Academic literature on the topic 'Arizona early childhood'

The Arizona Twin Project is an ongoing longitudinal study designed to elucidate the genetic and environmental influences underlying the development of early competence and resilience to common mental and physical health problems during infancy and childhood. Participants are a sample of 600 twins (25% Hispanic) recruited from birth records in the state of Arizona, United States. Primary caregivers were interviewed on twins’ development and early social environments when twins were 12 and 30 months of age. Measures include indices of prenatal and obstetrical risk coded from hospital medical records, as well as primary caregiver-report questionnaires assessing multiple indicators of environmental risk and resilience (e.g., parental warmth and control, family and social support), twins’ developmental maturity, temperament, health, behavior problems, and competencies. Preliminary findings highlight the importance of the early environment for infant and toddler health and well-being, both directly and as a moderator of genetic influences. Future directions include a third longitudinal assessment in middle childhood examining daily bidirectional relations between sleep, health behaviors, stress, and mood.

Given the critical role that literacy plays in children’s academic and personal development, policymakers have increasingly focused on policies related to early childhood literacy, particularly among poor and minority students. In this study, authors use a census of data from Arizona, a state with a large and growing population of traditionally low-performing demographic groups, to identify school, district, and community health factors that plausibly influence third grade literacy rates. Authors find two independent measures of student attendance related to school-level reading achievement after controlling for a variety of factors that have been identified in previous studies of student achievement. The findings indicate that policies aimed at increasing school-level attendance rates may be effective and inexpensive approaches to increasing childhood literacy rates.

AbstractThe Arizona Twin Project is an ongoing longitudinal study designed to elucidate gene–environment interplay underlying the development of risk and resilience to common mental and physical health problems during infancy, childhood and adolescence. Specificity of risk is carefully examined across mental and physical health and how these influences vary across socioeconomic and sociocultural environments. Participants are a sample of approximately 700 twins (31% Latinx) recruited from birth records in the state of Arizona, USA. Twins are 32% monozygotic twins, 36% same-sex dizygotic (DZ), 32% opposite-sex DZ, currently 10–11 years of age. Primary caregivers were interviewed on twins’ development and early physical and social environments when twins were 1, 2 and 5 years of age. In-depth objective measurement commenced in middle childhood, with in-person assessments at 8–11 years of age, with plans to continue to follow the sample across adolescence. Middle childhood measures focus on children’s physical and mental health, including diurnal cortisol, actigraphy-based measures of sleep and activity, cold pressor task assessing acute pain, and reaction time tasks assessing executive functioning. Preliminary findings illustrate that objective assessments of children’s health are highly heritable, but they do not always share genetic etiology with more commonly used subjective assessments. Exposure to early adversity moderates genetic influences on both executive functioning and health, with higher heritability typically seen under adverse conditions. Future directions include an examination of how pubertal stage affects genetic and environmental influences on diurnal cortisol, sleep, chronic pain, and mental health.

This is a case study of political struggles over early care and education in the USA using a combination of archival, interview, and observational data from a study conducted in the US state of Arizona. This case analysis illustrates how a combination of the episodic nature of public attention paid to early care and education in the USA, internal tensions within US early care and education between its educational and caring purposes, and competition over scarce resources has worked to undermine the development of universal early care and education in the USA. The study is framed by Dorothy Holland and Jean Lave’s ideas of enduring struggles and locally contested practice, and uses an analytic strategy informed by Bakhtinian theory to illustrate how understanding the cultural logics involved in locally contested practice can be of use to the practice of policy advocacy, specifically engaging adversaries with what Bakhtin called an “excess of seeing” - understanding beneath the surface. While focused on one state in one national context, this analysis may have transnational relevance by raising comparative questions about early care and education policies and policy practice in other localities.

Abstract. Statistically significant correlations between increase of asthma attacks in children and elevated concentrations of particulate matter of diameter 10 microns and less (PM10) were determined for metropolitan Phoenix, Arizona. Interpolated concentrations from a five-site network provided spatial distribution of PM10 that was mapped onto census tracts with population health records. The case-crossover statistical method was applied to determine the relationship between PM10 concentration and asthma attacks. For children ages 5–17, a significant relationship was discovered between the two, while children ages 0–4 exhibited virtually no relationship. The risk of adverse health effects was expressed as a function of the change from the 25th to 75th percentiles of mean level PM10 (36 μg m−3). This increase in concentration was associated with a 12.6% (95% CI: 5.8%, 19.4%) increase in the log odds of asthma attacks among children ages 5–17. Neither gender nor other demographic variables were significant. The results are being used to develop an asthma early warning system for the study area.

