Gender Equity in Early Childhood Education

Parents and Sociocultural Influences

Parents have the most direct influence on children’s development. Parent involvement in education has also been shown to impact academic achievement, and to improve the health, cognitive functioning, and social-emotional development of young children. The interaction between a child and his or her context at this time determines the trajectory for lifelong and holistic development. This is reinforced by the learning theories of educationists Dewey, Piaget, Vygotsky, and Erikson, who assert child development and cognition is a process requiring children to socialize and experience their environment. Children rely on play, parental and peer interactions, and realistic and social models to develop critical social skills, communication skills, and self- confidence. As children develop, culture impacts their early learning. According to Bowman (1994), the "rules of development are the same for all children, but social contexts shape children's development into different configurations" (p. 220). Ultimately, every child has the same aptitude for learning, but sociocultural contexts shape children’s developmental competencies and influence their learning achievements.
 

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