RESEARCH BENEFITS

When I started this course, I thought I knew nothing about and had no experience to draw from with regard to research. But the very life I enjoy at this time in history is because someone thought outside the box.

I was born in 1953, so had the benefits of penecillin. Members of my family in years before died from the same infections from which I was quickly and fully healed.

The story from my family that I had not even thought of in relation to research demonstrates positive effects, My mother has passed away so I am unable to verify specifics of this story. I am recalling it from stories heard through my life. My brother and sister were both very young at the time and I had not yet been born. But with all those qualifications, here goes:

Due, it is thought to complications during pregnancy and at delivery, my brother had some paralysis on his right side and he experienced seizures. So little was understood about epilepsy in 1948, especially in a tiny province on the east coast of Canada . Somehow and this is a question I wish I had the answer to, but certainly due to my mother's ingenuity and tenacious bent to get answers, she heard of research that had or was going on at McGill University in Montreal, Quebec. My mother grew up on a farm in rural New Brunswick. She went to work in the 'city' when she was sixteen. This 'city' was reached by a bridge that her father had helped build and its  dimensions were wide enough to allow two loads of hay to pass. You get the picture.

From this environment, she took my brother who I believe was in his third year on a train to Montreal. She left her probably 5 or 6 year old daughter and husband behind. I know how difficult it was to move outside the norm in our family and community in my life time, so I can only imagine the opposition she received. One comment I remember her saying is 'You're just wasting your husband's money.'

This is the part I remember the most - she found someone who understood the symptoms she described. Someone who listened to her, showed her images of my brother's brain, meeting her where she was. These doctors were leading the way, thinking outside the known or expected. They asked questions that had either unacceptable or inadequate answers. They helped give definition to my mother's dilemma.

There were still many years of struggle during my brother's growing years with dosage changes. However, having been given this clear understanding, she was able to operate way above her education and experience. I do not know all it took to get to this point of medicine but it surely benefited my family.

The other research that immediately came to mind for this assignment if Dr. Brazelton's (1978) neo-natal research. While reading a paper in an earlier course, I came across a statement about assessing an infant's mental health. I was immediately intrigued and in the search found Dr. Brazelton. Many mothers have difficulty connecting with their newborn and naturally blame themselves. Dr. Brazelton's research shows that because of the intrauterine environment as well as the special blend of DNA each child is born with, his unique temperament that may not be what the mother is expecting. This kind of information can support her in those early days when she is forming attachment to her little one. His idea is to start out right rather than waiting for something that needs to be fixed Brazelton & Sparrow, 2003). He is so absolutely right but until him the medical world did not work that way. His research spread light into many tense nurseries. Thank you, Dr. Brazelton.

References

 Brazelton. T. B., (1978). Organization and Staility of Newborn Behavior: a Commentary on the
     Brazelton Neonatal behavior assessment Scale. (Mongraphs of the Society for Research in
     Child Development, Vol. 43, No. 5/6). Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/1165847.

Brazelton, T. B., & Sparrow, J., (2003). The Touchpoints model of Development. Retrieved from
     www.touchpoints.org.
 

LET THE RESEARCH BEGIN

The question for the exercise in research is:

     Can the sensitivity of the teacher ease the stress of separation anxiety in early childhood?

I will look at three groups:  1-2 yrs; 2-3 yrs; 3-6 yrs.


The events that sparked this interest have to do with the crying, especially at the start of the school year. Questions of how much should be permitted before the parents are called have come up often. We find ourselves on uncertain ground and with differing perspectives.

I initially thought defining the physical and associated social and academic effects of this behavior would be be the way to prove the point. To test this, resources and skills beyond my present situation would be needed.

My purpose now is to show how steps taken by the teacher to form secure attachments with the child will lessen his stress during his early days and also on 'not so great' days. In the process, secure attachment will be defined. The importance and possibility of secure attachments formed apart from the family will be stated.

There is much written about the importance of secure attachment in the early years and its lifelong effects. As a child gets older and his play is interactive some security can be gained from his peers. I am expecting to show that at each of these age levels a sensitive teacher who takes the initiative to secure the child in this new environment provides a necessary service to his well being.

I have chosen these three groups because that is how our classrooms are set apart at my school.  The purpose will be primarily for improving the life at our school. It may also move to a statement of policy on some aspects of this issue. My principal has asked that I forward pertinent papers to her.

I would be interested on knowing if anyone has comments on whether this is a workable and/or needed question to be asked. Also if anyone has experience with this or works with schools that have existing policies, I would be appreciative of your input. Also, if in your reading you have come across some articles that speak to this, could you pass the url along.

Thanks everyone and Good luck!