What pedagogical implications does poverty have on early childhood education?

Early childhood education is affected by society in many ways as shown in this Te Whāriki model that is based on Bronfenbrenner ecological theory. As shown in the picture, what happens in the outer layers will ultimately affect each and every child. The outer layers need to provide a safe and nurturing environment so each child is able to reach their full potential.

Poverty is affecting our children's ability to reach their full potential.

“Neuroscientists said many children growing up in very poor families with low social status experience unhealthy levels of stress hormones, which impair their neural development. That effect is on top of any damage caused by inadequate nutrition and exposure to environmental toxins” (Cookson, 2008).

Early childhood teachers need to be aware of the damage poverty can cause on a child brain development. These issues that are cause by poverty such as lack of healthy foods, exposure to cold damp houses and a settle lifestyle can cause havoc to the brains architecture. “By the age of 3, a baby’s brain has reached almost 90 percent of its adult size” (Child welfare information gateway, 2009). Therefore the first years of a child life are very significant, as mentioned in "The first 1000 days" report. The earlier someone intervenes in a child life that is affected by poverty, the more likely the child will be able to reach their full potential and have a great start to life.

Early childhood teachers have a unique opportunity to observe children within their care and ensure that they are meeting their developmental milestone. If children are struggling to meet their milestone, there may be many reasons for this,but one of these reasons could be caused by child poverty. Qualified early childhood teachers need to acknowledge child poverty as a social issue, that is affecting children’s learning and development. Early childhood teachers also need to  know what is going on at home to be able to assist family living in child poverty, therefore good collaboration skills with parents and whānau are essential. When a child has been identified as living with effects of poverty, teachers could direct assistances from outside agencies such as Salvation Army, or Child Poverty Action Groups.

In low socio-economic communities equity funding is given from the government to licensed early childhood education services (Ministry of Education, n.d.). The purpose of this funding is to reduce educational gaps within different socio-economic communities,and to improve participation within early childhood education as well as support early childhood centres with their educational achievement (Ministry of Education, n.d.). This funding is one way to allow children living in poverty to attend early childhood centres and reap the benefits through their learning and development. However, educating parents and whānau on ways to improve their child's learning such as supplying correct food, bedding, and medical care needs to be discussed.

Te Whāriki (1996) States that “Policies, procedures, and supervision should ensure that children are kept safe and feel secure within a safe environment, where symptoms of danger or abuse are promptly recognised. (Ministry Of Education, 1996, p. 46). Te Whāriki (1996) acknowledges all children have the right to have a warm safe environment to learn and develop. Qualified early childhood teachers have a professional obligation to look after a child that is in their care, and to ensure that child has support at home and community.

Poverty will always affect early childhood as long as it is an issues in New Zealand. Therefore early childhood teachers near to be aware of the signs of poverty and what to do when a child needs help. Poverty will affect a child development therefore early detection is the key to help children’s learning and development.

References

1,000 DAYS (n.d.). Why 1,000 days. Retrieved from http://www.thousanddays.org/about/

Child welfare information gateway. (2009). Understanding the effects of maltreatment on brain development. Retrieved from https://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/issue_briefs/brain_development/how.cfm

Cookson, C. (2008). Rachel's Democracy & Health News 947. Retrieved from
ProQuest Central database.

Ministry of Education. (n.d.). ECE equity funding - questions and answers. Retrieved from http://www.lead.ece.govt.nz/ManagementInformation/Funding/EquityFunding/ECEEquityFundingQuestionsAndAnswers.aspx

Ministry of Education. (1996). Te Whāriki. He Whāriki mātaturanga mō ngā mōkopuna o Aotearoa/ Early childhood curriculum. Wellington: Learning Media.

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