Diverse families and their impact on early childhood education
How does parent involvement affect early childhood education?
A parent’s involvement is the dedication of available resources to their children in a certain domain. The dedication may include participating in school activities, child’s effective environment, and exposing the child to cognitively stimulating activities (Huntsinger & Jose, 2009). I agree with the assertion that the parent involvement has a high impact on the education of young children in their early years than in their supplementary or high school education. Parents provide a firm academic foundation that influences the achievement of their children. In this case, young children follow their parents’ instructions. This influences their achievement positively.
What are examples of parent involvement?
Parent involvement may include parent volunteering at school, communicating, and learning at home (Huntsinger & Jose, 2009). Some parents actively participate and volunteer at their children’s school. Other parents teach their children at home. However, I do not agree with some of these forms of parenting. Helping children with their assignments can help them achieve better grades. However, the parents can confuse the students. The introduction of a different method of solving a problem other than the one introduced by the teacher can confuse the child. This affects the academic performance of the child negatively.
What factors influence a specific form of parent involvement?
There are several aspects that influence the form of parent involvement in the child’s academic life. For example, immigration and culture of the family influence parent involvement in early childhood education. Some of these cultures emphasize on cognitive intellectual parenting and involvement, which is crucial for the academic success of their children. Parents from such cultures teach their children at home. These parents volunteer a lot in school (Huntsinger & Jose, 2009). Lack of understanding of different cultures can affect the relationship between teachers and parents. Teachers are advised to make an effort to know the child’s family, activities away from school, and cultural backgrounds of their family.
Low-Income effects on Early Childhood Education
What are the implications of poverty to early childhood education?
Poverty has negative effects in young children’s lives. It affects their school readiness. The poverty experienced in childhood affects the child’s pre-school and early school life, and continues up to early adulthood. This poverty is much severe than any other poverty that can be experienced at any other age of life (Ryan, Fauth & Brooks-Gunn, 2006). This idea may be correct, but I do not agree with some sections of it. When a child is young, he/she is naive and may not understand the aspect of poverty. However, as children grow, they understand different situations. Therefore, poverty can impact them negatively in their academic life.
Immigrants and their impact on early childhood education
National policies in health, education, and income security have different effects on children living with immigrant families. Children from the same cultural background may differ in their academic achievements depending on the policies and practices of the host-country. The other aspect that may affect the educational outcome of children from immigrant families is the difference in levels of education of their parents (Hernandez, Takanishi & Marotz, 2009). I agree with this conclusion since the educational structure of the home country and the host country may be different, hence the parent involvement is limited. Parents may be willing to get involved with the academic life of their children; however, they may not know where to begin.
Recommendations and conclusion
The issues above affect the educational outcome of children in their early life. The government, parents, and teachers should enhance their efforts to establish environments where children can no longer be affected by such issues. It is recommended that teachers should learn more about the cultural background of the child so that they can avoid conflicts with them and their parents. In some instances teachers have been reported to misunderstand parents and prejudice against them based on negative assumptions about particular cultures. Teachers should also make an effort to learn more about the child’s background and family.
Knowing a child’s activities away from school can also be helpful in avoiding cultural conflicts. This will improve the educational outcome of children from backgrounds affected by issues like poverty and other cultural aspects.
References
Hernandez, D. J., Takanishi, R. & Marotz, G. K. (2009). Life circumstances and public policies for young children in immigrant families. Early Childhood Research Quarterly 24, pp. 487–501.
Huntsinger, C. S. & Jose, P. E. (2009). Parental involvement in children’s schooling: Different meanings in different cultures. Early Childhood Research Quarterly 24, pp. 398–410.
Ryan, R. M., Fauth, R. C., & Brooks-Gunn, J. (2006). Childhood Poverty: Implications for School Readiness and Early Childhood Education. Mahwah, NJ, US: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Publishers.