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Fostering the Foundations of Self-Determination in Early Childhood: A Process for Enhancing Child Outcomes Across Home and School

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Abstract

Early childhood practitioners can play a vital role in the development of early self-determination in partnership with families. Self-determination has been generally considered to be about personal agency or control that can also relate to the quality of one’s life. Young children with disabilities start to develop a range of critical skills such as engagement and self-regulation that will be needed throughout their lives. These are the early foundational skills that lead to later self-determination. This paper describes a simple four-step process and key features of foundations of self-determination in early childhood, a collaborative process focusing on home–school partnerships. The unique alliance between each dyad (i.e., family member and early childhood practitioner) support child outcomes across naturally occurring routines at home and school. Each family and practitioner dyad uses attainable short-term goals embedded in home and school routines, intentional adult cues, and environmental modifications to promote foundational skills of self-determination in young children with disabilities.

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Acknowledgments

The research reported here was supported by the Institute of Education Sciences (IES), U.S. Department of Education, through Grant R324A090267 to the University of Kansas. The opinions expressed are those of the authors and do not represent views of the Institute of Education Sciences or the U.S. Department of Education.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Early Childhood, Elementary Education, and Literacy Education, College for Education and Human Services, Montclair State University, 1 Normal Avenue, University Hall 3241, Montclair, NJ, 07043, USA

    Elizabeth J. Erwin

  2. Human Development and Family Studies, Iowa State University, 4380 Palmer, Suite 2360, Ames, IA, 50011, USA

    Susan P. Maude

  3. University of Kansas, 1200 Sunnyside Ave., 3103 Haworth Hall, Lawrence, KS, 66045-7601, USA

    Susan B. Palmer

  4. Beach Center on Disability, University of Kansas, 1200 Sunnyside Ave., 3144 Haworth Hall, Lawrence, KS, 66045-7601, USA

    Jean Ann Summers

  5. Human Development and Family Studies, Iowa State University, 4380 Palmer, Suite 2361C, Ames, IA, 50011, USA

    Mary Jane Brotherson

  6. University of Vermont, 533 Waterman Hall, Burlington, VT, 05405, USA

    Shana J. Haines

  7. Bureau of Child Research, University of Kansas, Haworth Hall, 1200 Sunnyside Avenue, Lawrence, KS, 66045-7566, USA

    Vera Stroup-Rentier

  8. Iowa State University, 4360 Palmer, Ames, IA, 50011, USA

    Yuzhu Zheng

  9. Education Department, Keene State College, Rhodes Hall, M-2611, 229 Main St., Keene, NH, 03435, USA

    Nancy F. Peck

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  1. Elizabeth J. Erwin
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  2. Susan P. Maude
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  3. Susan B. Palmer
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  4. Jean Ann Summers
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  5. Mary Jane Brotherson
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  6. Shana J. Haines
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  7. Vera Stroup-Rentier
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  8. Yuzhu Zheng
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  9. Nancy F. Peck
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Correspondence to Elizabeth J. Erwin.

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Erwin, E.J., Maude, S.P., Palmer, S.B. et al. Fostering the Foundations of Self-Determination in Early Childhood: A Process for Enhancing Child Outcomes Across Home and School. Early Childhood Educ J 44, 325–333 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-015-0710-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-015-0710-9

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