Personal Philosophy: Child Development and Teaching

Personal Philosophy

Introduction

Child development is divided into four areas of development; social / emotional, physical (motor), cognitive, and language. Typically children develop in a sequence of stages in each area. Although development normally follows the same series of stages, there are individual differences in what age each stage occurs. Development in part depends on the experiences a child encounters. According to Wardle (2004), young children learn from their total experience in a program. For example, children not only learn during teacher directed activities, they also learn while playing in interest areas, on the playground, while riding the bus, or during meals. Vygotsky saw the child as part of an active social world in which communication with others and self speech help the child understand the world around him/her. (Lefton, 2000). Another area that is crucial to a child’s development is the involvement of the child’s parent is his or her education. In order to be an effective teacher one must have a general understanding of all areas of development, the role the parents have in a child’s education, the importance of play on the child’s success, and the role the teacher plays in all of this.

Physical (Motor) Development

Physical development proceeds from head downward and from the body outward. An infant develops control of the head first. In the next few months, the infant will be able to use their arms to lift themselves up. Between six and twelve months, the infant is able to crawl, stand, or walk as they gain control of the legs. Movement dominates the first year of toddlerhood. beginning with the skills he / she develops as an infant. During this period, todd...

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... obtain the language ability necessary for later success in life.

Works Cited:

Brown, K. and Fitzpatrick, T. and Morrison, G. (2004, Fall). Involving Diversity in Classrooms Through Family Involvement. Dimensions. 11-16. Arkansas. Southern Early Childhood Association.

Charlesworth, R. (2004). Understanding Child Development (6th ed.). New York. Thomas Delmar Learning Inc.

Dodge, D. , Colker, L., and Heroman, C. (2002) The Creative Curriculum for Preschoolers (4th ed).Washington, D.C. Teaching Strategies

Riddle, E. (1999, March 8). Lev Vygotsky’s Social Development Theory. Retrieved November 1, 2004, from the World Wide Web; http://www.kihd.gmu.edu.

Wardle, F. (2004, Summer). A Look At Curriculum. Children and Families p.54. Alexandria, Virginia. National Head Start Association.