you take your child to preschool. Bring a notepad and take notes, ask as many questions you can think of, review the handbook and licensing information and meet the teachers. Being prepared for this transition will make you more comfortable with leaving your child, and when you are comfortable, your child will be more likely to be comfortable themselves. Going to preschool is a big step toward growing up and having a positive experience will put your child on the right path towards a positive educational experience.

December 1, 2016

Early childhood educators rely on families to prop up low income, research finds

This article was written by Paula McDonald, Karen Thorpe, and Susan Irvine

Early childhood educators struggling in low-paid jobs often have to prop up their income through family members and/or partners, new research shows.

Wages for qualified early childhood teachers have improved over time. However, incomes of those with vocational qualifications, including diplomas and certificates, remain low and do not reflect the responsibilities that characterise the role.

Certificate III-qualified educators, who assist in the design and delivery of educational programs, are paid A$753 per week before tax. This is considerably below the average weekly earnings of $1,137 across all occupations.

The difference between the pay rates of certificate-qualified early childhood educators and the Australian national minimum wage of $17.29 per hour before tax is minimal.

Dissatisfied with pay and conditions

Many early years educators believe their pay is too low. This is a view shared by politicians, including Tanya Plibersek and Sarah Hanson-Young, unions and an increasing number of peak bodies and employers.

The 2013 National Early Childhood Education and Care Census reported that 87% of educator respondents indicated satisfaction with their job, but half were dissatisfied with pay and conditions.

Another survey of educators who had left the sector found that low pay had influenced the decision to leave.

In any one day, early childhood educators may undertake a range of tasks requiring different skills. These include observing and interacting with children, planning and implementing the curriculum, engaging with parents, including referring them to other services, and other care activities such as preparing meals, changing nappies and cleaning.

Educators said that their daily work exposed them to health risks such as acquiring illnesses when children were unwell.

Significant physical demands were also reported. These included lifting children, as well as furniture and equipment. Receiving a decent day’s pay was considered a reasonable expectation for these physical requirements and risks.

They also compared their pay to the hours they worked. Although weekend work and work after 6.30pm should be paid at 150-200%, we found many examples of educators who worked unpaid hours.

Typically, this involved preparing learning materials at home in the evenings for the next day, attending professional development after hours, or community liaison work on the weekends. This kind of unpaid work is also common for other educators, such as schoolteachers.

Why retention is still high

Although pay is low, early years educators often rationalise their decision to stay in the sector as essentially a vocational choice.

Many argued that their desire to assist children to develop and learn trumped the pursuit of money in occupational decisions. But this happened only when educators had access to alternative sources of household incomes to cover basic necessities such as rent or mortgage payments, food and child-rearing expenses.

To cover these expenses, additional household income is often needed. For some, this is derived from partners who earn higher incomes in other occupations and hence offset their low wages. Others describe the importance of financial support from parents, ex-partners and other extended family members.

While increased demand has led to improvement in wages for early childhood teachers, this is not the case for all educators in long day care.

Shallow pay structures, the costs of study for educators earning near minimum wage, as well as inflexible training programs, constrain the process of professionalisation of this workforce.

Yet this remains an important goal for the sector, because staff qualifications strongly impact the quality of care and education provided to young children.

Policy needs to redress low pay

Developing effective policy in the early childhood education and care sector needs to address more than just issues of access and costs to parents and the government.

A critical, but often invisible, part of delivering effective early years education and care is about ensuring fairness for the workforce itself.

The idea of fairness and equality is especially important when we consider that the sector is staffed almost exclusively by women.

The very low proportion of men working in the sector, reported at around 3%, is likely to be a consequence of low pay.

It may also be part of the cause. Highly feminised sectors of the labour market are often low-paid. Examples include librarians, community service workers and retail service assistants. This situation needs to change.

In economic terms, the broader conversation about financing early years education and care should acknowledge that the sector is financed not only by governments and parents, but also propped up financially by members of educators’ households.

Where additional household income is not available, such as when educators do not have partners or families to partially support them, the educators themselves bear the cost of early years education.

Paula McDonald, Professor of Work and Organisation, ARC Future Fellow, Queensland University of Technology; Karen Thorpe, Professor, Psychology, Queensland University of Technology, and Susan Irvine, Associate Professor, School of Early Childhood, QUT Caboolture, Queensland University of Technology

This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.

September 18, 2016

Study: Detroit crime rate would drop with early childhood investment

By putting more money into early childhood education in Detroit, the crime rate would go down, according to a recent study.

Jose Diaz of the Amherst H. Wilder Foundation conducted the study”Cost Savings of School Readiness Per Additional At-Risk Child in Detroit and Michigan” where the findings appear. The research was commissioned by the Max M. and Marjorie S. Fisher Foundation and it suggests that investing in early childhood education could cut Detroit’s crime rate and save taxpayers in the state millions of dollars, according to a story on the study by The Detroit News. The story says that Detroit taxpayers would save around $96,000 for each child who was enrolled in a quality early education program and Michigan taxpayers would save $47,000 for each child.

