1. EDDD-8080:Discussion 3: Optimizing Brain Development
The early years are a window of opportunity for parents,
caregivers, and communities: positive early experiences have a
huge effect on children’s chances for achievement, success, and
happiness.
—Urban Child Institute (2015)
Imagine the following scenario:
You have accepted a position as executive director for your
state’s child care resource and referral system. As part of
defining your new role, you have decided to conduct a survey to
see what key issues exist within your state’s early childhood
education system related to service quality, access, and
implementation, and how you, as a leader and advocate, can
address these issues.
The results of your survey indicate that many of the resource
and referral agencies within your state are struggling with
issues related to funding and a perceived lack of
professionalism. Individual agencies, for example, have had a
challenging time convincing policy makers that the first years
of life are critical in terms of development and learning and are
essential periods of time requiring high-quality care and
education. As well, agencies have had challenges with the
image of professionals in the field, with many early childhood
professionals expressing that others view them as “babysitters”
despite their extensive training and education.
After taking the time to think about effective connecting points
for addressing these issues, you decide that a common education
point—one that would benefit both policy makers and
consumers in terms of their perceptions of the field of early
childhood in general, and child development in particular—is
the importance of brain development in the early years.

2. To prepare:
Reflect on what you have learned about the significance of
brain development in children’s early years, and the vital roles
that families and professionals play in optimizing brain
development. Also, consider information on developing and
disseminating effective advocacy messages. Review the
Learning Resources for an overview of current research on brain
development.
Assignment Task
Write an explanation of how you will share information on brain
development with early childhood stakeholders to support their
understanding of the critical importance of brain development
on healthy development and learning. Your explanation should
include the following:
· A research-based advocacy message that you feel is essential
for stakeholders to hear
· What role (if any) you believe early childhood professionals
have as advocates related to current brain research and brain
development, and how this role can best be enacted
· Your goals and plans for dissemination of brain development
information
· Potential obstacles and misinformation as well as levers that
you feel might inhibit or benefit your ability to disseminate
information regarding brain development
Cite appropriate references in APA format to substantiate your
thinking.
8080 MD2 DIS2 Continued

3. Write 100 -word Responses to each of the following :
· Identify strategies that can increase the potential for
collaboration with other professionals in implementing a
strengths-based approach.
· Suggest a community resource that will enhance supports for
children and families in situations similar to that of the
Martinez family
Cite appropriate references in APA format to substantiate your
thinking.
EDDD 8080-Module 2 Discussion 2 Learning Resources
Center on the Developing Child—Harvard University. (n.d.-b).
Resource Library home page. Retrieved from
http://developingchild.harvard.edu/resources/
World Bank & Alderman, H. (Ed.). (2011). No small matter:
The impact of poverty, shocks, and human capital investments
in early childhood development. Retrieved from
http://issuu.com/world.bank.publications/docs/9780821386774
Note: These resources supports the development of Module 2
Discussion 2 EDD8080.
Discussion 2 - Module 2/EDDD-8080
Top of FormDiscussion 2: Adopting a Strengths-Based
Perspective
The Martinez family is raising their two children, ages 3 and 5,
within a small rural community. They are migrant workers and
have lived in the community for 4 months. Despite each parent

4. working two jobs, the family seldom has enough money and has
occasionally experienced homelessness, particularly when the
seasonal nature of their work is interrupted by weather
conditions. The family has faced many obstacles, including
limited access to healthy nutritional choices, challenges in
terms of accessing health care, and the lack of quality,
affordable child care, but always work to find a migrant Head
Start program for their children within each community they
have lived in. The family is working on developing both their
own and their children’s English skills through the community
library, as they emigrated from Mexico 2 years ago.
Bottom of Form
Write an analysis of a scenario that provokes a research-based
discussion of the following:
· The impact of poverty and homelessness on children’s
development and learning
· Areas of family and child strength, and the importance of
adopting a strengths-based approach
· Potential local and global supports and early childhood
professionals who can collaborate to create webs of support
around the family
· The overarching challenges and benefits of adopting and
implementing a strengths-based approach to working with
children and families
· What is needed in terms of next steps in order to effectively
support the child and family in the scenario?
Cite appropriate references in APA format to substantiate your
thinking.