The Power of La Mesa de la Cocina The kitchen table “la mesa de la cocina” used to be the heartbeat of a family in almost every home. Reminisce of the importance a simple kitchen table played in your life. Much more than a flat surface to dine on, it is a place to gather, talk, and reconnect with one another. Today Hispanic families, however, are different. The advent of technology has changed the dynamics around the kitchen table. Modern societal influences have strayed away from a traditional approach to continuous technological advances. The premature exposure of technology in the course of early childhood has had a negative impact on traditional Hispanic family dynamics because the role of the kitchen table is no longer …show more content…
Technology is vastly advancing, that families are failing to notice the great impact and revolution to the family dynamic structure. Although no one can protrude the benefits of growing technology advances, connection to these devices have emerged in a disconnection from what society should appraise the most, children. The article, “A Formative Evaluation of Shared Family Mealtime for Parents of Toddlers and Young Children,” by Brian L. Quick discusses that eating together has the opportunity to increase family connections. For example a Latina mother participating in the study states that eating with her children enables her family to, “have a sense of unity at mealtime”, and “talk about problems with the family and no have to go outside for outside to find outside sources.” (Quick 660) Nonetheless, parents should perceive the kitchen table as an opportunity to get to know their children better, be active in their lives, and bring family members closer as family by establishing trust with their …show more content…
Though there is great concern in regards to the use of technology in the early childhood stages of learning the controversy has moved from whether or not technology should be used to how it should be used. Beth Beschorner and Amy Hutchison authors of, “iPads as a Literacy Teaching Tool in Early Childhood” propose research that integrating meaningful technology can transform literacy instruction and that technology applications should be selected based with the conditions that it “allows the children opportunities to discover, make choices and realize the impact of those choices as well as to explore, imagine and problem-solve.” (Beschorner and Hutchison 17) The programs introduced should support the child’s thoughts, emotions and physical well-being to ensure proper development. The study is conducted focusing two preschool classrooms over a seven week period. The instructors were given six iPads to use as instructional tools and the applications were selected for use by researchers. Beschorner and Hutchison concluded that children can develop on going knowledge about print and in digital context using iPad or similar devices and that it positively offers a unique way to incorporate reading, writing, listening and speaking with one