Abstract. Statistically significant correlations between increase of asthma attacks in children and elevated concentrations of particulate matter of diameter 10 microns and less (PM10) were determined for metropolitan Phoenix, Arizona. Interpolated concentrations from a five-site network provided spatial distribution of PM10 that was mapped onto census tracts with population health records. The case-crossover statistical method was applied to determine the relationship between PM10 concentration and asthma attacks. For children ages 5–17, a significant relationship was discovered between the two, while children ages 0–4 exhibited virtually no relationship. The risk of adverse health effects was expressed as a function of the change from the 25th to 75th percentiles of mean level PM10 (36 μg m−3). This increase in concentration was associated with a 12.6% (95% CI: 5.8%, 19.4%) increase in the log odds of asthma attacks among children ages 5–17. Neither gender nor other demographic variables were significant. The results are being used to develop an asthma early warning system for the study area.

The challenge for early childhood educators to be able to provide a touch of education that is creative, innovative, smart, and fun to develop children's intelligence optimally. This study aims to develop Thematic Pop-Up Book products as learning media for the development of Early Childhood languages. The research subjects were 15 participants in class B6 of Khaira Ummah Islamic Kindergarten in the City. The research and development used data analysis using descriptive statistical analysis techniques. The results of the validity test and the practicality of the development of Pop-Up Book media at Khaira Ummah Islamic Kindergarten in Padang City were declared valid by media experts with an average score of 95%. Media Thematic Pop-Up Books, about Healthy and Unhealthy Foodstuffs were also declared valid by material experts with an average score of 95%. The results of the trial of thematic Pop-Up book products in Khaira Kindergarten Islamic Ummah were stated as a practical medium for children with a percentage increase in the test reaching 96%. Based on these results indicate that Pop-Up Book media products get a positive response from children and teachers. Media Pop-Up Book for further research can be used as a medium to improve children's cognitive, and interest in reading. Key Words: Thematic Pop-up Book, Early Childhood Education, Language Development References Arsyad, A. (2017). Media Pembelajaran. PT Raja Grafindo Pursada. Beceren, B. Ö. (2010). Determining multiple intelligences pre-school children (4-6 age) in learning process. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 2(2), 2473–2480. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2010.03.356 Berman, R. A. (2018). Language Development and Literacy. Encyclopedia of Adolescence, (October), 2093–2103. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-33228-4_19 Chaparro-Moreno, L. J., Reali, F., & Maldonado-Carreño, C. (2017). Wordless picture books boost preschoolers’ language production during shared reading. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 40, 52–62. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecresq.2017.03.001 Dato, A., & Radmilovic, V. (2010). Interactive Book With Detachable, Pop-Up Device. Patent Application Publication, 1(19), 20–25. https://doi.org/US 2007/0293118A1 Helmawati. (2015). Mengenal dan Memahami PAUD. Bandung: PT Remaja Rosdakarya. Lin, R. (2012). Creative Thinking for Picture Book Creation. IERI Procedia, 2, 30–35. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ieri.2012.06.047 Montag, J. L., Jones, M. N., & Smith, L. B. (2015). The Words Children Hear. Psychological Science, 26(9), 1489–1496. https://doi.org/10.1177/0956797615594361 Nazaruddin, M. A., & Efendi, M. (2018). The Book of Pop Up Augmented Reality to Increase Focus and Object Recognition Capabilities for Children with Autism. Journal of ICSAR, 2(1), 9–14. https://doi.org/10.17977/um005v2i12018p009 Obiweluozo, E. P., & Melefa, O. M. (2014). Strategies for Enhancing Language Development as a Necessary Foundation for Early Childhood Education. Journal of Education and Practice, 5(5), 147–155. Retrieved from www.iiste.org Ponitz, C. C., McClelland, M. M., Matthews, J. S., & Morrison, F. J. (2009). A Structured Observation of Behavioral Self-Regulation and Its Contribution to Kindergarten Outcomes. Developmental Psychology, 45(3), 605–619. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0015365 Putra, N. (2011). Research & Development. Jakarta: Raja Grafindo Persada. Rahmawati, D. I., & Rukiyati, R. (2018). Developing Pop-Up Book Learning Media to Improve Cognitive Ability of Children Aged 4-5 Years. Atlantis Press, 249(Secret), 60–69. https://doi.org/10.2991/secret-18.2018.10 Ros, R., & Demiris, Y. (2012). Human Behavior Understanding, 7559, 40–51. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-34014-7 Safitri, D., & Hartati, T. A. W. (2016). Kelayakan Aspek Media dan Bahasa Dalam Pengembangan Buku Ajar dan Multimedia Interaktif Biologi Sel. Florea, 3(2), 9–14. Retrieved from https://www.google.com/url? Sahlan, Asmaun, Angga, & Prastyo, T. (2016). Desain Pembelajaran Berbasis Pendidi-kan Karaker. Yokyakarta: Ar-Ruzz Media. Sari, S. A. (2017). The Development of Pop-up Book on the Role of Buffer in the Living Body. European Journal of Social Sciences Education and Research, 10(2), 213. https://doi.org/10.26417/ejser.v10i2.p213-221 Sudjana, N., & Rivai, A. (2011). Media Pengajaran. Bandung: Sinar Baru Algensindo. Walter-Laager, C., Brandenberg, K., Tinguely, L., Schwarz, J., Pfiffner, M. R., & Moschner, B. (2017). Media-assisted language learning for young children: Effects of a word-learning app on the vocabulary acquisition of two-year-olds. British Journal of Educational Technology, 48(4), 1062–1072. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjet.12472 Wilcox, M.J., M., K.M, Bacon, C. K., & Thomas, S. (2001). Enhancing Children ’ s Language Development in Preschool Classrooms Using Literacy to Target Verbal Language Goals Enhancing Children ’ s Language Development in Preschool Classrooms Encouraging Complex Verbal Reasoning. Arizona. Retrieved from http://icrp.asu.edu Wiyani, & Ardy, N. (2016). Konsep Dasar PAUD. Yokyakarta: Gava Media. Yu, X. (2009). Levels of meaning and children: An exploratory study of picture books’ illustrations. Library and Information Science Research, 31(4), 240–246. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lisr.2009.07.003

