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Khloe Tieman

Ms. Barthel

Research Paper

October 25, 2019

Early Childhood Education and Its Impacts

The moment a child is born, his or her brain is already learning and mentally developing

through its surroundings. Between conception and age three, a child’s brain undergoes an

impressive amount of change. At birth, it already has close to all of the neurons it will ever have

in its lifetime. The first year of a child’s life, their brain will double in size and by the time they

are three years old, their brain will have already reached 80 percent of its adult volume (Baby’s

Brain Begins Now: Conception to Age 3).

Synapses are formed at a faster rate during the first three years than any other time

during a child’s life. Essential brain and neural development are at its highest during this time. In

fact, at just age two, the brain has up to twice as many synapses as it will have in adulthood.

Many questions arouse asking, why would the brain create twice as many synapses than it needs,

only to get rid of the extras? The answer is found in the genetic and environmental factors in

brain development that everyone undergoes (Baby’s Brain Begins Now: Conception to Age 3).

The repeated use of anything a child does, encounters, or interacts with strengthens a

synapse. Synapses that are barely used will remain weak and will more likely be eliminated and

lost. The strength of a synapses contributes to the efficiency and connectivity of the networks

that support memory, learning, and other cognitive abilities (Baby’s Brain Begins Now:
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Conception to Age 3). Therefore, everything a child experiences influences how their brain

processes information and what information enters the brain.

As seen through several years of studies on the brain, the early teaching and care for a

child in their early stages of life is vital. It overall impacts their development of who they

become as a person. Developing the child’s mind and meeting the child’s needs early on in life

can jump start their abilities and can help them prepare for and succeed in the future. Every

single experience a young child encounters presents a learning opportunity. Children learn from

everything they do, see, hear, feel, smell, and taste. They learn from everyone they interact with

and everywhere they go.

When children are at a young age, they watch and copy everything, so starting with a

good foundation can provide them with a wide variety of opportunities. Enrolling them into an

early childhood education program can drastically help develop the child’s mind and benefit

them in many ways. Research has been done proving early childhood education has a significant

impact on a child both mentally and physically. It helps children develop to their full potential

and live healthier lives, overall developing abilities children can use to succeed and go far in

life.

Children that do participate in early childhood education, such as Head Start and

Preschool have seen positive impacts and skills obtained through these programs. In fact, the

future success of every child is determined in many ways before he or she turns eight years old

(Child Development and Early Learning, pg 1).

Head Start is a national program that provides comprehensive child development services

to children ages three and four. There is even an Early Head Start program that is designed for
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children before they can enter Head Start, from ages birth to age three. These local agencies are

operated under direct federal grants and provide preschool education, dental, medical, and

mental health care along with nutrition services and services for parents. Some Head Start

programs are full-day or year-round, and some even provide home-based services. Most children

only attend half-day programs (What Is Head Start?). Even though most children only attend

half-day programs, this time critically benefits them in many aspects.

Head Starts follow a federally mandated curriculum with the goal of preparing at-risk

children to succeed in kindergarten (Differences Between Head Start and Preschool, April

Sanders). Head Start programs provide a learning environment that supports growth in many

areas such as literacy, language, and emotional and social development (Head Start and Early

Head Start). Children who are enrolled in Head Start are evaluated for learning and physical

delays and disabilities, and are given free vision, speech and hearing tests, as well as dental

checkups. If it is determined that a child needs therapy, a teacher will set a parent up to get help

(Differences Between Head Start and Preschool, April Sanders). Head Start also works with

parents and highly encourages them to engage their children in educational activities, sending

them home with time sheets to log what activities they do with their child and for how long they

do it for.

The next program, which is a step up from Head Start, is Preschool. Preschools are often

privately funded, usually through tuition and fees that the parents have to pay and are designed

for children three to five years of age. According to the National Association of Child Care

Resource & Referral Agencies (NACCRRA), most preschool fees are comparable to the prices

that are charged by daycare centers. The cost also depends on where the family lives and the
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quality of the preschool. Normally, the average cost ranges from $4,460 to $13,158 a year, which

is about $372 to $1,100 a month (Preschool: How much does it cost?).

