Demonstrate Knowledge of Human Development Across the Lifespand Essays

Demonstrate Knowledge of Human Development Across the Lifespand Essays Demonstrate Knowledge of Human Development Across the Lifespand Essay Demonstrate Knowledge of Human Development Across the Lifespand Essay In this essay my discussion of the human development thought out the lifespan so the theorists I have chosen are Erik Erikson, Jean Piaget, and Albert Bandura, john bowlby and also Vygotsky to look into the theories also relate them to the modern early childhood education these days. The four theories will be arguing about how the influences of the hereditary and the environment pr personal experiences that affects ones life path THEORIST AND THEIR THEORIES Erik Erikson is a psychoanalytical theorist who divided his theory to eight developmental stages throughout the life span (Berk, 2007). The eight stages are , Trust vs mistrust, autonomy vs shame and doubt, initiative vs guilt, industry vs inferiority, identity vs role confusion, intimacy vs isolation, generative vs stagnation, integrity vs despair. If issues were to arise any of the stages were not dealt with well, it would influence the next later stages of development. Erikson also emphasized the wider social and Vygotsky was a social development theorist. Vygotsky focused on the connections between people and the sociocultural environment, where they interact and share experiences (Crawford, 1996). Vygotsky theory is one of the foundations of constructivism. This states three major themes he created. They are: inter/ intra psychological, more knowledgeable other (MKO), Zone of proximal development (ZPD). family relationships who surrendered the child to be more of an influence rather than biology. Jean Piaget was a cognitive theorist who had believed that children learn through adapting their world and since â€Å"he was trained as a biologist† (Pearson, 2007, p. 143) he showed humans how to demonstrate their intelligence through adaptation to the environment. Like Erikson, Piaget had believed that children pass through different stages of the development, but in their thinking. The four stages of development are : Sensory motor stage (birth – 2years) – knowledge develops through sensory and motor abilities, Preoperational Stage (2-7 years) – the child is learning to apply logical structures with languages, mental imaginary and symbolic thoughts, Concrete Operational stage (7-12 years) – the child has now a hold on logical perations that helps them to understand physical properties, Formal Operational stage (12 years and up) – children think deeply about concrete events and reason abstractly and hypothetically. Since Piaget was influenced by biological principles, he believed that humans were not seeking too much disruption in the children’s development. They were to be left on their own to explore and develop their own time and capabilities. John Bowlby believed that attachment had an evolutionary component; it aids in survival. The propensity to make strong emotional bonds to particular individuals [is] a basic component of human nature (Bowlby, 1988, 3). This theorist relates to my experience when my parents went Afghanistan for six months and I had two children to take care of and a whole house this was a hard job to me it seemed like I was a mother because the child would call me that im there mother. They got so attached to me and even now they are the same they tell me that a (big sister is like our mum) and I felt like I have been a mum for years. That my theorist. SIMILARITIES AND DIFFERENCES Vygotsky and Piaget are two obvious theorists who would disagree on a lot of each others’ theory. However, there are some few common grounds that they can meet on. Vygotsky and Piaget (Black Well Publishing, 2003) emphasized the importance of the early stages of development, where an infant uses body language instead of speaking verbally. Both Piaget and Vygotsky believe that development proceeds in stages, building on the previous stage, and how children think using different strategies at different stages. Their major difference is about a child’s development with or without a significant other. Piaget strongly believes that children discover for themselves and developing precedes learning. Whereas Vygotsky believes that children develop their thinking or learning abilities by the help of an adult, significant other or a more knowledgeable peer. By interacting with others, the child’s development will be further pushed to its advantage. Bandura and Vygotsky also share similar view points of approaches to learning; they both focus on the social – environmental influences and their study of the human’s inner psychological process such as language (Berk, 2007). Bandura’s heory focused more on how children develop through watching adults or teachers behaviors, especially with those that they identify with. We can connect that to Vygotsky theory about the zone or proximal development, where an adult has to actively interact with the child to further push their knowledge. This adult can be someone close like a peer or a caregiver. APPLICATION OF THEORIE S Piaget’s Preoperational stage (2-7 years) mentioned that the child has developed motor skills and develops a sense of self (Berk, 2007). They are able to think imaginatively, but still not able to think logically. In the centre, we can observe children play in the sand pit, constructing imaginary objects using simple equipments. Vygotsky theory encourages the teachers to collaborate with children in order to make it easy for them to have a meaningful constructive learning. This can also push parents to expose their children to a variety of social situations, because every interaction is considered to be a learning experience. John bowlbys theory of attachment can be easily seen today in an early childhood centre. A way for children to learn is through attachment with others. When children see other parent hugging there children they will watch and see then they will go and do the same In Erikson’s initiative vs. Guilt is where the child develops motor movements and coping skills, their curiosity is increasing. Parents who take time to answer their preschoolers questions can increase their intellectual initiative. But parents or caregivers who see their childrens questions as and annoyance may suppress their initiative and cause them to be too dependent on others and to be ashamed of themselves. Task 2 Influences on Human Development Children develop in many different ways at the same time. While physical growth and maturity are the most obvious signs that development is occurring, children also develop cognitively (mentally), socially, emotionally, and sexually. The influence is genetics. At this period, we relate infants to Piaget’s Sensory motor stage (Berk, 2007) where they get to learn their environment or come to know their world through their bodies and their senses. They dont understand their environment very well at first, but are born exquisitely prepared to explore and learn. They learn how to make movement, how to make sense of things, how to speak, and how to do other skills. All these