The Importance of Early Childhood Cognitive Development
comparative Essay
792 words
The Importance of Early Childhood Cognitive Development
America has many programs for graduating students that are involved with education and children. While any college student can appreciate education, I suspect that few understand the importance of early childhood development. Having committed to apply for a position in Teach for America, I want to better understand why it is so important to "get 'em while they're young."
In 2001, the US Department of Education, Academy of the Sciences, and the Foundation for Child Development conducted a study on early childhood development. Several interesting, scientific ideas and trends on childhood development emerged from the study. The questions surrounding this research were: how important is the early life of a child? What early years are most important? Why are later years not more important? In order to better plan education policy, discussing these questions is necessary.
The portion of the study I find most convincing is that regarding neuroplasticity. Neuroplasticity, or brain plasticity, is the brain's ability to reorganize neural pathways based on new experiences. (1) Simply put, every day we experience and learn new things. In order to incorporate this new information into our brains, the brain must reorganize the way it processes that information. Thus, as we learn things, the brain changes.
Neuroplasticity is important because, while it continues throughout the life of every individual, it is closely linked to the rate of brain development/growth. During rapid periods of brain growth, synaptic pruning occurs. Synaptic pruning is the elimination of synapses in the brain that are weaker facilitating growth of a stronger, more efficient brain. (2)As the brain grow...
... middle of paper ...
...ost beneficial not only for their education, but also for the physical development of their brains. This information is useful in many fields of study- the sciences, sociology, political science, law, etc. Neurosciences still have much to develop on early childhood cognitive development. However, presently, the information seems to facilitate the creation of a proper education for young children.
References
1)Neuroscience Consultant, Prepared by Erin Hoiland
http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/plast.html
2)Synaptic Pruning in Development, Online Version of a Text
http://citeseer.nj.nec.com/cachedpage/116010/2
3)Eager To Learn , Study, Online Version of Text
http://books.nap.edu/books/0309068363/html/37.html#pagetop
4)US Department of Education , President Bush's Initiatives
http://www.ed.gov/admins/lead/read/ereadingsbr03/edlite-slide9.html
In this essay, the author
- Explains the importance of early childhood cognitive development, and why it's important to "get 'em while they're young."
- Explains that the us department of education, academy of the sciences, and the foundation for child development conducted a study on early childhood development in 2001.
- Explains that neuroplasticity is the brain's ability to reorganize neural pathways based on new experiences.
- Explains that neuroplasticity is important because it is closely linked to the rate of brain development/growth. synaptic pruning is the elimination of weaker synapses in the brain facilitating growth of a stronger, more efficient brain.
- Explains that the eagar to learn study found five criteria that are based on neuroplasticity.
- Explains that the greatest amount of synaptic pruning occurs during the most rapid period of growth for the brain, or in the earliest years of a child's life.
- Concludes that addressing education of children while they are youngest is beneficial not only for their education, but also for the physical development of their brains.
- Cites erin hoiland's neuroscience consultant and eager to learn, study, online version of a text from the us department of education.
Related
- explanatory
- analytical
- opinion
- Early Childhood Curriculumexplanatory essayThe modern early childhood curriculum refers to the experiences gathered throughout a child’s infancy and beyond. It incorporates everyday interactions with family members within a wide spectrum of environments. Such interactions can be spontaneous or structured however, it is important that they are established within a supportive, safe and nurturing setting in order for the child to flourish in terms of their mental and physical ability ( O’Hagen,and Smith (1998). We refer to such a curriculum as Child centered as equal emphasis must be made on the child’s learning through out infancy as it is within a formal education setting.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that the modern early childhood curriculum refers to the experiences gathered throughout a child’s infancy and beyond.
- Opines that early childhood should be a time of spontaneity and exploration according to individual interests, thus accounting for the child's strengths and weaknesses, as well as their likes and dislikes, which promote optimum development.
- Explains that the context of learning refers to experiences which provide a learning opportunity for the child and can be delivered in structured or spontaneous environments, ultimately though they incorporate different learning procedures and techniques.
- Opines that the curriculum enforces a completely inclusive setting to reflect ethnic and cultural background, diablitiy and gender. this ensures no child feels isolated or segregated due to their background.
- Explains the importance of the hidden curriculum whereby children subconsciously obtain views and opinions from the world around them.
- Explains that the early childhood curriculum can be defined as one which is completely child centred and provides experiences which enhance a child's indiviual development.
- Cites balliere tindall's special issues in child care and routledge falmer.
520 wordsRead More - Human Brain Plasticityanalytical essayThe question concerning the plasticity of the mature human brain is one of the unsolved neuroscience issues. Neuroplasticity relates to the different levels of learning ability, ranging from cellular adjustments to large-scale adjustments in cortical remapping. Neuroplasticity is important in the overall healthy development, learning, and memorizing, as well as in the recovery from various types of brain damage. During the 20th century, most neuroscientists agreed that the brain structures were active only during early childhood (Rentería, 2012). However, this assumption has been questioned by various findings that suggest that the brain remains plastic even in adulthood. The growth of the human
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes the unsolved neuroscience question pertaining to the plasticity in the cerebral structures of the mature human brain.