The COVID-19 pandemics have caused a lot of stressors for parents. Apart from doing daily activities, parents also have to take care of their children and accompany them to study. The number of stressors can lead to toxic behavior in parenting. This study aims to measure the level of toxicity in parenting behavior and coping strategies adopted by parents. This study uses quantitative descriptive methods to measure toxic levels in parenting behavior during the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 568 parents from Banjarmasin and Yogyakarta participated in this study. The survey results show that several factors can trigger parenting stress during the COVID-19 pandemic, namely worsening economic conditions, delinquent children, excessive anxiety, accumulated daily hassles, growing family demands, and disputes with spouses. However, some of these stressors do not lead to toxic parenting. The results showed that 97.79% of respondents from Banjarmasin and 95.29% from Yogyakarta showed a low toxic level. The remaining 2.21% of respondents in Banjarmasin and 4.71% of respondents in Yogyakarta indicated a moderate toxic level. Coping strategies are crucial for neutralizing stress. There are several strategies applied, namely trying to consider a problem is God's test, and there is a positive side to every problem; trying to address the source of stress and solving it; Withdrawing and finding individual time; looking for social support from the family and others; crying and releasing it by doing favorite things and capitulate and get back the problem. This Research is expected to be a reference for parents in choosing coping strategies to manage the stress they feel in parenting during the pandemic. Keywords: Toxic parenting; stress trigger, coping strategy; COVID-19 References Abidin, R. R. (1990). Parenting Stress Index (PSI) manual. Psychological Assessment Resources, Inc. Anthony, L. G., Anthony, B. J., Glanville, D. N., Naiman, D. Q., Waanders, C., & Shaffer, S. (2005). The Relationships Between Parenting Stress, Parenting Behaviour and Preschoolers’ Social Competence and Behaviour Problems in the Classroom. Infant and Child Development, 14(2), 133–154. https://doi.org/10.1002/icd Arikunto, S. (2010). Prosedur Penelitian Suatu Pendekatan Praktik. Asdi Mahasatya. Badanes, L. S., Dmitrieva, J., & Watamura, S. E. (2012). Understanding cortisol reactivity across the day at child care: The potential buffering role of secure attachments to caregivers. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 27(1), 156–165. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecresq.2011.05.005 Belsky, J. (2005). Social-contextual determinants of parenting. In Encyclopaedia on early childhood development. Berlin, L. ., Appleyard, K., & Dodge, K. . (2011). Intergenerational continuity in child maltreatment: mediating mechanisms and implications for prevention. Child Development, 82, 162–176. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.14678624.2010.01547.x Bethell, C. D., Newacheck, P., Hawes, E., & Halfon, N. (2014). Adverse childhood experiences: assessing the impact on health and school engagement and the mitigating role of resilience. Health Affairs, 33(12), 2106–2115. https://doi.org/10.1377/hlthaff.2014.0914 Branco, M. S. S., & Linhares, M. B. M. (2018). The toxic stress and its impact on development in the Shonkoff’s Ecobiodevelopmental Theorical approach. Estudos de Psicologia (Campinas), 35(1), 89–98. https://doi.org/10.1590/1982-02752018000100009 Braveman, A. P. (2009). Health disparities beginning in childhood: A life-course perspective. Pediatrics, 124. https://doi.org/10.1542 Caldwell, J. ., Shaver, P. ., Li, C., & Minzenberg, M. . (2011). Childhood maltreatment, adult attachment and depression as predictors of parental self-efficacy in at-risk mothers. Journal Aggress Maltreat Trauma, 20, 595–616. https://doi.org/10.1080/10926771.2011.595763 Cohan, S. ., Jang, K. ., & Stein, M. . (2006). Confirmatory factor analysis of a Short Form of the Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 62. Corrigan, P., McCorkle, B., Schell, B., & Kidder, K. (2003). Religion and spirituality in the lives of people with serious mental illnes. Community Mental Health Journal, 39(6). Crnic, K. ., Gaze, C., & Hoffman, C. (2005). Cumulative parenting stress across the preschool period: relations to maternal parenting and child behavior at age 5. Infant and Child Development, 14, 117–132. https://doi.org/10.1002/icd.384 Daulay, N. (2018). Parenting Stress of Mothers in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Review of the Culture in Indonesia. KnE Social Sciences, 3(5), 453. https://doi.org/10.18502/kss.v3i5.2349 Davis, N. O., & Carter, A. S. (2008). Parenting stress in mothers and fathers of toddlers with autism spectrum disorders: Associations with child characteristics Disorders. Journal of Autism Developmental, 38, 1278–1291. Deater-deckard, K. (1998). Parenting Stress and Child Adjustment : Some Old Hypotheses and New Questions. Clinical Psychology Science and Practice, 5(3). Deckard, K. D.