The figure was derived from adding cost savings to special education, public assistance, childcare subsidies, the victims of crime and the criminal justice system. The majority of the savings would come from the criminal justice system.

These findings prompted Diaz and law enforcement officials to call on the Legislature to invest more dollars in early childhood education to help halt the alarmingly high crime rate in Detroit.

At the present time, only 4 percent of prisoners in Michigan under the age of 20 years old graduated from high school.

Learning begins at birth, which is why early education programs are so important. These programs provide an integral foundation for young minds and prepare children for success at school and in life. At-risk children who don’t receive high quality early education are more likely to drop out of school and more likely to be arrested for a violent crime.

I think investing in early childhood education programs is a cost-effective way to promote positive development of children and get to the root causes of high crime in the city. I hope that Detroit can see early childhood education as an initiative that could finally pay off and cut crime.

September 11, 2016

Parental involvement in early childhood learning: A stitch in time saves nine

**The Edvocate is pleased to publish guest posts as way to fuel important conversations surrounding P-20 education in America. The opinions contained within guest posts are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official opinion of The Edvocate or Dr. Matthew Lynch.**

By Khaula Mazhar

In today’s increasingly busy world, parents have less and less time to spend with their young children and often miss out on this extremely important time in a child’s life. Children are developing more and more behavioral problems. They are stressed out at ages when they should be enjoying their childhood.

Research has shown the positive effects of engaged parents on a child’s academic success as well as on the emotional and physical well being of a child. It has also shown the advantages of early childhood learning and just how much young children can literally sponge up information and then be ready for even more.

There are vast amounts of reading material on the subject of early learning, hundreds of books by dedicated professionals in childhood education, but I am going to give you the experience of a normal everyday mother. Myself. The reason is when I read those books, it was to improve my skills as a teacher, curiosity and also just because I am a voracious reader. But when I saw another mother, like myself, use those wonderful things she learned on her own child, it was a whole different story. It is something I sincerely wish every mother and father would do with their child. They can if they are provided with the opportunity to learn how to, something governments can do quite cheaply, and it will open the door for enormous pay backs. We must help empower the parents and we must educate the parents first.

When I started as a teacher I was in the school library every free minute I got. They had an incredible resource of good books and I wanted to take advantage of them all. Although I read many, the ones I came to fall in love with were Glen Doman’s. I renewed “How to Give Your Baby Encyclopedic Knowledge” so many times it needed a new sign out card. Yes way back when those cards were still used. My daughter was four and my son was two. I had never imagined that a two year old could read, let alone recognize countries on a world map. They can. My kids were my test subjects although I didn’t know it at the time. Now that they are teenagers, I see the results.

The techniques are simple, and don’t take a lot of time. Working mothers can do it with a little prioritizing. I managed to do it with my job and two small children, and I was not exactly a skilled multi-tasking professional. It was simply a matter of investing time wisely, and nothing is a bigger investment than our kids.

Glen Doman’s Method involved facts cards. Fact cards can be made for everything from colors, animals, countries and key reading words to dot cards (for numeracy). Those are about the only materials needed, the cards can be obtained cheaply in bulk and pictures of everything can be found in old national geographic magazines. Whatever is to be taught can be done so easily by flashing these fact cards to children as young as eighteen months. Ten cards at a time, two or three times a day. Children think it is a game and are happy to spend time with parents “playing”. I started out with just colors, keywords and dot cards, but the “game” became a favorite and I soon added historical figures, musical instruments, animals, monuments and countries. My kids could not get enough of it, my two year old son not only knew where China was but he could tell you interesting tidbits about it. You just needed a translator to understand what he was saying.

Once they started to read I had an endless supply of books that we explored together. Years later their teachers came to me and told me how my kids knew the most interesting facts and added positively to all the class discussions. They were interested and eager learners. I finally convinced the head of the pre-primary section at school to let me go ahead and try it in my pre-nursery class.

It was a great experience. Parents would come to me at home time and tell me excitedly that their kid knew what an isosceles triangle was or had told them all about African elephants. They wanted to know what we were doing in the class. Unfortunately that is where I could have empowered those parents, instead I just told them we were trying something new. It never occurred to me to suggest that we do a workshop on the technique for parents. I really wish I could go back in time and act more wisely.

Most parents today don’t have the leisure of going through large amounts of reading material to find out all the things they can do to give their child the early advantage. But schools can help by offering free workshops focused on simple techniques that parents could implement at home with their children. If these type of workshops were provided to parents every year they could make an enormous positive change in the futures of so many children. Not just academically but behaviorally as well. Imagine an entire generation of less stressed, positive youth all geared up to run the world in a more constructive manner.

