Child Development:
By reviewing Berk & Meyers (2016), the study of child development is described as the; social, cognitive, physical changes and experiences that occur from the prenatal stage to early childhood (Berk & Meyers 2016, p. 4-5). Experiences that occur during this time is considered the most crucial period (Phillips & Shonkoff, p. 3) to the child’s development (Encyclopaedia on Early Childhood Development 2011). As there are questions and issues with the development of children, it has stimulated research conducted by professionals from various fields to answer these problems. The field of child development is now an interdisciplinary field called developmental science in which to improve the life of the child.
Plasticity vs. Stability
Another aspect of child development is Plasticity vs. Stability discussed in Berk & Meyers (2016). Plasticity focuses on the theory that we have plasticity throughout life. It is addressed that we can adapt and be responsive to our experiences where we are more subject
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This is based on the cognitive and social behaviours that must be learnt during the optimal time. If it is not learnt during this period, theorists conclude that the skill cannot be acquired later on. Boundaries of learning time periods are less defined in the sensitive period for development can still occur later. The sensitive period acknowledges that learning is supposed to occur during the critical period, but as the body is plastic, it can still happen. The critical and sensitive periods is significant to the field of child development because both sensitive and critical terms acknowledge that that learning occurs at a particular time. This allows the teacher to focuses on practices that encourage the learning of the child during the critical period and if the skill is not learnt, it can still develop
Berk, L. (2009). Child Development (Custom Edition for Pennsylvania State University ed.). New York : Custom Publishing.
There are few fields within the child development science. One of them is represented by the psychoanalytical theory, which looks at the child emotional development within the context of social interaction and early attachments. This framework is called psychosocial as it looks on the emotional and social aspects. Running in parallel and influencing each other there are two more main areas, cognitive and physical. Although I am focusing on the aspects of the psychosocial development, it is important to remember that all these areas are being affected one by the other, where the development of the emotional skills plays central role in a regular development of cognitive and physical skills.
During middle-to-late childhood, growth and development begins to slow down a bit. However, while the development may not be as rapid as it may have been in previous stages, it is more consistent and steady. The development that occurs during this stage begins to incorporate the skills learned in previous years, and the skills gained during this time are more applicable to real world situations. Cognitive development, intellectual development, and disabilities are key aspects to consider during this time.
In the model I developed for child development there are three main groups: physical, mental, and social. Within these three groups are subcategories, many including ideas from various theorists, that I will use to support my system of child development. Throughout this paper, I will use ideas, definitions, and examples from the theorists I have chosen and from my own experience.
Chapter one provided a brief overview on child development, which included debated topics, theories and the various stages of development. The chapter was an introduction to readers that outlined the basic notions of child development and how they can be implemented while working with children. The field of development includes factors such as nature, nurture, existing conditions for the child and the child’s own traits. In order to understand and effectively work with children, the chapter emphasizes the importance of each factor and how they relate. Child development has been divided into three categories: physical development, cognitive development and social-emotional development. Although different, these domains are interconnected and
Smith, P., Cowie, H. and Blades, M. (2003). Understanding children’s development (4th ed.). UK: Blackwell Publishing.
Early childhood education is a very important step during a child’s educational career. This is the level where the entire framework is laid. The four major areas of development are further defined ...
The study of children and their development is a new interdisciplinary field unifying research from sociology, anthropology, development psychology, law, and healthcare. Childhood studies emerged from the universal need to understand children’s development, their susceptibility to external factors, and what it means to be a child from the child 's perspective. Children differ depending on many factors, such as place, time, social status, religion, and tradition, and each of these aspects
Child psychology, also known as child development, is the study of psychological growth of children; how these mechanisms develop from infancy to adolescence and why they deviate from one child to the next. Child development is associated with biological, psychological, and emotional diversity that occur in humans. Although there is a different advancement for each child, these developmental changes may be greatly determined by genetic factors and experience during prenatal life. The early years of a child’s life are very important for his or her health and development. Parents, health professionals, educators, and others can work together as partners to help children grow up to reach their full potential.
Child development is a very important in today’s psychology. That is why it is not surprising that so much research has been developed on that topic. In the article “Transforming the Debate About Child Care and Maternal Employment” the author, Louise B. Silverstein, presents a very interesting point of view on the history as well as the future of psychological research on child care and influence of maternal employment on child development.
Development is defined as the process of change, a pattern that occurs from birth throughout the lifespan of the individual (Keenan and Evans, 2009). In the UK it is usual to cover child development between birth and nineteen years. Development is often categorised into different areas of development; physical, intellectual, language, emotional and social. Smidt (2006) suggested that all areas of development are interrelated. Therefore development has to be approached with a holistic view; whilst looking at one area of development all areas of development need to be considered. "The holistic ideology values the whole child understanding the young child as an individual within the context of his or her family, community and culture” Wood (1998). With this in mind practitioners need to be aware of a child’s background. Children usually progress through a set pattern of stages, unless a child has additi...
As children grow towards adolescence they go through many stages of development. Child development refers to the stages of physical, cognitive, emotional, social, and language growth that occurs from the birth to beginning of adulthood. All aspects of a child's development may be affected by many different factors, including a poor learning environment, lack of social interaction, cultural background differences, abuse, and loss of a parent. All of the before mentioned examples can affect the child's maturation, "a biological growth process that enables orderly changes in behavior, relatively uninfluenced by experience" (Myers 172). Children grow and mature at very different rates, some faster than others, which is why it is necessary to understand the importance of the different types of child development. Though all parts of child development are important, it is probably language learning that is most important to a child's development as a whole.
Infants and Children: Prenatal Through Middle Childhood. Pearson/Allyn and Bacon. Cooper, J., Masi, R., & Vick, J. (2009). The 'Standard' of the 'Standard'. Social-emotional Development in Early Childhood.
Wood, A. E., Wood, E. G., & Boyd, D. (2007). Child development: The world of psychology.
Children may also need help in having their attention directed towards significant features of a task or a situation, when left alone, they might not make the right connections. The interventions by the knowledgeable give the child a structure within which to formulate meaning (Smith, Cowie, Blades, p510). Based on this I believe that it is important that our children’s development should begin at day care and pre-school age. So that developmentally they are not left alone and not making the correct developmental connections. Many times we leave our children alone and it sets them up for failure. As teachers and parents we should not fail to build on prior knowledge, as some of our day care centers do, but we should build on the foundations of knowledge at an early time. Not in the 3rd and 4th grade when its too late.