-, & Scarr, S. (1996). Parenting stress among the dual-earner mothers and fathers: are there gender differences? Journal of Family Psychology, 10, 45–59. https://doi.org/10.1037/0893-3200.10.1.45 Dunham, S., & Dermer, H. (2011). Poisonous Parenting : Toxic Relationships Between Parents And Their Adult. Routledge Taylor & Francis Group. Ekas, N., & Whitman, T. L. (2010). Autism symptom topography and maternal socioemotional functioning. American Journal on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, 115(3), 234–249. Felitti, V. J., Anda, R. F., Nordenberg, D., Williamson, D. F., Spitz, A. M., Edwards, V., Koss, M. P., & Marks, J. S. (1998). Household Dysfunction to Many of the Leading Causes of Death in Adults The Adverse Childhood Experiences ( ACE ) Study. 14(4), 245–258. Fitzgerald, M. ., Shipman, K. ., Jackson, J. ., McMahon, R. ., & Hanley, H. . (2005). Perceptions of parenting versus parent–child interactions among incest survivors. Child Abuse Negl, 29, 661–681. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2004.10.012 Gottman, J. M., & Silver, N. (1999). The seven principles for making marriage work. Three Rivers Press. Juster, R. P., McEwen, B. S., & Lupien, S. J. (2010). Allostatic load biomarkers of chronic stress and impact on health and cognition. Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Review, 35(1), 2–16. https://doi.org/10.1016 K., J., Margaret, M., & Disiye, A. (2020). Toxic Parenting Adversely Correlates To Students’ Academic Performance In Secondary Schools In Uasin Gishu County, Kenya. International Journal of Scientific and Research Publications (IJSRP),10(7), 249–253. https://doi.org/10.29322/ijsrp.10.07.2020.p10331 Koeske, G. F., & Koeske, R. D. (1990). The Buffering Effect Of Social Support On Parental Stress. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 60(3). Kuczynski, L., & Kochanska, G. (1990). Development of children’s non-compliance strategies from toddlerhood to age 5. Developmental Psychology, 26, 8–408. Lazarus, R. S. (1993). Coping theory and research: Past, present, and future. Psychosomatic Medicine, 55, 234–247. Mash, E. J., & Johnston, C. (1990). Determinants of parenting stress: Illustrations from families of hyperactive children and families of physically abused children. Journal of Clinical Child Psychology, 19, 313–328. Mikulincer, M., Shaver, P. R., Bar-on, N., & Ein-dor, T. (2010). The Pushes and Pulls of Close Relationships : Attachment Insecurities and Relational Ambivalence. PS Sozialpsychologie, 98(3), 450–468. Mortensen, J. A., & Barnet, M. A. (2020). The role of child care in supporting the emotion regulatory needs of maltreated infants and toddlers. The University of Arizona. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and M. (2016). Parenting Matters: Supporting Parents of Children Ages 0-8. The National Academies Press. https://doi.org/doi:10.17226/21868 National Scientific Council on the Developing Child. (2007). Key concepts: toxic stress. National Scientific Council on the Developing Child. Ostberg, M., & Hagekull, B. (2000). A structural modeling approach to the understanding of parenting stress. Journal of Clinical Child Psychology, 29, 615–625. Pediatrics, A. A. of. (2018). ACEs and toxic stress. American Academy of Pediatrics. Rodenburg, R., Meijer, A. M., Dekovic, M., & Aldenkamp, A. (2007). Parents of children with enduring epilepsy: Predictors of parenting stress and parenting. Epilepsy & Behavior, 11, 197–207. Shonkoff, J. P., Garner, A. S., Siegel, B. S., Dobbins, M. I., Earls, M. F., McGuinn, L., & Wood, D. L. (2012). The lifelong effects of early childhood adversity and toxic stress. Pediatrics, 129(1), 232–246. https://doi.org/10.1542 Shonkoff, J.P. (2012). Leveraging the biology of adversity to address the roots of disparities in health and development. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 109(SUPPL.2), 17302–17307. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1121259109 Shonkoff, Jack P., & Bales, S. N. (2011). Science Does Not Speak for Itself: Translating Child Development Research for the Public and Its Policymakers. Child Development, 82(1), 17–32. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8624.2010.01538.x Shonkoff, Jack P., & Levitt, P. (2010). Neuroscience and the Future of Early Childhood Policy: Moving from Why to What and How. Neuron, 67(5), 689–691. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuron.2010.08.032 Shonkoff, Jack P. (2010). Building a New Biodevelopmental Framework to Guide the Future of Early Childhood Policy. 81(1), 357–367. Shonkoff, Jack P, & Fisher, P. A. (2013). Rethinking evidence-based practice and two-generation programs to create the future of early childhood policy. 25, 1635–1653. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0954579413000813 Shonkoff, Jack P, Richter, L., Gaag, J. Van Der, Bhutta, Z. A., Shonkoff, A. J. P., & Richter, L. (2012). An Integrated Scienti fi c Framework for Child Survival and Early Childhood Development. Pediatrics. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2011-0366 Siegel, B. S., Dobbins, M. I., Earls, M. F., Garner, A. S., Pascoe, J., Wood, D. L., High, P. C., Donoghue, E., Fussell, J. J., Gleason, M. M., Jaudes, P. K., Jones, V. F., Rubin, D. M., Schulte, E. E., Macias, M. M., Bridgemohan, C., Goldson, E., McGuinn, L. J., Weitzman, C., & Wegner, L. M. (2012). Early childhood adversity, toxic stress, and the role of the pediatrician: Translating developmental science into lifelong health. Pediatrics, 129(1). https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2011-2662 Slopen, N., Mclaughlin, K. A., & Shonkoff, J. P. (2014). Interventions to Improve Cortisol Regulation in Children : A Systematic Review abstract. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2013-1632