Preschool is another type of program like Head Start that aids children academically and

helps children gain skills while preparing them for future education. Preschool is more

commonly chosen among Head Start because it accepts almost everyone, whereas Head Start is

more for low income families.

Preschool and Head Start children can expect to learn a number of things while gaining

many benefits from it. These programs teach things like numbers, colors, shapes, and letters.

Early programs focus on teaching their students about behavior, social skills, cooperative play,

and fine motor skills. Head Start and Preschool overall expand a child’s mind, vocabulary, and

imagination, developing that readiness for what the future holds (The Benefits of Early

Childhood Education). Early learning helps build the brains structure and positively affect it

while building positive self worth. Pre-schooling builds a desire to learn well past preschool age

giving children the confidence moving on to later school (Why All Kids Should Go To

Preschool).

In Early Head Start, Head Start, and Preschool, a child can get a feel for being around

other individuals and learning how to interact with one another. These early programs allow lots

of play time and only a small portion of instructional and educational activities, allowing

children to learn easily and enjoy it while doing so. This is the perfect way to introduce

education and schooling to children so it is not a drastic change when the child is put into

kindergarten.
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Not putting your child in any formal education program before he or she attends

kindergarten may have consequences. This is actually very common among many families. Some

parents neglect to get their children involved in an early program and even fail at dedicating

some of their own time to educating their children. Some of these problems occur because of

long work schedules and the ignorance of the importance of educating children at a young age

(The Value Of Early Childhood Education).

Parent involvement is a key factor in a child’s development as they grow. Parent

involvement helps extend teaching outside the classroom, and creates a more positive experience

for children. It also helps children perform better when they are in school because they have

more interaction with it (Why Parent Involvement is So Important in Early Childhood

Education). Many parents will drop their kids off in the morning, letting the teachers take over,

and then will pick them up at the end of the day without giving their learning any thought.

However, to get true benefits from early childhood education, parents must consider how they

can support what their child is learning throughout the day and continue it while at home. By

taking part in their child’s education process, parents can ensure that their child is getting all the

support they need to develop to their full potential (Why Parent Involvement is So Important in

Early Childhood Education).

It is essential for the parents to work with their child at home to continue their learning

process and improve their learning outcomes. Parents who understand what is going on in the

classroom can take that home with them and work more with the child on it so that they can

master it and not forget it the moment they get home due to no repetition. Repetition is essential

in the learning process. A child’s brain is growing and needs that repetition to stick in their brain
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otherwise it will not stay with them. Parents who fail to work with their children at home are

making it tougher to establish that strong foundation.

However, over the years, early childhood education has shown an increase in parent

involvement. Parents with children enrolled in Head Start or an early schooling program such as

Preschool were more likely to engage in educational activities with their children outside of

school than parents of children who did not attend pre-schooling (Why Parent Involvement is So

Important in Early Childhood Education). In fact, most Head Start programs have noticed

positive effects on the children’s parents. Parents of children that are or were involved in an early

education showed to respond better to situations. According to studies, parents of Head Start

children were less likely to spank their children than parents in the control group (Outcomes For

Parents).

Unfortunately, children are not only negatively affected by not being educated at early

ages. They also face negative affects that often follow them into the future. A study conducted by

the Abecedarian (ABC) Project evaluated two groups of children over an extended period of

time. The two groups included those with formal pre-school education and those who have not

received any formal education. According to their discoveries, children with formal education

scored much higher on reading tests during subsequent school years than those who did not have

any type of formal education. In fact, children who participated in the early intervention program

had higher cognitive test scores, not only from years to follow, but all the way up to 21 years old

(Early Education Benefit Individuals, Society).

It was also shown that the children who did not receive any formal education in their pre-

kindergarten years were more likely to struggle in their early adult years with delinquent
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behaviors and substance abuse (The Value Of Early Childhood Education). According to studies

conducted by the Abecedarian (ABC) Project, children who attend some sort of early education

are found to less likely need government assistant, drop out of high school, or commit a felony.

These children are also more likely to go to college and own a home than children who had no

formal education before kindergarten (Why All Kids Should Go To Preschool).

