The unit on child development from conception to 16 years will provide me with an understanding of the different types of development that children experience on a daily basis. Additionally, it will introduce me to various theorists and their theories on child development, as well as their work with children and families. This knowledge will help me appreciate the importance of promoting children's development through proper treatment. According to www.main.zerotothree.org(11.12.12), around one year old, children begin to form positive relationships, which helps improve their communication skills. I have chosen to focus specifically on the emotional and physical development of children aged from birth to three years and twelve to sixteen years. Having this understanding will not only allow me to comprehend the development of children in my current environment but also evaluate
...my own growth compared to what is considered typical.
The development of children starts at conception and I specifically concentrate on their emotional, social, and physical development from birth until they reach the age of 3. When born, children have the ability to cry and communicate their emotions through their body movements. As they grow older, around the age of 2, they begin to engage in play with other children who are of a similar age. During activities such as dress-up, they may unintentionally reveal significant aspects about themselves. This occurs because they haven't yet fully understood that the fictional characters they portray can represent different emotions and mental states.
the dark. This is because they become aware of suggestions from other children, such as the existence of monsters under their beds. According to www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au (1.12.12), a baby's physical development is similar to their emotional development because when they are born, they are overwhelmed by the new things in their environment.>
Babies are initially attracted to bright lights and colors during their first two months of life. By the age of 2, children have developed enough coordination to run without constantly falling, and by age 3, they can start tiptoeing and balancing on one foot at a time. Emotional development is similar for both boys and girls between the ages of 12-16. During this period, children may experience stress and sudden mood swings due to factors such as puberty, according to Meggitt C etal 2012.
As individuals go through this period, they begin to rely more on friends instead of family and feel less emotionally connected to family members who used to bring them happiness, anger, and upset. It is important for children in this age group to learn how to effectively handle their emotions in order to prevent making their stressful situations worse or having emotional breakdowns. When kids reach puberty, they become more aware of physical changes like acne and emotional ups and downs, especially in girls when they start getting their menstrual cycles (www.shs.wa.gov, 18.12.12).
According to Tassoni et al., children aged 12-16 need plenty of physical exercise during puberty to help release hormones and support their development. Physical development is crucial as it can affect all aspects of a child's growth. According to www.nhs.uk (24.1.3), it can be
difficult for a child who starts developing physically at the age of 12 to understand these changes. Boys may view the growth of their penis and pubic hair positively as a sign of becoming a man, while girls may not find the formation of breasts and onset of periods exciting. As they come to comprehend these physical changes, various behavioral changes may occur that can impact their body and overall development.
According to Linda Pound's book "How children learn" published in 2006, the author discusses various aspects such as smoking, drinking, and engaging in sexual activities at a young age. Pound references Jean-Jacques' belief that human beings are innately good and part of nature itself. Jean-Jacques believed that nature played a role in helping children grow and that it fostered love from others towards them. He advocated for adults allowing children to enjoy their childhood and emphasized the importance of freedom, justice, and equality for all individuals.
Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712–1778) formulated the 'leave it to nature' theory, which suggests that immersing children in icy water and letting them roam outside scantily clad all year round will connect them with nature. This idea is tied to emotional growth as it educates children on affection and being loved by others. It imparts the notion that when lacking material possessions, nature will provide for their needs, promoting contentment with what they possess.
Linda Pound quotes, "Jean-Jacques never put his theories into practice – he sent his own children to live in orphanages." Lawrence Kohlberg developed a constructivist theory of emotional and moral development, building upon Jean Piaget's existing theory. He formulated six stages of development,
divided into three levels, through which every child must progress. The first level is known as the pre-conventional level, primarily applicable to children but also utilized by many adults in their moral development.
The primary factor influencing this level is obedience, with rewards for correct compliance and punishment for failures. The level also emphasizes individualism and exchange, allowing children to evaluate their morality based on self-interest. This aspect is important for emotional development during puberty, as it teaches adolescents to make ethical choices in challenging emotional situations.
