Clifton A. Casteel
Clifton A. Casteel is a former educator and renowned researcher with the Jefferson Parish Public School System of LA. His employment also includes supervisory positions in private industry, and a faculty member at Xavier University (LA). Casteel is the author of numerous empirical research articles in secondary education. His abstracts are well-received by other educators and publishers.
Mr. Casteel is the recipient of numerous teaching and humanitarian awards. He is the brainchild of Operation (HOPE), Help Orleans Prison Emerge. HOPE was an educational program designed to improve the educational background of inmates in New Orleans Correctional Institution. HOPE received state and national recognition by government officials.
He is the former Project Administrator of the Parent-Child Early Developmental Center (PCEDC) in New Orleans. PCEDC was a federally funded pilot project that was formed and designed to determine: If either genetics, race, or economic status could be a crucial component that determines a child’s cognitive and emotional intelligence. Or is it the mother’s early intervention and educational instructions given to her child be the crucial factor in determining the intelligence? Well known and significant data reveal the following: From Birth to 3 years of age are the most formable and fruitful stages of a person’s cognitive learning and development—here’s where one’s intelligence is developed. And if the proper interventions are not applied, ‘negative effect’ could last a lifetime. Importantly, numerous studies reveal the difference between disadvantaged children and advantaged children is a significant 12 IQ points that may not be reversed even in adulthood. So, with this information, we asked the following questions for our hypothesis: What if a mother was informed and tutored step by step, beginning in infant stage, through that of a toddler, would this intervention at an early age hold the key to the intelligence of a child? To analyze and satisfy our theory, we petitioned 90 economically disadvantage mothers (2 treatment groups and one control) and their infants to visit our center and be instructed by our professional staff. At the conclusion of our three-year study, toddlers’ cognitive intelligence was tested for comparison to their counterpart, ‘advantaged toddlers’. Results of the study is as noted: When toddlers were tested at age three, there wasn’t a [statistically] difference (-3 IQ points) to that of advantaged toddlers’ cognitive intelligence. Thus, it was be safe to conclude the following: If a mother is aware of vital information and is cognizance in knowing what stages of development to apply this information, the results will be overwhelmingly positive. The study was accepted as being remarkable and informative and should be duplicated by other educational centers.
Mr. Casteel was born in Idabel, OK. And now lives in West Monroe, LA.
Watch Casteel discuss the PCEDC program: Disadvantaged Mothers and Their Infants.