A problem parents may face while trying to put their children into kindergarten with no

formal education is the transition away from them. Many children growing up are with their

parents every single day and are not away from them for long periods of time. This can affect a

child mentally and emotionally when thrown into a school situation that they are unfamiliar with.

This is just one of the many reasons that it is very important for a child to attend some sort of

pre-schooling. Kids have a hard enough time as it is trying to adjust to new surroundings but the

longer a parent waits the harder it will be for that transition. Getting them enrolled in an early

educational program will help that transition not be so hard when the time does come for

kindergarten.

The environment of a school atmosphere once a child has adjusted can lead to great

academic success and create many learning opportunities. Learning environments are nurturing

spaces that support the development of all young children (Learning Environments). Head Start

and Preschool learning environments allow children to discover how they learn best and at their

own pace. Most education specialists can agree that children learn best when they are not pushed

too hard, and are given opportunities to learn (Child Development and Early Learning). Studies

have also shown children learn better when their peers are engaged as well.
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Children that have been in an early educational program express better interactive skills

than children who have not attended any pre-schooling. These skills are obtained through time

spent learning with other children and teachers. Since early programs like these are small it

allows a good teacher to student ratio. With a good teacher to student ratio it allows a great

amount of one on one time between the students and teachers which can increasingly help a child

when it comes to certain skills they need to work on. These programs provide important skills

teachers teach to their students that will be needed for later school and life success. In fact, it is

such an important time in a child’s life because it is when they first learn how to interact with

others. This includes interacting with their surrounding peers, teachers, and parents. They begin

to develop interests that will stay with them throughout their lives. Influencing them in their

beginning years will help them discover who they are and their potential they have to become

anything they want. Along with this, studies show how more interactive a child will become after

being in a comforting and trusting environment with teachers and other children they have

created a relationship with. Children are more outgoing and will participate in an activity if they

feel comfortable in their surroundings with their peers.

While the environment is an important factor in teaching children, the teachers are there

to ensure each and every child is learning and improving every day through hands on assistance.

Teachers and care givers play a huge role in helping children develop to their full potential. A

teacher’s job is not easy. Teachers are reliable for providing individuals with knowledge they

need for the next step in their life, and ultimately their future. A teacher can have a very

impactful presence in a child life, but for a teacher to have success they must have certain

qualities in the classroom. Teachers are required to have good communication skills, creativity,
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patience, understanding, and a passion for what they do if they intend to succeed (Must-Haves

for Early Childhood Teachers).

Being an early childhood educator requires many responsibilities. One of the important

roles of an early childhood teacher is being able to create a bond with each and every student. It

is very important for teachers to show support and affection towards a child so they can develop

a trusting relationship. Children thrive when they feel secure in a relationship so creating that

strong relationship can go a long way for both the teacher and the student (Teacher Roles and

Responsibilities). When that bond is created between a child and teacher, they will feel

comfortable and more interactive and open to new opportunities presented to them.

Another role of an early childhood educator is to guide their children in the right

direction and not necessarily lead them. This teaching method is used to move the child in a

direction of interests instead of forcing it upon them. As a guide, the teacher should ensure that

they are allowing the child to choose their learning and playing style (Teacher Roles and

Responsibilities). This helps the child in many ways and also helps determine how the child

learns best. This is known as “becoming a partner.” Being a partner to a child is helping them

learn and encouraging them to find their own answers instead of providing the answers for them.

By being a partner, teachers learn with the children and share in their experiences (Teacher Roles

and Responsibilities).

Teachers must also listen to a child to gain feedback during learning situations. A child’s

education is important, and if they feel like they can not express how they feel or how they are

doing they may feel let down or unable to keep on going. Although understanding a child during

their early years may be difficult, a teacher has to acknowledge every child and their feelings.
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Teachers have to understand what the child is trying to convey through interpreting their actions

and words. Listening carefully helps teachers determine a child's needs and aids in furthering the

child's development (Teachers Roles and Responsibilities).

Early childhood educators are trained to identify areas where a child struggles and help

create programs and activities to support them (13 Key Benefits of Early Childhood Education).

