Brain Research/ACE's and BCE's For Early Childhood Professionals

There is a lot of excellent research available in early childhood education these days. Much of it is research on the brain itself and how it's shaped and affected by our experiences.

For example, it's been proven that ACE's or Adverse Childhood Experiences cause harm to brain development. This can be shown through brain imaging.

There's now a growing body of research focusing on BCE's, Benevolent or Beneficial Childhood Experiences and how they affect brain development in a positive way.

It's fascinating stuff but how does it directly relate to what's happening in the world of early childhood today?

The answer to that question is complicated. In high quality childcare with loving and responsive caregivers, those types of beneficial experiences happen often.

We know that 60% of children in the US attend some kind of childcare. We also know that only 10-15% of that care is considered high quality by national standards.

We also know that most of the brain is formed before the age of 3. Although more complex processes happen later on they're all dependent on the blueprint of the brain that's formed in those first few years.

The amygdala is being formed in the earliest years which has a lot to do with our attitudes and approach to life experiences.

Yet lawmakers in the US are focusing on providing universal preschool to 4-year-old children. It's a noble idea except the research says we could do a lot more good with less capital if and when we focused on the earliest years instead.

Do you believe that emotions spark learning?

At early childhood rocks!, we most definitely do. And our ideas are supported by current brain research. 

Human development hinges on the interplay between nature and nurture. Development depends on emotionally responsive caregiving. (Shore, 1997)

If you're in charge of young children, especially in the first few years of their lives, you're in charge of providing the best emotional development you can. Experiences at this level matter and they matter more than anyone ever expected.

Professional early childhood educators need support to provide the high-quality of care that children need to thrive. In some states, providers are legally allowed to care for 7 infants aged 6 weeks to 9 mos. by themselves!

This doesn't correlate with the current research at all.

Keep this and some of the facts in this article in mind when you care for young children today and every day.

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Nanci J Bradley is an early childhood and family educator, author, teacher, family aerobics instructor, and an all-around fun-loving person. She believes in the power of sleep, healthy eating, lifelong learning, and most of all, PLAY!  (click on the word) She studied early childhood ed at Triton College and received her BS in education in 1986 from NIU. She received her MA in human development from Pacific Oaks College in 2011. She has presented at statewide and nationwide conferences. She lives and teaches in Madison WI.