To effectively monitor and document children's learning goals and milestones, it is essential to observe them in various ways. Different types of observations, such as long, short, photograph, and spontaneous ones exist. However, this explanation will focus on three specific types: snapshot observation, written narrative observation, and checklist observation. A snapshot observation aims to record a particular moment in time by documenting the observed child's behavior and developmental progress.
The focus of the observation is on the reaction of a child when their parent or guardian leaves them at the setting. It is crucial to conduct the observation right after the parent or guardian departs in order to fully evaluate the situation. This can be helpful in handling children who are clingy or take a while to adapt to the setting. The checklist observational technique consists of a list of specific tasks for the child to accomplish. According to Christine Hobart and Jill Frankel, checklists, which are also referred to as tick lists, serve various purposes.
The observer is instructed to recognize particular abilities or reactions that a child has. These are noted down
as they are seen, and a comment can be added. According to Sharman C et al (2006), SATS are checklist observations created by the government for children in years 5 and 6 in England and Wales. These observations measure the child's development and determine their placement in year 7 when they transition to secondary school. The same set of tasks will be carried out approximately once a month to evaluate if the child can accomplish them or not.
To track a child's abilities, tasks on the checklist should be positive and focused on teaching rather than negativity. If the child completes a task successfully, it should be checked off and replaced with a new task. Tasks should be brief, clear, and descriptive to ensure understanding. This approach helps assess the child's physical development and determine their capabilities at any given time.
The narrative observation tool is frequently used to evaluate a child's emotional, social, and educational requirements. It helps the assessor understand areas for improvement. To track progress and identify ongoing focus points, it is advisable to conduct multiple observations throughout the year. During a narrative observation, it is essential to gather as much information as possible within the allotted time.
The observer must record the child's actions, location, and timeframe to identify areas of improvement or excellence in nurseries. These observations can also help determine staff training needs. According to Christine Hobart and Jill Frankel 2009, written narratives are the preferred observation technique for inexperienced practitioners who are not familiar with other methods of observation.
To ensure full confidentiality, it is crucial to safeguard all data and notes pertaining to
the child in a setting. This can be achieved by securely storing information on a computer system, preventing unauthorized access. Maintaining confidentiality should also be prioritized during observation activities. As stated in Diploma, childcare and education by Tassoni et al, it is essential to keep records of observations for each child, enabling parents to track their child's progress if desired.
The parents are shown that the child is being treated as an individual, not part of a group. However, it is essential to keep the records secure to prevent unauthorized access. This is crucial because if someone knew the child's name and other details, they could gather important information about them. If any information from the observation were leaked, that person would have knowledge of all the child's vulnerabilities. Due to their young age, the child cannot protect themselves against potential harm.
Meggitt C et al. (2012) asserts that sending information via e-mail safeguards confidentiality by preventing unauthorized individuals from accessing the setting's details. This precaution ensures that practitioners and students do not obtain restricted information through conversations with peers outside the setting. Nevertheless, parents should have constant access to their child's records during their enrollment, while other files must remain inaccessible to them. It is crucial for this access to be available at any given time throughout their child's tenure in the setting.
When a child leaves the setting, all files on the child should be appropriately discarded. This could involve giving the files to the parents. If the parents do not want the files, they should be shredded before being discarded into the bin. In addition, working with parents is
important. This can be done through one-on-one books sent home or through conversations with parents to encourage activities at home. If a child has learning difficulties, the special educational needs coordinator (senco) should be involved. The purpose of involving the senco is to ensure that the child does not fall behind and that they are thriving and confident.
It is crucial to make sure that the child understands completely that their individual files will include information about whether they have taken certain materials home or if they need extra curriculum support at the appropriate age. Early years settings consider diversity and inclusiveness highly important, according to www.nurseryworld.co.uk (14.2.13). This is because it provides them with a valuable chance to promote inclusion and implement effective practices that yield positive outcomes in the setting.