Teachers benefit a child in ways such as teaching them through children’s books, planning

activities, learning games, providing cues, coaching on the spot, giving praise when they do

good, and modeling appropriate behaviors. These things are all expressed in early childhood

education programs and are used to provide each child with the knowledge they need to succeed.

Children’s books can teach understanding, problem solving, life lessons, and help gain

more knowledge. Teachers introduce learning games to children to help a child learn through fun

ways. Teachers are always finding educational games that are enjoyable and amusing to children

to make learning exciting. Children are more likely to be engaged if a teacher uses tools that are

fun and grasp their attention, rather than something boring that they will not pay attention to.

Providing cues is another beneficial strategy teachers use to teach children because it

gives the child a hint in the right direction, but letting them decide the correct response. This is

one very useful tool children seem to learn from very easily. When trying to teach a child

something completely new to them, teachers must ease into it and this strategy guides children

into that.

Coaching on the spot helps a child understand what they did in the moment and if it

portrayed a good or bad behavior and learn from it. Coaching involves an ongoing cycle of

observing, data collecting, learning, and goal-setting. Expressing good behavior is a key factor in
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teaching children at a young age so they can grow up knowing the difference between right and

wrong.

Giving praise when something good is done can include awarding the child with candy, a

prize, or even a little extra attention. Children love attention and when they do something good

showing them by rewarding them can overall benefit them in the future. It can lead to them doing

better and choosing the right behavior when they know they will receive good praise for it.

Modeling appropriate behavior is another way educators teach their students. It is

important for teachers to express good behavior when a child’s brain is developing because it

will follow them into the future. Children who are around a bad environment and are only taught

bad behaviors when growing up will only know those behaviors, and it is not necessarily their

fault. Whatever environment an individual is in will affect them, so teachers making sure they

model good behavior in a positive environment is critical in the early years of a child’s life.

Studies have proven children in Head Start are less likely to exhibit behavior problems, such as

hyperactive behavior, than children in a control group. Research done over several years has

shown a reduction in criminal behavior as well (Impacts Of Early Childhood Education). Being

in an environment that models appropriate behavior will result in better behavior in a child and

becoming more aware of the difference in good and bad behavior. All of these methods teachers

express are used in the Early Childhood Education that is provided to all children involved in

these programs, and can overall impact them in a positive way.

Children involved in such programs express better cooperative skills such as learning

how to share, how to take turns, and preserving within a safe environment (13 Key Benefits of

Early Childhood Education). This is especially important for children with younger siblings at
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home. A parents wants nothing more than a child who is cooperative, listens, and shares without

acting out. While it can be a difficult lesson, it is highly crucial to learn it early (13 Key Benefits

of Early Childhood Education).

During their young years, a child develops mentally, emotionally, socially, and physically,

so it is critical they start learning in their early years. Early childhood education provides a wide

range of benefits. Some of these benefits include improved social skills, better performance in

grade school, longer attention spans, and enthusiasm for life-long learning (The Value Of Early

Childhood Education).

Mental development starts the moment a child is born and is affected by what kind of

environment they are brought up in and how they grow in it. When a child thinks and uses their

brain they can start to learn and think more complexly while solving problems and making

decisions when they’re in a learning environment. As young children explore, ask questions, and

create, they improve their thinking skills. Using that learned information for early programs and

reflecting on it lets a child understand the world around them. The way a child approaches

learning is also an important part of their thinking process that creates skills. For example, being

able to focus or handle a frustrating situation helps a child learn more easily (What Do Children

Learn in a High-Quality Preschool Program?).

Cognitive skills obtained by early education programs include improved attention,

perception, memory, language, learning, and higher reasoning. Children with these skills and

who are mentally healthy and in a trusting environment tend to be happier, show greater

motivation, and demonstrate higher academic success. According to several discoveries, it has
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been proven that children enrolled in Head Start know more letters, have higher vocabularies,

and are better at naming colors and numbers than those not enrolled in a Head Start.

