Research That has Helped Me and Others in my Field

             This week, I want to share some research that has been eye opening for me, my co-workers and the parents we serve. It was introduced to us during a professional development meeting last year. This meeting focused on infant care and how much we influence infants. I know it helped me to be a better caregiver, helped the parents to be more informed, and helped us to build a stronger relationship with the families.

              We already know an infants genes are a significant contributor to how they deal with the world and how they learn. Infants have personalities and they make their own choices. This new research reverts back to that age old debate: Nature vs. Nurture. More specifically, this article states that it is both and focuses on how much one's environment and innate abilities effects their development. "While much of the research examining brain-functioning has been done with animals, new technologies are enabling more non-invasive research to be done with humans" (Child Welfare Information Gateway, 2001, p. 2). One main point of the article, that helps caregivers in the child care center, states that when an infant is born with genes that drive him/her to be aggressive, easily frustrated, or submissive, their caregiver can help on the nurturing side by making sure they build a strong bond to help the child learn to deal with these strong emotions. It is a sort of balancing act. It also iterates that babies are much more capable that previously thought. They understand what we say to them and it is these interactions that shape how well they develop and learn during school-age (CWIG, 2001).

               This article was published in 2001, so it is not new information yet it is enlightening to the parents who read it and anyone getting into the early childhood field. It is classic information any early childhood professional can appreciate. The debate still goes on and research still focuses on the level of effects for each side of the case. One researcher I like to follow and who studies this debate is Alison Gopnik. Who we learned about in EDUC 6005. This article addresses very interesting topics and has great information!

References:

Child Welfare Information Gateway. (2001, October). Understanding the Effects of Maltreatment on Early Brain Development. www.childwelfare.gov. 1-21 Retrieved from http://dcfs.co.la.ca.us/katieA/docs/Maltreatmnet%20on%20Early%20Brain%20Development.pdf