Inclusiveness guarantees equal opportunities for all children, irrespective of disability, to engage in activities. It is vital for settings to offer required services without considering factors like religion, disability, age, or gender. This might entail adjusting tables and installing ramps for disabled children. Furthermore, settings should integrate aspects from diverse cultures by including decorations, books, and puppets.
Moreover, inclusiveness involves taking into account the specific needs of each child and tending to their religious necessities. Although some children may not celebrate Christmas, their parents still want them to be involved in activities like the Christmas play. To prevent these children from feeling excluded from participating in the play, they can be assigned the role of the narrator. Diversity is similar to inclusiveness because Thurrock council 2010 stresses the significance of acknowledging individual differences and treating everyone equally while considering their
particular needs.
Regardless of their behavior, every child in a setting should receive equal attention. Practitioners must acknowledge and address the specific needs of each individual child. Each child is distinct and possesses their own unique qualities. Diversity fosters an environment where children feel safe to disclose information they might otherwise withhold, such as negative experiences at home.
Lack of diversity in a setting can give a child wrong ideas about how to interact with others. This may make them think it's okay to treat people differently based on their race or gender. When observing a child, it's important to have a positive view of diversity. If a child is treating another child slightly differently, it could be a way of expressing themselves, but it shouldn't be consistently tolerated.
In summary, diversity and inclusiveness are closely linked as they both strive to honor the needs of children and are tailored to meet those needs. Based on my observations of Child A, I have observed that by the age of 2, he has successfully reached the anticipated social development milestones. This is evident in his capability to share toys with other kids and effectively communicate with individuals from various age groups, including adults and peers.
When working and playing with other children, he usually cooperates and shares. Occasionally, he may behave differently and not demonstrate good play and sharing skills, although this is rare. I believe this behavior might be attributed to him feeling different due to illness or just waking up. He also struggles with effective communication with adults. This was evident when he attempted to get a staff member's attention
by pulling on her jacket instead of waiting patiently for her response.
Then he fled before the staff member could respond to child a. Additionally, his physical development is progressing normally, as evidenced by his excellent balance while running and jumping. He maintains stability and never tumbles when moving about. He is currently acquiring the skill of shaping drawing and capable of painting with a single arm. After carefully reviewing the three observations I made of child a, I have devised a plan to assist the child in accomplishing tasks I haven't witnessed him perform.
This will help me determine his capabilities and discover his interests. For example, I can assess his fine motor skills by observing if he can pick up a pen from the table on his own and use it. The plan also mentions going to the park, which will provide a larger space to assess his physical development in greater detail. I would like to see if he can navigate the additional space without any issues or if he may stumble due to his increased speed. Additionally, this outing could help evaluate if he can independently climb structures like a climbing frame.
Despite his desire to use the slide, he is unable to due to climbing. To accommodate his interests, I plan activities that he enjoys, such as playing with dinosaurs and figures. This not only allows him to engage in something he is passionate about but also provides me insights into his social interactions with other children. Based on these observations, I incorporate this interest into our weekly plan. For instance, if a child shows knowledge
of primary colors and has an interest in mixing them, I arrange an activity involving color mixing using potatoes. This activity is presented to all children and repeated for the individual child if needed. Throughout this unit, it has become evident that children's behavior can vary throughout the week for various reasons such as illness, home issues, or bullying from peers both within and outside of the setting. Moreover, while observing a child's behavior patterns, I have gained a deeper understanding of diversity and inclusivity within our environment.
Despite the fact that different children have different rates of development, which are influenced by their environment and upbringing, I strongly believe that given sufficient time and without discrimination or grouping based on their pace, all children will eventually reach the same developmental stage. It has become evident to me that children are continually making progress in various areas, acquiring new skills or gradually enhancing existing ones. Furthermore, I have gained a greater appreciation for the significance of upholding confidentiality protocols.
In order to maintain confidentiality in a setting, it is crucial to safeguard all information related to the children. Unauthorized access to confidential information could potentially harm the child and result in legal consequences for the organization. To ensure confidentiality, it is essential to securely store all data on a computer and regularly delete unnecessary files. Additionally, any written information should be properly shredded.
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