Emotional development benefits a child’s understand of his or her own feelings and the

feelings of others. Teachers aid children with recognizing and managing their own feelings and

behavior, whether it is positive or negative, and helping them learn from it. Early educators also

teach children how to show concern for others, how to build their peers up, and how to help

others out. To build a child's self-esteem, teachers encourage them to keep working hard and to

try new things (What Do Children Learn in a High-Quality Preschool Program?). A child

enrolled in Head Start or Preschool is more likely to recognize and manage their emotions then

other children their age.

A child can grow their social skills through activities done in the classroom involving

their peers. Social development helps children get along with other children while creating

relationships with them. Teachers work hard to express the importance of respect and how to

treat others the way you would want to be treated. They also work with encouraging children to

work together to grow their social skills through teamwork activities. Working together can show

how far one can get with the help of others and how important it is to include others and interact

with everyone. By playing and learning together, children build their social skills, along with

language skills, and self-control. With support from teachers, children learn to resolve conflicts

that may come up during play (What Do Children Learn in a High-Quality Preschool Program?).

The earlier parents introduce education to their children, the better, as it helps their child

overcome any shyness they may have and help gain self-confidence. If parents neglect to do so,

it actually hinders their social development (13 Key Benefits of Early Childhood Education).
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Physical Development is a child’s motor skills and the way a child moves. Teachers can

help children master physical skills by offering different physical activities. During a child’s

young years they are learning how to do everyday things such as running, jumping, throwing,

climbing, and catching. Using their hands through activities such as puzzles, paints, playdough,

sand, and things to write with they can explore new experiences. Through physical activity using

their bodies both indoors and outdoors, children build healthy bones and muscles (What Do

Children Learn in a High-Quality Preschool Program?). Head Start enrollment has seen many

beneficial outcomes in physical needs. There is some evidence of improvements in children’s

health and safety. In fact, the use of dental care increased by 16 to 17 percent when children

attended pre-schooling (Impacts Of Early Childhood Programs).

Language and literacy development is another skill children obtain from formal

education. Mastering these skills help a child understand and communicate through listening,

talking, reading, and writing. All of these skills are connected. Teachers help their students use

their growing communication skills to learn new concepts. In fact, students who are more

involved are more likely to have more positive attitudes towards school and learning, and

become more engaged in listening and following directions.

There have been hundreds of studies done on early childhood education programs,

providing a large body of evidence of positive outcomes. According to some studies, children

that are enrolled in these programs are more well behaved and even have higher IQ scores upon

enrolling in kindergarten than their peers without formal education. Likewise, these studies have

also shown that children enrolled in a Head Start program learned quicker than those who were

not involved in an early educational program. Studies have also proven that those who attend an
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early childhood education center have less or no need for special education instruction during

following school years (What Is So Important About Early Childhood Education).

Early childhood education does not only effect the child, but several other people as well.

A long-running research on the benefit-cost analysis conducted by the Abecedarian (ABC)

Project concluded that taxpayers can expect to benefit at least four dollars for every dollar that is

spent on high-quality early education programs. School districts can expect to save more than

$11,000 per child, because participants are less likely to require remedial or special education.

In a long term perspective, children who previously attended a high-quality program in

their early years are projected to make about $143,000 more in their lifetimes than those who

didn't take part in an early educational program. Mothers of children are also benefitted, as they

can expect to make roughly $133,000 more in their lifetimes. Mothers of these children in a

program also achieved higher educational and employment status than mothers whose children

were not (Early Education Benefits Individuals, Society).

Overall, through years of studies and research, early childhood education has proven

effective and impactful to a child in their early years of life. It is vital for children to develop

their mind when they are young and getting that extra curriculum that will help them in the

future. Early education programs help children grow together while getting them ready for

kindergarten and other further education. If one attends a formal education program, they will

have great success in following years. Kindergarten can be a scary and uneasy step for children

but if they already have early experience it will be a comfortable transition for them. There are

many factors that contribute to early childhood educational programs getting a child ready for

their next step in life. In conclusion, children benefit in many aspects, whether it is physically or
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mentally, early experiences with schooling positively impacts a child. Altogether, Head Start and

Preschool main goals are to develop the readiness of a child and teach skills that will help them

succeed. Through studies it has been proven true that early childhood education does just that.