- Explains that the experimental design of the research involves the organization of an experiment to effectively test the study’s hypothesis.
- Explains that the experimental design tests the main hypothesis by establishing a relationship between independent and dependent variables. random assignment of subjects to control conditions is useful in distributing individuals' qualities.
- Explains that the researcher will conduct a literature review of the existing works on brain development and neuroplasticity to obtain the required data.
- Explains that the data obtained will be analyzed using descriptive statistical models, which will help to record the probability of the occurrence of certain variables.
- Argues that the proposed experiment design of testing the causation between independent and dependent variables may fail to include certain significant factors that affect the brain plasticity.
926 wordsRead More - Early childhood education is crucial to establish an education foundation throughout a young child’s life. These programs are usually for kids ranging from birth to about the age of five. Haider (2013) states that early childhood education is an “important aspect of a child’s education with respect to their developmental progress”(p139). Haider is right about this type of education being an important aspect to their development because if children do not attend these programs then they more likely to not have certain skills and abilities that get them ready for school. It gets the children ready for elementary school and teaches them
In this essay, the author
- Opines that early childhood education is beneficial because it helps students have a successful future.
- States that early childhood education is crucial to establish an education foundation throughout a young child's life.
- Opines that a good teacher can influence their students in every aspect of life. early childhood education teachers should learn about the six c's of collaboration, communication, content, critical thinking, creative innovation, and confidence.
- Explains that incorporating and being able to successfully use all of these skills can benefit a child's life tremendously.
- Opines that parents should enroll their children into early childhood education programs to help build their communication and social skills.
- Concludes that early childhood education is key to future success in a person's life. it helps with communication, parental-child interaction, socialization, and much more.
1446 wordsRead More - Hispanic Social Injustice Essayanalytical essayChildren’s development, including their brain development, and the differences, both physically and emotionally that, children go through when transitioning into kindergarten. Reviews of different forms have evidence concluding that these programs have short, medium, and long-term benefits that suggest the effects are often greater for more disadvantaged children. “Some of the evidence from model research has produced exciting results in terms of improving educational attainment and earnings and reducing welfare dependency and crime.” (Currie, 2001). “To the point where cost-benefit analysis of these programs suggests they would eventually pay for themselves in terms of cost-savings to the government if it produced even a quarter of the long-term gains of model programs.” (Currie, 2001). This is one of the reasons the government has been pouring an abundance of money into these programs, in fact, Obama just recently announced a one billion dollar investment in early childhood education. “Obama said that less than one-third of 4-year-olds enrolled in preschool and blamed the high cost of these programs for essentially shutting off access to poorer infants, toddlers, and preschoolers. “ (Obama announces $1 billion investment, 2015, p. 1). “He said studies repeatedly show that children who are educated early in life are more likely to
In this essay, the author
- Explains that the lack of early childhood education in the hispanic community is a colossal social injustice.
- Opines that early childhood education is key to a child's success in kindergarten and beyond.
- Analyzes the benefits of head start and other closely related preschool and early school enrichment programs. obama announced a one billion dollar investment in early childhood education.
- Explains that schools serve societal needs more than individual or family needs, and in many societies they are controlled by centralized political authorities. neighborhood experiences have important effects on children's school outcomes.
1074 wordsRead More - Neuroplasticity Of Brainexplanatory essayNeuroplasticity is the most popular area of research in psychology. The topic of the research is the brain and how it has the ability to self-restructure in response to training or practice. (Torres, 2009) The concept of neuroplasticity is wide-ranging, unclear and not exactly new. As a matter of fact, the theory is from the mid 1800’s and comprehensively researched in throughout the 1990’s (Bernad, 2010) Despite this fact it remains the utmost unswerving and essential discoveries we possess to date.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that neuroplasticity is the most popular area of research in psychology. the concept is wide-ranging, unclear, and not exactly new.
- Explains that neuroplasticity is a discriminatory organization of linking neurons together in our brains. training neuron pathways will result in the brain shaping itself into the form best fitted for the activity.
- Explains how the brain changes and forms new neural connections for people who have had a trauma or illness, or for the aged.
358 wordsRead More - Neuroplasticity Essayanalytical essayAs the human body goes through different experiences, the brain grows, develops, and changes according to the environmental situations it has been exposed to. Some of these factors include drugs, stress, hormones, diets, and sensory stimuli. [1] Neuroplasticity can be defined as the ability of the nervous system to respond to natural and abnormal stimuli experienced by the human body. The nervous system then reorganizes the brain’s structure and changes some of its function to theoretically repair itself by forming new neurons. [2] Neuroplasticity can occur during and in response to many different situations that occur throughout life. Some examples of these situations are learning, diseases, and going through therapy after an injury.
In this essay, the author
- Defines neuroplasticity as the ability of the nervous system to respond to natural and abnormal stimuli experienced by the human body.