With many states increasingly adopting Quality Rating and Improvement Systems (QRIS) to rate their early childhood education (ECE) and child care programs, researchers question the use of these systems. Specifically, they are trying to understand the value of information provided by QRIS ratings and the implications QRIS ratings have on the quality of and access to ECE and child care programs for families. In this study, we attempt to understand the value of QRIS ratings when they are provided for families at the household level. To do so we take a close look at the relationship between availability of programs rated by the Quality Improvement and Rating System (QIRS) in Arizona and demographics of the communities they serve, and compare the utilization of the programs in communities with varying demographic compositions. While we find that more high-quality ECE and child care programs are available for children that are Hispanic, Black, and eligible for free and reduced-price lunch, we also find that families underutilized those programs. We argue that this underutilization might be due to a variety of barriers that the families are experiencing and believe that efforts should be directed to work with families and assist them in understanding their enrollment options.

American Indian youth have the highest prevalence of obesity of all ethnic groups in the U.S. Obese individuals are at higher risk for cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, dyslipidemia, type 2 diabetes mellitus and stroke. Reducing childhood obesity will require effective prevention strategies that focus on environments and promotion of physical activity and a healthy diet. Objective: To understand trends in the prevalence of obesity and severe obesity among American Indian tribal youth during the past 20 years. Methods: Participants included American Indian boys and girls aged 10-15 years from 14 different tribes in the Southwest, primarily Arizona, who attended a 1-week residential summer wellness camp from 1995 to 2015. Height and weight were measured on the first day of camp; sex- and age-specific body mass index (BMI) percentile and BMI z-score were computed using CDC SAS code. Obesity in childhood is defined by age- and sex-specific BMI percentile greater than or equal to the 95th percentile; severe obesity is defined as BMI ≥ 120% of the 95th percentile of BMI-for-age or as BMI ≥ 35.0 kg/m2. Chi-square tests and two-sample t-tests were used to determine the effects of sex and time on obesity and severe obesity. The significance threshold was set at p < .05. Results: Our sample was comprised of 354 youth, 154 males (43.5%) and 200 females (56.5%), aged 12.7 ± 1.6 years (mean ± SD). Across the 20-year period, the prevalence of obesity was 80.2% (284 of 354) overall, and was greater in males (85.7%; 132 of 154) than females (76.0%; 152 of 200, p = 0.02). Likewise, the prevalence of severe obesity was greater in males (65.6%; 101 of 154) than females (50.0%; 100 of 200, p = 0.003) and was 56.8% (201 of 354) overall. The mean BMI-for-age percentile and z-score were 94.5 ± 11.9 and 2.05 ± 0.71, respectively; BMI z-score was higher in males (2.17 ± 0.7) than in females (1.96 ± 0.7, p = 0.004). There were no clear trends in obesity among our American Indian youth campers from 1995 to 2015, but the prevalence was high in all years (range 62.5 - 95.0%; 10 of 16 youth in 2011 - 19 of 20 youth in 2003). Conclusions: Throughout the 20-year period, there was consistently a high prevalence of obesity and severe obesity among American Indian tribal youth. Boys displayed a higher prevalence and severity of obesity relative to girls. Given the strong association between obesity in youth and the risk for chronic disease, our results underscore the critical need to intervene early in regards to establishing healthy eating and exercise behaviors among American Indian youth.