There are many other techniques and systems out there besides Glen Doman’s awesome fact cards system. This is just my experience with this. But what I have learned is how much the right thing at the right time can affect a child’s positive attitude towards not just learning but life in general. Engaged parents teaching kids their first lessons is very important to build confidence and a positive attitude in children.
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Khaula Mazhar, children’s book author, has a ten year teaching experience from Pakistan where she also wrote for Dawn Newspaper. After moving back home to Canada she continues to pursue her writing when she can. She blogs at Blog Her, MuslimMoms.ca and writes articles for Examiner.com.

August 14, 2016

Listening, not testing, will improve children’s vocabulary

James Law, Newcastle University

Every few months a story appears about the declining speech and language skills of children arriving in primary school. The epithet “the daily grunt” was invented by one newspaper to capture the lack of communication between parent and child, implying it caused poor communication skills and a lack of “school readiness”.

Now a new report by the UK school regulator Ofsted – its first on the early years – has called for children to start school at two years old, in part to help those from lower-income backgrounds who arrive at primary school with poor reading and speech.

While we may actively teach our children to read, oral language skills (the ability to learn words, form sentences and to communicate abstract ideas) is a defining human characteristic and, of these, it is vocabulary which is the pivotal skill. Children grow up acquiring these skills driven by, in Canadian telly-don Stephen Pinker’s words an “instinct” for language.

Recent evidence from twin studies suggests that language skills become increasingly heritable as the child moves through middle school, stressing the import role that the environment plays in the early years.

Yet there has been an abiding concern that some children are simply not speaking enough to access the national curriculum, the inference being that they are not being talked to enough.
But how would we really know there was a problem?

When vocabulary develops

To start addressing this question we have to look at the whole population rather than focusing on the most extreme cases. Fortunately the UK’s Millennium Cohort Study allows us to do just this. The graph below compares the vocabulary skills of thousands of five year olds, across five different social groups, measured by what is known as the index of multiple deprivation.

The vocabulary of five-year-old children in England. Save the Children

The graph tells us two things. First, vocabulary skills do differ markedly from one social group to another. Children from more disadvantaged groups recognise and name fewer pictures than those from higher groups. Second, and perhaps more importantly, there are lots of children in each group who have difficulties learning vocabulary. Unfortunately, we can’t say whether this pattern has changed over the decades without repeating the same assessment on different cohorts of children across time.

But how important is vocabulary at school entry? Parents often say that if they ask their GP whether they should be worried about how much their child is talking they are told that he or she will “grow out of it”.

In another study we followed 18,000 children born in 1970 until they were in their early thirties. Rather to our surprise we found that children with restricted vocabulary at five years old were more likely to be poor readers as adults, have more mental health problems and have lower employment rates.

This does not mean that everyone who had poor vocabulary aged five had difficulties later on, just that their risk was higher. There were all sorts of variables that contributed to this prediction but social factors were always in the mix. What is more, there is plenty of data to suggest that the difference between children from higher and lower social groups widens over time.

Creating the right environment

It is tempting to jump to conclusions and say poor speech in young children is simply a matter of parents not talking to their children in a way that encourages language. This is the position taken in the often-quoted 1995 book by Hart and Risley in which they studied 42 children. Their solution is essentially paternalistic – intensive daycare from very early on for the most disadvantaged groups.

A more positive approach is to support both children and parents through awareness, careful observation and the fostering of these early language skills – both in terms of expression and comprehension – from birth. This creates the right environment for language learning rather than simply providing instruction.

Sure Start and Children’s Centres in the UK have played a critical role in doing this. And there will be more opportunities for schools as the pupil premium in the UK – extra money schools get for disadvantaged children – starts to be paid in early years settings. It is important that this type of work should begin long before children reach compulsory schooling.

Clearly children who do not communicate well are vulnerable for all sorts of reasons. There are risks associated with relatively weak early oral language skills but children are immensely resilient and there are many things that can be done to promote these early skills.

But we need to be careful that our expectations are not driven by the pressure to formalise the child’s educational experience. We know that early years settings and primary schools are immensely variable as to how well they support communication. The solution is less about structure than following relatively simple guidance and improving the interaction in class.

It is certainly not about doing more testing – something the government is determined to introduce for younger children. If we demand conformity from young children, immaturities can be seen as “problems” – as with behaviour so as with oral language.

Oral language skills are important in their own right but also because they are critical precursors to inclusion in school and elsewhere. We know that children are active learners. This is not just about the instruction they receive but the environment they are in at home and in school. This means encouraging oral language skills in young children is everyone’s job.

James Law, Professor of Speech & Language Sciences, Newcastle University

This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.