If I Could Conduct Research on Anything...

If I could conduct research on any topic in the early childhood field, I would choose to look at the ways children are influenced by positive guidance techniques (such as Conscious Discipline) over the course of their schooling, from Kindergarten to high school graduation.  The organization that I work for requires each individual who works with children to be trained on positive guidance when they start and each year after for the duration of their careers.  I personally have seen changes in children who went from being physically aggressive to recognizing when to walk away from an activity and do breathing exercises to calm himself (a preschooler).  One of the main reasons I would conduct this research is because I see children having difficulty managing their emotions and certain positive guidance techniques teach children coping strategies and also encourage them to express what it is that they are feeling.  I would be especially interested in finding out how these techniques affect children who are living in poverty.

I believe that the positive contributions might be an increase in students seeking professional help when they need it.  Right now, young children are expressing themselves in ways that are harmful to themselves and sometimes others.  They need to realize that there are positive to express themselves.  I have listed two links that sparked my interest in this topic.

Related links:

From Gang Leader to Graduate:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXJGcqcJckA

Every Kid Needs a Champion:  https://www.ted.com/talks/rita_pierson_every_kid_needs_a_champion