This study explored the public school system in the state of Arizona as a provider of programs for young children. It specifically addressed the quality of preschool at-risk programs administered by the State Department of Education and compared practices to the promises set forth in the Guidelines for Comprehensive Early Childhood Programs as reported by the Early Childhood Advisory Council to the Arizona State Board of Education (1990). The study examined program quality of twelve preschool programs through the lens of the standards for developmentally appropriate early childhood experiences as outlined in the Guidelines, Section 2, titled "Preschool Program Operation." The study consisted of in-depth case studies designed to provide a picture of the essence of what life is like in a preschool program through the eyes of the child. Three basic instruments were used for data collection on site visits: (1) observations, (2) questionnaires, and (3) recorded interviews. Classroom observations were guided by two previously developed and validated instruments: a Shadow Study Observation Form (SSOF) designed by Lounsbury and Clark (1990) for a national shadow study of middle school students, and the Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale (ECERS) developed by Thelma Harms and Richard Clifford (1980) at the Frank Porter Graham Child Development Center at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. These two instruments complemented each other and provided an extensive description of an early childhood program in operation. The second component of data consisted of a survey of directors and teachers designed to obtain information about directors' and teachers' knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs about preschool education and basic demographic information. The third instrument was a set of interview protocols for program directors and teachers. Collectively, the data offered a comprehensive profile of the nature of the state-administered preschool programs in practice as experienced by the child. It also provided an agenda of recommendations for those concerned with quality early childhood public school programs in the state of Arizona.

Vegetation has the potential to support all domains of early childhood development when carefully selected, yet it is infrequently used as a deliberate learning element in outdoor play environments for young children. The purpose of this study was to measure vegetation value in the context of developmentally appropriate early childhood education by assessing existing vegetation and interviewing educators at thirteen nationally accredited preschools in Tucson, Arizona. Results indicated low vegetation density and diversity compared to presence and quality of built elements, both indoors and out. While potential of existing vegetation was high, many educators reported few values of vegetation and rarely regarded it as a tool in their stated environmental curriculum. Furthermore, the values of structure for climbing and refuge for dramatic play appeared infrequently despite their importance in cited literature.

abstract: This dissertation discusses the findings of a descriptive study of early childhood teachers' musical practices in the state of Arizona. Drawing from socio-cultural and cultural-historical activity theory perspectives, this study utilized an online survey design for 2 months in which 312 participants from distinctive types of programs responded to 42 items that addressed early childhood teachers' music practices, perceived role of music, the teachers' preparation, challenges and needs for teaching music in their programs. The study uses the findings to explore how music is incorporated into the curriculum, its role, challenges and needs for teachers as well as inform policy makers of the effectiveness of music in early childhood curriculum that might bring about a resurgence of thinking about funding opportunities to promote music in different programs that serve children. These results reflected the diversity of most early childhood programs in the U.S in areas of scheduling, types of programs, working environments and curricular approaches used as well as in the duration and frequencies of music activities. However, there was a significant difference between how music was used in elementary versus early childhood centers. The results revealed that, although teachers used music at various times, for various reasons, planned or unplanned and as an integral part of other content areas, there was great variance in the manner in which music was emphasized in the total curriculum. In this study context, music in early childhood education centers was mostly teacher led and its value was geared towards specific behavioral outcome such as enhancement of language development rather than sheer enjoyment and relaxation. Although teachers used music on a daily basis, they were inadequately prepared and most teachers were looking for opportunities to improve their music abilities including required courses and workshops on ways of effectively incorporating music into curriculum/classroom. Funding, time and lack of confidence remain top challenges for early childhood and elementary teachers. The study recommends that music courses be required in teacher education programs and refresher workshops for in-service teachers about how to effectively use music in classrooms be more widely available.
Dissertation/Thesis
Ph.D. Curriculum and Instruction 2011

