Sharing Web Resources

Sharing Web Resources

            I would like to share a little bit about the National Head Start Association. Their web site address is: http://www.nhsa.org/ . As a person who works in a Head Start school, I feel that the mission of Head Start is to prevent the effects of poverty from keeping children from being unprepared for kindergarten. In this way Head Start helps end the cycle of poverty because when children have trouble in school, they do not have as many opportunities as others as adults. This prevents them from having a high paying job. This in turn leaves their children with the effects of poverty. This is how Head Start states its vision:

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The NHSA Vision

• All children should reach their full potential,
• Every child can succeed,
• We can impact the success of at-risk children, and
• Quality early education fundamentally transforms children and families

The Head Start web site has a section that describes the type of research that Head Start currently promotes as high priority research. Included in the list of about seven different types of research was information about why Head Start sees it as important to do research on the outcomes of not just its children but also of its parents.

“Head Start and Early Head Start were designed as two -generational programs, but most of the research has focused on child outcomes and less attention has been paid to evaluating parent and family outcomes. This is unfortunate because much anecdotal evidence exists about how the lives of Head Start parents have been transformed by Head Start and Early Head Start. The positive changes in parental development and improved family functioning have favorable impacts on a child’s school readiness. NHSA must be an early childhood leader by fostering and promoting research that examines parent and family outcomes.”

I can’t say how many times this summer, as I was doing a parent orientation, I told a parent that he or she should let either a teacher or his or her family services worker know about any family goals because the family services worker could help the family with resources that would help the family reach its goals. I then went on to say that the family goals would also help the child or children reach their goals. Actually, family goals are important for their own sake. In our monthly news letter for our local organization, we highlight a parent who has accomplished something each month. I think this research is important because it shows not only how parents help children but also how children can enrich the lives of their parents.

I also looked for information on changing demographics and diversity. I did not find it, and these issues were not priority research issues. I did, however, discover Dialog Head Start’s research journal. I am in the process of subscribing to it.