Indian Journal of Health and Wellbeing

Asra Ali ¹, M. S. Rajalakshmi ¹

Affiliations
1 Department of Early Childhood Education and Administration, SMT.VHD Central Institute of Home Science, Bangalore, IN

Abstract

Given all the debates about how children should be taught, it may come as a surprise to learn that students spend less than 15% of their time in school. While there's no doubt that school is important, a clutch of recent studies reminds us that parents are even more so. A study published by researchers at North Carolina State University, Bngham Young University and the University of California-Irvine, for example, finds that parental involvement checking homework, attending school meetings and events, discussing school activities at home has a more powerful influence on students' academic performance than anything about the school the students attend. Another study, published in the Review of Economics and Statistics, reports that the effort put forth by parents (reading stones aloud, meeting with teachers) has a bigger impact on their children's educational achievement than the effort expended by either teachers or the students themselves. And a third study concludes that schools would have to increase their spending by more than $1,000 per pupil in order to achieve the same results that are gained with parental involvement. So parents matter a point made clear by decades of research showing that a major part of the academic advantage held by children from affluent families comes from the "concerted cultivation of children" as compared to the more laissez-fatre style of parenting common in working-class families. Children who hear talk about counting and numbers at home start school with much more extensive mathematical knowledge, report researchers from the University of Chicago knowledge that predicts future achievement in the subject. Psychologist Susan Levine, who led the study on number words, has also found that the amount of talk young children hear about the spatial properties of the physical world how big or small or round or sharp objects are predicts kids'problem-solving abilities as they prepare to enter kindergarten. Research by Nancy Hill, a professor at Harvard University's Graduate School of Education, finds that parents play an important role in what Hill calls "academic socialization" setting expectations and making connections between current behaviour and future goals (going to college, getting a good job). Engaging in these sorts of conversations, Hill reports, has a greater impact on educational accomplishment than volunteering at a child's school or going to PTA meetings, or even taking children to libraries and museums. But often time's parents are clueless about how to teach their children. They adopt methods that their parents adopted, or their peers recommend. They encourage rote learning, and resort to question and answer sessions, looking to verbatim repetitions of what is in the note book. A child who is not strong on language skills may find this burden. It is at this juncture that the approach to learning through Multiple Intelligence s framework comes in handy to parents. If parents are sensitised to applying the MI approach in their childrens learning, then learning can be made fun, meaningful and with positive outcomes for both the children and parents.

Keywords

Learning Styles, Multiple Intelligence, Parents, Academics.

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Tania Ruby M. Thomas ¹, M. S. Rajalakshmi ¹

Affiliations
1 Department of Early Childhood Education and Administration, SMT. VHD Central Institute of Home Science, Bangalore, IN

Abstract

Learning is an innate and natural process of exploration that children engage in from birth. 2-5 year olds are the most capable learners who require a quality early childhood educational setting. Recent research in the field of neuroscience, particularly on the brain, has provided convincing evidence of the 'critical periods' located within these early years for the forming of synaptic connections in the brain and for the full development of the brain's potential. Research has also indicated that if these early years are not supported by or embedded in a stimulating and enriching physical and psychosocial environment, the chances of the child's brain developing to its full potential are considerably, and often irreversibly, reduced. This stage in life is also important as a foundation for the inculcation of social values and personal habits, which are known to last a lifetime. Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) drive its importance from this rationale. Against this rationale, it can be said that the need of the hour today in India is an enriched cost effective learner centric model of early learning environment to motivate children and prepare them for formal school readiness and also motivate parents to keep their children at early learning centres. In India, early childhood educational setting falls in a dual track mode, where the ICDS is a public sponsored initiative which caters to the disadvantaged group and private initiatives targeted for the higher socio-economic families. India does not have a regulatory body to evaluate the early learning centres, to develop curriculum and to assess children. This scenario has led to many other problems such as, children not being school ready, dropping out of school, variation in the cognitive and academic development between the same age group. In the present day set-up, children attend preschool or a kindergarten before schooling and it has become an integral part of the education system. As there are no regulatory body in assessing the early learning centres, the early learning centres are being started in garages and other inappropriate settings, with limited spaces for children. This concept paper highlights the need for designing need based quality early learning centres which are welcoming, vibrant and flexible, responsive to children and their changing needs, interests and abilities. This would in turn foster holistic development of the child and ensure formal school readiness.

Keywords

Early Childhood Education, Learning Centres, Holistic Development, Formal School Readiness.

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D. Mythri ¹, M. S. Rajalakshmi ¹

Affiliations
1 Department of Human Development, SMT.VHD Central Institute of Home Science, Bangalore, IN

Abstract

The first five years of life are critical to a child's lifelong development. Young children's earliest experiences and environments set the stage for future development and success in school and life. Early experiences actually influence brain development, establishing the neural connections that provide the foundation for language, reasoning, problem solving, social skills, behaviour and emotional health. Catering to these need are many different types of preschools -- from parochial (run by churches) to private institutions -- all with their own curriculums and schedule of activities. Each of these preschools addresses various areas of a child's development, such as motor skills, social and emotional development, oral language, phonological skills and math concepts. However, there is a lack of evidence of the effects of these curricula on children's formal school 'readiness'. The lack of such information is worrying, as children's early performance in both academic and social domains has been associated with later academic and social outcomes as they make the transition from preschool to formal instruction in kindergarten and first grade (Downer & Pianta 2006; Miles & Stipek 2006). While there's a lot of opportunity for children to create and let their imaginations run far, this education is still a structured experience. In addition some schools fall short of providing this much needed ideal culture for children at this age. Thus it is vitally important to sustain gains and benefits provided by Early Childhood Care and Education and to ensure that they are not wasted, diminished or eliminated by subsequent inappropriate action or inaction. Continuity and linkages must be maintained, so that success in reducing failures and drop outs will be achieved. Against this background a closer look must be taken at the readiness of children for schooling. Therefore the authors are presenting this concept paper.

Keywords

Pre-School, Readiness, Curriculum, Early Childhood Education.

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K. Srividya ¹, M. S. Rajalakshmi ¹, Suresh ²

Affiliations
1 Department of Human Development, SMT. VHD Central Institute of Home Science, Bangalore, IN
2 Department of Biostatistics, National Institute of Animal Nutrition and Physiology, Bangalore, IN

Abstract

Conflict exists whenever incompatible activities occur (Deutsch, 1973). Conflict is a normal and necessary part of healthy relationships. Two people can't be expected to agree on everything at all times. Learning how to identify, understand and resolve conflict, rather than avoiding a conflict is very crucial. However, scales available m the market to assess the identification, understanding and resolving of conflicts are few The existing scales have their own drawbacks, viz., they may not be culture friendly, not suitable for the age group etc. Therefore the present research was undertaken to develop an appropriate scale, suitable to the Indian Scenario which would assess adolescents' ability to identify understand and resolve conflict. It was assumed that, if this assessment was done, need based educational intervention strategies could be designed to hone m adolescents the skills for win-win conflict resolution approach, which m turn would lead to less conflicts, violence and unhappiness thereby making the transition to adulthood smooth. The researchers developed and standardised the Conflict Identification, Understanding and Resolving Scale (ClUR Scale), compatible for the Indian context which could be used to assess adolescents' conflict resolution patterns. The developed tool is appropriate for the l2-13 year age group and assesses five major areas of conflict during adolescence, viz., conflict with parents, conflict with siblings, conflict with friends, conflict with self and conflict m school.

Keywords

Conflict, Adolescents, Conflict Resolution Scale.

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