Methodology of Elkind

The research that Elkind carried out was through looking at past assignments over the past ten years. He considers child development to be a “broad domain” which deals with results found in the classroom as well as the home. Elkind talks about a “two-directional approach” to this area. Practical as well as theory, the research in Elkind’s book contains both “research and theory to practice” and “practice to research and theory” (Introduction ix-x)

Chapter 2 in Elkind considers day care in America (22-23) – Similar to my own experience of working in day care, the staff at all levels, whether they be managers or not, enjoy their jobs and maintain “an enthusiastic” approach. Yet, many of the staff are young and although enjoy working in this type of environment do not see it as a full-time or life-long career. Therefore it is hard “getting and keeping competent staff” (22). Many staff members in this particular nursery, similar to those I have worked in found that with staff being so young, they choose to stay only for a couple of years before finding something new. For many, this involves moving onto higher education. However, the low pay also plays a large role in the staff constantly leaving. The salary of a care-worker is not much at all and although staff love the job and working with the children, the pay is not enough to keep them. This seems to be the case in both England and America.