abstract: This study sought to analyze the messages being conveyed through the discourse utilized in presenting the public face of The Arizona Early Childhood Development and Health Board, popularly known as First Things First (FTF) and to reveal how the different discourses and ideologies within FTF have been in the past and currently are "contending and struggling for dominance (Wodak, 2007)." FTF is located within the policy realm of Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC). The people and the system have been very influential in guiding the course and policies set forth in Arizona since the citizen initiative, Proposition 203, passed in 2006, which allowed for the creation of the Early Childhood Development and Health Board. Lakoff's techniques for analyzing frames of discourse were utilized in conjunction with critical discourse analysis in order to tease out frames of reference, shifts in both discourse and frames, specific modes of messaging, and consistencies and inconsistencies within the public face presented by FTF.
Dissertation/Thesis
Ph.D. Curriculum and Instruction 2013

abstract: Definitions of quality child care are subjective, depending on who is defining quality, and constructions of quality remain a contested issue in the early childhood field. There are multiple ways of defining quality child care, most of which are from the perspectives of researchers, policymakers, and professionals. Few studies of child care quality take into consideration parents’ perspectives of what quality child care means to them and what they deem as important for the wellbeing of their children (Ceglowski & Davis, 2004, Duncan et al., 2004, Harrist et al., 2007, & Liu et al., 2004). This study compared parent perspectives to criteria for assessing child care used in Quality First, a statewide quality improvement and rating system for providers of center-based or home-based early care and education, to better understand the gaps drawing from ecological theory (refs – add these) and discuss the consequences of these different perspectives. This study utilized a comparative qualitative analysis of ways in which parents and state agencies view determinants of child care quality. The data for this study were collected from interview responses to open-ended questions on a larger mixed-method study with parents of children under the age of 6 from the Central Arizona area. The quality indicators used by Quality First included the Infant/Toddler Environment Rating Scale (ITERS-R), Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale (ECERS-R), Family Child Care Environment Rating Scale (FCCERS-R), and the Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS), which were analyzed and compared to parent descriptions of quality factors in child care. The findings of this study contribute to the discussion of ways in which parents’ perspectives are similar and different to that of quality rating scales, in this case those used by Quality First, and how the gap may be contributing to unintended consequences. In the study, I noticed that parents were more inclined toward affect qualities as quality indicators whereas the Quality First had more structural qualities as quality indicators. This led to the addressing of the need to bridge this gap to have a more comprehensive understanding of quality child care to meet different needs as identified by parents and professionals.
Dissertation/Thesis
Doctoral Dissertation Curriculum and Instruction 2015

abstract: Early childhood is a special and amazing period in a child's development. It is a period during which all facets of a human being-cognitive, linguistic, physical, emotional, social, and spiritual--are rapidly developing and influenced by a child's interactions with her socializers and environment. Fundamentally, what happens during this critical period will influence and impact a child's future learning. Much of what is known about children's development comes from research focusing primarily on mainstream English speaking children. However, not much that is known about Indigenous children and their early period of child development. Therefore, this thesis research focused on Diné children and their early childhood experiences that occur during the fundamental time period before Diné children enter preschool. It also examines the contemporary challenges that Diné parents and other cultural caretakers face in ensuring that Diné infants and young children are taught those important core elements that make them uniquely Diné. The research questions that guide this thesis are: 1.What do Diné people believe about children and their abilities? 2.What do Diné children need to learn in order to become Diné? 3. What are the Diné childhood rearing beliefs and practices? 4. Why aren't Diné parents and grandparents teaching their children how to be Diné? Findings reveal an early childhood experience in which children are viewed as true explorers and highly intelligent, inquisitive learners and included as integral participants and contributors to the family and community. This thesis concludes with a discussion of the multidimensional transitions, such as the shift from the Diné language to English in Diné homes and communities that have occurred in the Diné way of life and how they have impacted how Diné children are socialized. Creative alternatives for increasing Diné childhood speakers on and off the Navajo reservation are also considered.
Dissertation/Thesis
M.A. Curriculum and Instruction 2011

