Part of your work as an early childhood professional is understanding the science of early development. This knowledge is imperative to understanding the complexities of how the neuroscience in early development has lasting impacts on the trajectory of all developmental domains through the course of a childs development. Before you begin, take time to think about why the research and resources presented in this module are so vital to understanding the foundation of child development as well as how you would apply your understanding of early brain development to your current and/or future work in the field as an early childhood professional. Why is understanding the neuroscience of early brain development so important for early childhood professionals? How does this knowledge connect to each of the developmental domains, i.e., social-emotional, cognitive, and physical? How do you believe this information will influence the work you do with young children and families? Please include examples. As you think about this knowledge, what situations have you experienced where knowledge of brain development might have been helpful? How might you handle these situations differently now?