- Explains that the human brain is only three pounds of the total body weight but controls everything humans do. it receives information through our five senses and can store and process it.
- Explains that neuroplasticity occurs throughout a lifetime and there are several different stages of development. children are more likely to recover at faster rates from head injuries than adults.
- Analyzes the effects of stress on the amygdala, hippocampus, and prefrontal cortex.
- Explains that calorie restriction has been shown to improve memory by conforming the brain. restricting calories encourages the human body to produce more leptin.
- Explains that neuroplasticity promotes brain growth through learning new things, such as learning a new language, playing an instrument, and reading. it is also linked to drug addiction.
- Explains that the brain is a complex organ that can do many things, including being able to transform in order to heal and compensate for life in general.
1133 wordsRead More - Professionalism In Early Childhood Educationexplanatory essay18). This will permit me to have a better understanding of the type of education that other students are receiving in other countries. Educators who “understand the importance of their role in the development of children can help improve the education” of the children they serve (Eliassen, 2011. p.88). However, the actuality is that many people don’t see the need for preschool, they think it is pointless. I think that by conducting research on this key issue it will permit me to learn about the outlook of early childhood education in other countries.
In this essay, the author
- Describes the issues they are researching and what they hope to learn about this topic and how it might help their practice.
- Explains that they wanted to focus on early childhood education since they understand the purpose of comparative education is to enable them to view education from an alternative perspective.
- Opines that comparative education has an impact on educational professionals by enabling them to view education from alternative perspectives and potentially leading to a greater understanding of the world.
324 wordsRead More - The Role Of Early Childhood Educationopinion essayWorking in the field of early childhood can be both complex and challenging. Today, early childhood educators must take on a good number of roles including manager, advocate, policy maker, and classroom practitioner (Allvin, 2016). It is vital that early childhood educators understand that children’s early learning and development are multidimensional, complex, and influenced by many factors and so are able to implement developmentally appropriate practices in their childcare settings (“School Readiness,” 1995). Part of developing proficiency in working with young children is learning about and following accepted professional standards of conduct. As an early childhood educator and administrator, many daily decisions will have moral and ethical
In this essay, the author
- Explains that early childhood educators must take on a number of roles including manager, advocate, policy maker, and classroom practitioner.
- Explains that early childhood educators have many responsibilities to countless people and institutions, such as advocating for and participating in activities that support and protect vulnerable populations.
- Opines that early childhood educators should have good verbal and written communication skills, and refrain from slang or other words that may possibly offend others.
- Opines that their enthusiasm for early childhood education will overcome the current approaches to teaching preschoolers.
1153 wordsRead More - The Benefits of Preschoolopinion essayThe results of quality preschool programs can be seen early after they begin. Children learn many important life le...
In this essay, the author
- Describes the benefits of preschool and explains that quality preschool programs help children succeed academically and socially when they are older.
- Explains that children learn more in their early years than they ever will again. the best way to support early learning is through publicly funded pre-k programs.
- Explains that children learn many important life lessons in the preschool environment, such as respect, responsibility, and empathy for their fellow peers.
- Analyzes how the carolina abecedarian project, a study that followed 111 indigent north carolina kids for 21 years, shows the positive long-term effects of quality preschool programs.
- Explains the benefits of quality preschool programs for society, stating that the university of rochester school of medicine conducted an experiment that found that those who started school later had extreme behavior problems as adolescents.
- Opines that programs that teach children how to take care of themselves and learn respect and responsibility will allow for more reliable and trustworthy adults who will be better prepared to face the world.
- Explains that the california department of education found that adequate staff pay and benefits, a well-trained teaching staff, high adult-to-child ratios, small group sizes, and well trained administrators are all key factors to attaining quality preschool environments.
- Opines that we need to step up to the demands and standards that are now being set.
- Cites abbott, l., & rodger, r. (1994). quality education in the early years.
- Cites masterfile premier.ruben, d. (2000 december/2001 january), preschool for all?, parenting, 14(10), 160.
1432 wordsRead More - Pedagogical Leadershipexplanatory essay0~12 years is the critical period of intelligence development in life, thus proper early childhood education can discover great intellectual potential of the brain, promoting children’s ability in learning and communication. Children have their own personality, and they have the desire to develop their personality. Children can learn through play, along with expectation and respect. They have creativity, choosing their own work and sticking to finish it according to their own needs. Children have perseverance and unremitting exploration, and they are willing to overcome all
In this essay, the author
- Explains that pedagogical leadership in early childhood teaching involves fundamental framework, legislation, programing and planning, various approached and curriculum, professional standards, and relative research.
- Explains that children are experiencing more diverse lives due to the changes in society, economy, and technology. australian government has established regulation and beneficial environment, providing children with equal education for children.
- Explains that establishing effective pedagogy in children's learning is crucial for children in the early years. proper early childhood education can discover great intellectual potential of the brain.
- Opines that good educators understand how to encourage children in stimulating interaction with others, leading them to various ways of broadening their thoughts and experience. professional pedagogy requires theoretical evaluation and reflective conversation during the process of teaching.
431 wordsRead More