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WHEN ACES MEET THE ARTS IN EARLY
CHILDHOOD
THE GHOST IN MY LITTLE GIRL’S LIFE
Janice M. Gruendel, M.Ed., Ph.D.Senior Fellow, Institute for Child Success
Fellow, Yale University Edward Zigler Center
July 24, 2015
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What’s Inside…
A gallop through early brain development and functions
When ACES meets the arts: The ghost in my little girl’s life
STEAMING into school readiness: Maximizing young children’s learning and the contribution of children’s arts
C. Jane Kendrick’s 2013 Photobucket
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Insights into Young Children’s Development through their Art
Can young children follow simple directions when they are drawing, painting, building or dancing?
Do young children have words to describe their artistic experience?
Can they find the front and back of a storybook? How long can they attend to a given or chosen
activity? Can young children finish a project? Do they appear to enjoy learning? Do they play well individually
and work well together? From the Calvin Hill Day Care Center
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Part I: A Gallop Through Early Brain Development
Part I Brain development in the early years Executive function, self-regulation and social
competence The impact of adversity
Harvard Center on the Developing Child, Retrieved July 2015
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Key Concepts: Experiences Build Brain Architecture
Key Concepts: Brain Architecture. Harvard Center on the Developing Child, Retrieved July 2015
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Key Concepts: Serve and Return
Key Concepts: Serve and Return. Harvard Center on the Developing Child, Retrieved July 2015
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Key Concepts: Executive Function and Self-Regulation
Key Concepts: Executive Function. Harvard Center on the Developing Child, Retrieved July 2015
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People with four or more types of ACES are:• Nearly twice as likely to smoke• 4.5 times more like to engage in drug abuse• 7 times more like to suffer from chronic alcoholism• 11 times more likely to abuse injection drugs• 19 times more likely to have attempted suicide•More than twice as likely to have later health problems including heart disease, obesity and diabetes
ADVERSE CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES (ACE) STUDY
Types of adverse childhood experiences:• Sexual abuse• Emotional abuse• Emotional neglect• Physical abuse• Physical neglect• Substance abuse in home• Mental illness in home• Incarceration of family
member• Parental separation or divorce• Witness violence against
mother
3:1 Odds of Adult Heart Disease After 7-8 Adverse Childhood Experiences
Adverse Experiences
Source: Dong, et al. (2004) via Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University
Odd
s Ra
tio
0 1 2 3 4 5,6 7,8
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
3
3.5
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Significant Adversity Impairs Early Development within First 3 Years
Number of Risk Factors Data Source: Barth, et al. (2008)
Child
ren
with
Dev
elop
men
tal
Del
ays
1-2 3 54 6 7
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Graphic adapted from 2011, Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University
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Key Concepts: Toxic Stress and ACES
Key Concepts: Toxic Stress. Harvard Center on the Developing Child, Retrieved July 2015
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Summarizing Part I: 5 key points1. The early years constitute a critical and highly sensitive
period in the development of brain architecture, pathways and functioning.
2. We are – as parents, other primary caregivers and teachers -- essential contributors and partners in this development.
3. Brain development is built upon responsive, reciprocal relationships – the new 3 R’s!
4. Toxic stress, trauma and adverse childhood experiences (ACES) can actually impair brain development and delay or derail critical brain functioning (like executive function, self-regulation and social competence).
5. Some groups of children are especially at risk for these negative impacts.
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Part II: When ACES meets the Arts in Early Childhood
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Why the Ghost Story Matters: Adversity is real… The “ghost girl” is representative of thousands of youngsters who do or will
populate your classrooms, now and in the future.
Chronic, intergenerational poverty is one (but not the only) form of “toxic stress.” 1 in 4 of all children in America today live at or below the FPL1 in 2 live in low-income families (at or below 200% of the FPL)Among children of color, ~7 in 10 live in low-income families
Toxic stress and ACES in the early years can actually change brain architecture and neural pathways, and can derail skill development critical to school success. Building resilience really matters.
Early childhood educators must engage in the NEW 3 R’s, functioning as both a buffer to toxic stress & an intentional participant in children’s brain development.
Children’s artistic expression and behaviors can serve as a window into their experiences of adversity and as a contributor to the development of executive function and self-regulation skills, and social competence.
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Part III: STEAMING into School Readiness
Part III Building an intentional PK-3 system The STEM – STEAM – brain connection When the “R” in ART equals Resilience
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Kids are proficient and joyous learners, and are “ready for K”
Learning Spaces
Life ExperiencesAdults:
Parents and Caregivers
Kids
: Birt
h th
roug
h ab
out a
ge 5
Kids are proficient and joyous learners, and are ready for 4th grade
Learning Spaces
Life Experiences Adults:
Teachers & Parents
Kids: Kindergarten through Grade 3
Kids and th
e arts
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The STEM – STEAM – Brain Connection
Children’s artistic expression
Reflects early experience and promotes motor, mental & social-emotional skills, and joy in
learning
STEM and STEAM
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When the “R” in ART equals Resilience
Key InBrief: The Science of Resilience. Harvard Center on the Developing Child, Retrieved July 2015
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Some Action Ideas
For teachers and other early childhood professionals Recognize behavioral and attention challenges as a potential reflection of adversity
Advocate for early identification, screening and appropriate interventions
Expand opportunities for young children’s “voice” through their art
Learn more about the immediate and longer-term impacts of adversity
For early childhood administrators Learn more about taking a ”whole family” two-generation approach to your programs
Work to implement a PK-3 approach to curriculum and cross-grade connections
Promote interagency and cross-system engagement to benefit both children and their families
For higher education teachers, researchers and administrators Build course content and research opportunities at the intersection of brain science,
adversity and two generational approaches
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In Closing
Photo from the Annie E Casey Foundation’s KidsCount Data Center
As adults, our early years – from birth through adulthood –
constitute a relatively small part of our total lives. But for young
children, these years equal 100% of their lives…
As parents, professionals and policy makers, we have an obligation to build for their
success, 100% of the time.
Understanding the potential of the arts as a window onto their development – across domains and skills -- can really help us
help them.
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Sources for further exploration and learning…
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ACES Connection (Daily Feed)
Center on the Developing Child: Harvard University
Institute for Child Success Brain Science Series Strategies for Building Executive Function Skills in the Early Years (January 2015) Rethinking the Governance of Early Childhood Systems (February 2015) Designing for Outcomes Through a Two-Generation Lens – Good Science & Good Common Sense (March 2015)
Kagan, S.L. & Kauerz, K. Early Childhood Systems: Transforming Early Learning (2012)
Kauerz, K. & Coffman, J. Framework for Planning, Implementing, and Evaluating PreK-3rd Grade Approaches (2013)
National Child Traumatic Stress Network (Constantly Updated)