abstract: The purpose of this action research was to understand how reflective, job-embedded early childhood science professional learning and development (PLD) impacted Early Head Start (EHS) teacher learning and their perceptions toward science with toddlers. Limited content knowledge and lack of formal preparation impact teachers’ understanding of developmentally appropriate science and their capacity to support children to develop science skills. In Arizona, limited availability of early childhood science coursework and no science-related PLD for toddler teachers showed the need for this project. Four literature themes were reviewed: teacher as researcher, how people learn, reflective PLD, and how young children develop scientific thinking skills. The participants were nine EHS teachers who worked at the same Head Start program in five different classrooms in Arizona. The innovation included early childhood science workshops, collaboration and reflecting meetings (CPRM), and electronic correspondence. These were job-embedded, meaning they related to the teachers’ day-to-day work with toddlers. Qualitative data were collected through CPRM transcripts, pre/post-project interviews, and researcher journal entries. Data were analyzed using constant comparative method and grounded theory through open, focused, and selective coding. Results showed that teachers learned about their pedagogy and the capacities of toddlers in their classrooms. Through reflective PLD meetings, teachers developed an understanding of toddlers’ abilities to engage with science. Teachers acquired and implemented teacher research skills and utilized the study of documentation to better understand children’s interests and abilities. They recognized the role of the teacher to provide open-ended materials and time. Moreover, teachers improved their comfort with science and enhanced their observational skills. The teachers then saw their role in supporting science as more active. The researcher concluded that the project helped address the problem of practice. Future research should consider job-embedded PLD as an important approach to supporting data-driven instructional practices and reflection about children’s capabilities and competencies. Keywords: action research, Arizona Early Childhood Workforce Knowledge and Competencies, Arizona’s Infant and Toddler Developmental Guidelines (ITDG), documentation, early childhood science, Early Head Start (EHS), Head Start Early Learning Outcomes Framework (ELOF), inquiry, job-embedded, pedagogy, professional development (PD), reflective professional development, teacher as researcher, teacher research, toddler science
Dissertation/Thesis
Doctoral Dissertation Leadership and Innovation 2019

abstract: This small case study reviewed research literature and Arizona standards and assessments utilized in the early learning continuum, with a focus on holistic development, specifically in the areas of social-emotional development and approaches to learning skill development. This conversation has become especially prevalent in the state of Arizona in light of initiatives around school readiness, and policy changes reflected within the state. Much has yet to be determined concerning how the systems approach works in Arizona local education agencies, specifically the depth, consistency, and approach in which nonacademic areas of social-emotional development and approaches to learning skills are addressed in the Arizona standards, local practices and classrooms, and preschool and kindergarten assessments. The study included a content analysis, conducted as a word count, of standards and assessments, as well as a small case study of including high academic achieving district (including semi-structured interviews and classroom observations). Through the data analysis, it was affirmed a culture of learning, reflecting social-emotional development and approaches to learning skill development was created within this Local Education Agency. Three categories (environment, individual, and decision making) emerged as a way to describe this culture through a theoretical perspective of sociocultural theory. The study offers an opportunity for discussion of social-emotional development and approaches to learning skill development, connecting to a high academically achieving district, and makes recommendations for policy, practice and further research.
Dissertation/Thesis
Doctoral Dissertation Curriculum and Instruction 2015

abstract: Children removed from methamphetamine laboratories are a severely understudied population despite the widespread deprivation parental methamphetamine abuse has on children, particularly in homes where methamphetamine is produced. Arizona's children are uniquely affected by the use and manufacturing of methamphetamine due to the geographic location and landscape of the state. A sample of 144 children removed from their homes during the seizure of methamphetamine laboratories, as part of the Arizona Drug Endangered Children program between 1999 and 2003, was investigated. Results indicate that younger children were more likely to be reported by Child Protective Services as high or moderate risk of further abuse, test positive for methamphetamine, and have maternal alleged perpetrators of abuse. Older children were more likely to be reported as low risk for further abuse, test negative for methamphetamine, and have paternal alleged perpetrators of abuse. Results also show that children initially placed in foster care were more likely to remain in foster care at the final assessment than to be living with a parent or kin. These findings have implications for individuals working with children removed from methamphetamine laboratories, including Child Protective Services case workers, medical personnel, temporary and permanent child caregivers (i.e., foster care, kin care, adoptive parents, and shelters), and community members (i.e., teachers). Recommendations based on study findings are offered to child and family advocates and interventionists.
Dissertation/Thesis
M.S. Family and Human Development 2011