Looping and Attachment in Early Childhood Education: How Applications of Epigenetics Demand a Change

Main Article Content

Elena Nitecki

Abstract

Increasing focus on the quality of child care and pre-K is calling attention to the circumstances of child care and impact on the child’s social and emotional health, specifically in terms of attachment. The early childhood profession recognizes that consistency in caregiving is essential for the child’s attachment. Looping, the practice of keeping a group of children with the same teacher for more than year, has the potential to provide that consistency that is critical for attachment. The field of epigenetics and its compelling findings in regard to attachment demand a second look at looping and how it can be implemented to maintain attachment, which is critical to the child’s physical, cognitive, and emotional health now and in the future. This case study conducted at a preschool that practices looping examines the benefits and challenges of looping through the lens of applied epigenetics.

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How to Cite
Nitecki, E. (2017). Looping and Attachment in Early Childhood Education: How Applications of Epigenetics Demand a Change. Journal of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, 17(2), 85–100. https://doi.org/10.14434/josotl.v17i2.20840
Section
Case Studies
Author Biography

Elena Nitecki, Mercy College

Elena Nitecki is an Associate Professor in the Department of Early Childhood and Childhood Education. She has higher education teaching experience in the fields of Early Childhood Education and Social Work. Prior to teaching college, Elena held positions as a pre-school teacher and a social worker in medical and early intervention settings. Elena earned her doctoral degree in Urban Education from Temple University and holds master’s degrees in both Education and Social Work. Her background in Early Childhood Education, Urban Education and Social Work has provided a unique perspective on working with diverse student and family populations in the urban environment.

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