Child Development 1 Session 1 September 6, 2016 Minodora Grigorescu [email protected] Mothercraft College
Child Development 1
Session 1
September 6, 2016
Minodora Grigorescu
Mothercraft College
Agenda
• Course outline
• Reflection
• Philosophical views
• Periods of development
• Domains and subdomains, skills
• Resources
• Issues in development – group work
Why do we study child
development? •
•
•
•
•
•
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Factors to take into
consideration • Parenting
• Education
• Cultural background
• Socioeconomic status
• Gender
• Social policies
• Family policies
Three Philosophical Views
• Original Sin (Middle Ages) - children are inherently evil and societal constraints and salvation are necessary for children to become mature adults*
• Tabula rasa (17th Century/John Locke) - child is a blank tablet upon which experience writes
• Innate Goodness (18th Century/Jean Rousseau) - children are
basically good and should be allowed to grow naturally, without constraints from parents or society
• Childhood currently viewed as unique period of life that creates the foundation for adult years
• Special time of growth and change
• Resources invested in caring for and educating our children
Santrock, 2013.
“In every child who is born, under
no matter what circumstances, and
of no matter what parents, the
potentiality of the human race is
born again.”
James Agee
American Writer, 20th Century
7
Definition of Child Development
Child development refers to the biological and psychological changes that occur in human beings between conception and the end of adolescence, as the individual progresses from dependency to increasing autonomy.
Related terms include "developmental psychology", referring to development throughout the lifespan and "pediatrics", the branch of medicine relating to the care of children.
Developmental change may occur as a result of genetically-controlled processes known as maturation, or as a result of environmental factors and learning, but most commonly involves an interaction between the two.
Santrock, 2013
8
Development During Lifespan
Through our lifespan we are getting through in
different phases:
The prenatal period: from conception to birth.
Infancy and toddler hood: from birth to 2 years.
Early childhood: from 2 to 6 years.
Middle childhood: from 6 to 11 years.
Adolescence: from 11 to 20 years.
Early adulthood: from 20 to 40 years.
Middle adulthood: from 40 to 60 years.
Late adulthood: from 60 years until death
Periods of development
• Infant 0-18 months
• Toddler 18- 2 1/2 years
• Preschooler 2 1/2 – 5 years
• School age 6- 12 years
• Pre adolescence 12-14 years
• Adolescence 14- 18 years
• Adult 18 and up
10
Development During Lifespan
Within each of the periods just described, we will examine three broad domains of development: Physical development - changes in body size, proportions,
appearance and the functioning of various body systems; brain development; perceptual and motor capacities and physical health.
Cognitive development – development of a wide variety of intellectual abilities, including attention, memory, academic and everyday knowledge, problem solving, imagination, creativity, and the uniquely human capacity to represent the world through language.
Emotional and social development – development of emotional communication, self understanding, knowledge about other people, interpersonal skills, friendships, intimate relationships, and moral reasoning and behavior.
11
Areas of Child Development
Children develop in four important ways:
Socio-emotional Development — this area focuses on building the
child’s self- identity and self esteem through positive social
interactions.
The child learns how to express and manage their emotions
(love, sadness, anger, fear, happiness), and discovers how to get
along with those around them.
Language Development — this focuses on listening (receptive
language) and speaking skills (expressive language).
Continued on next slide…
12
Areas of Child Development
Children develop in four important ways (continued):
Cognitive Development — is the growth in a child’s ability to think
and problem solve. This area focuses on how the mind develops
and how the child learns about himself/herself and the physical
environment.
Physical Development — involves both the growth of children’s
bodies and the ability to uses their bodies to do everything from
running and jumping. Physical development is divided in:
Gross Motor development which involves large muscles-hoping,
walking, balancing and
Fine Motor development which involves small muscles like the
fingers- grasping, cutting
Curriculum areas
• More specific subject area
• To be consistent with EDI and ELF
terminology, we call Curriculum areas
Sub-domains
• Examples
Skills
• Are abilities rather than actions
• Skills progress on different levels:
emergent, working, mastering
Examples:
• Social for infants imitation
toddlers social interest
preschoolers cooperation
school age empathy
ELECT document
• http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/childcare/oelf/
ELF
• http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/childcare/oelf/
Other resources
• http://www.child-encyclopedia.com/en-
ca/key-messages-list.html
• http://www.beststart.org/OnTrack_English/
1-introduction.html
I like my neighbour Who… • Pay attention to details, skills, behaviours,
etc
• At each table play I like my neighbour
Who…
• Each person that received a number 1 will
choose 3 partners based on affinities
Group work Think/Pair/Share is an Instructional Tactic ( use recall, comprehension, analysis, evaluation), use emotional
safety accountability Interpersonal Intelligence ( Howard
Gardner), take into consideration wait time
1. Find your partners
2. Read, discuss and organize some skills for infants,
toddlers and preschoolers from the cards provided, into
Domains: Emotional, Social, Physical, Cognitive,
Language
3. Use a graphic organizer Eg: Fish Bone Diagram ( to be
explained in class)
Issues in development
• Nature and nurture
• Continuity vs. discontinuity
• Early/later experience issue
• Evaluating the Developmental Issues
Santrock, 2013- p. 18
Social Policy and Children’s
Development
• Ontario’s vision for education
• Started in 1998 – Best Start Panel
• 2006 ELECT, 2007 ELECT revision
• Focus on strengths
• Observation based learning
• Children seen as active participants in
their own learning
Slide developed in collaboration with Francine Fox from Boreal College
http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/ch
ildcare/ResearchBriefs.pdf
http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/childcare/pe
dagogy.html
http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/ch
ildcare/oelf/
http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/ch
ildcare/excerpts.html
http://www.college-
ece.ca/en/Public/Pages/professio
nalstandards.aspx
http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/child
care/OntarioEarlyYear.pdf
If I had my child to raise over again
By Diane Loomans If I had my child to raise over again,
I’d finger paint more, and point the finger less.
I’d do less correcting, and more connecting.
I’d take my eyes off my watch, and watch with my eyes.
I would care to know less, and know to care more.
I’d take more hikes and fly more kites.
I’d stop playing serious, and seriously play.
I would run through more fields, and gaze at more stars.
I’d do more hugging, and less tugging.
I would be firm less often, and affirm much more.
I’d build self-esteem first, and the house later.
I’d teach less about the love of power,
And more about the power of love.
Thank you!
Please remember:
• Individual presentations
• To read the chapters covered
See you next week at 9:00 am!