Preschool Children's Self-Regulation in High-Poverty, Urban, Community-Based Childcare Settings

• In Event: 72.049 - Roundtable Session 34
  In Roundtable Session: 72.049-15 - Young Children's Agency, Identity, Self-Regulation, and Executive Function

Abstract

Low-income children begin school with lower literacy (Hart & Risley, 1995), math (Duncan & Magnuson, 2011), and self-regulation skills (Wanless, McClelland, Tominey, & Acock, 2011) than their more economically advantaged peers. Interventions are needed to create more equitable education opportunities by providing all children the skills they need to succeed in school and life. This study examined the impact of an initiative for community-based childcare providers and preschool teachers to increase their instructional quality and improve children’s school readiness in a high-poverty, urban city. Hierarchical linear models showed that, although children increased their school readiness during the school year, self-regulation skills remained very low. Our efforts to improve self-regulation for children in this community are discussed.

Authors

• Laura Scharphorn, HighScope Educational Research Foundation

• Tomoko Wakabayashi, Oakland University