developments need babies to use all senses: touch, taste, smell, hearing, and sight. Development are mostly described as achievements in life significant to particular person, this can include crawling, walking or even first words of the infant. Though a development milestone occurs at a certain stage, everyone is different. An infant might have inherited genes that might prevent development of child, where other infants or toddlers might develop faster. When infant grows into early childhood, their thinking is still in process of developing, their ability to use language becomes more obvious, depending on their genes, they slowly develop while some are quickly excelling. We now enter Piaget’s Preoperational stage age 2-7 years of age; this is where childrens thought processes are developing, although are still considered to be far from logical thought, in the adult sense of the word, and unable to take the point of view of others. In middle childhood, the child is influenced by his or her family. School-aged children also need benefit from loving nurturance expressed by parents and caregivers. Children receive nurture from caregivers when caregivers give love and affection, spend time with them, include them in stimulating activities, and help them build their self-esteem. We can relate this to Bronfenbrenner Ecological system theory of the Microsystems the small, immediate environment the child lives in. This will include any immediate relationships or organizations they interact with, such as their immediate family or caregivers and their school or daycare. The more encouraging and nurturing these relationships and places are, the better the child will be able to grow. This expression of love helps children grow in self-esteem and self-respect. Bronfenbrenner Ecological system can also link to when the child moves on to adolescence where he or she will be influence by their social circle. Erikson calls this stage to be Industry vs. Inferiority (Berk, 2007), where child learn to use methods and develops competence, skills and also they will learn to relate to their peers. Interaction with other children will then have to be a necessity to ensure development happens. An interchange of knowledge with a more capable other can be especially helpful, Vygotsky zone of proximal development theory (Berk, 2007). Another dimension in life that is influenced by social factors is young adulthood. This stage we move into Erikson’s Identity vs. Role confusion. How a person come to know how they see themselves in relation to the world. A young adulthood must struggle to discover and find his or her identity, while negotiating and struggling with social interactions and trying to fit in, and developing from right and wrong. If the person is successful in their young adulthood, they will now be focusing on attention to the system of production and management of material wealth, ecology, in their middle adulthood. This would cover Erikson’s theory of the Generativity vs. Stagnation or self-absorption, Career and work are the most important things at this stage, also their family. Attempting to work and produce something that makes a difference to the society. In Bronfenbrenner theory of the Ecological system, this person is part of the interlinking system which will affect the development of the child; it can either be directly if the person has children The last stage of life dimension is the late adulthood, where the person might be influenced demographically. Bronfenbrenner theory comes into this influence again, how they are affected in how they will now be living according to the law of the government, most would be using their pension and living in an old home stay area or lives in their own home far from there parents. Task 3 Reflection on Human Development Many theorists formed theories to explain how humans behave, think or develop intellectually, solve problems, and remember certain things. From studying these different types of theories can help us understand children and their development. I will be examining how knowledge of human development across the lifespan develops an adult’s understanding of children in an early childhood setting. Also, how this knowledge of human development across the lifespan can influence our practices with children in an early childhood centre. The like of Piaget (Berk, 2007) who is a cognitive theorist is only interested in how the brain works and how children learn more by leaving them alone to explore the things around them. We can relate this to Piaget’s sensory motor stage, a stage where infants’ senses are being fully used. Their senses of touch, sight, smell, taste and hearing can contribute to their increasing curiosity of objects and the things around them. If this was the case, in an early childhood setting, we would do well to provide materials, equipments and resources for infants to explore on. Making the environment safe for the infants learning is also essential. â€Å"In exploring the physical environment, children gain increasing motor and manipulative control and skill in using tools and materials safely†. Ministry of Education, 1996 p. 98) As Piaget stated, development precedes learning (Ebeck, 1996) In other cases, there are theorists who strongly believed that social factors were important for cognitive growth, scaffolding. Scaffolding is a temporary support system around that child’s attempts to understand new ideas and complete new tasks (Children’s developing minds) the purpose for this is that the child will be able to achieve higher developments by simplifying the task or idea, motivating the child and even modeling that can be imitated easily. If scaffolding is applied successfully children are in a better position to â€Å"convey and receive ideas, feeling and information in different cultural and social contexts†. (Ministry of Education, 1996 p. 96) Having this basic theory in mind, as teachers, Also, this can help children develop understanding and appreciate different view points of others (Ministry of Education, 1996). An additional theorist who could agree with having social factors to help further develop a child is Vygotsky, who came up with the zone of proximal development (Berk, 2007). He put emphasis on teachers to be always aware of the child’s intellectual development when they might need to be pushed further, a higher level than where they are now. This theory surely is related to scaffolding, but Bruner formed his theory based on Vygotsky zone of proximal development theory (Black Well Publishing, 2003) The zone proximal development is the difference between what a learner can do without help and what he or she can do with help. Interestingly enough, it is not only from adults that this knowledge can come from. In an early childhood setting, it’s good to take note of the child’s intellectual development and always looking out for ways to further push their development. Collaborating children with others can also help them develop within their zone of proximal development and â€Å"are able to participate in a range of social settings†. (Ministry of Education, 1996 p. 94) â€Å"A child’s learning environment extends far beyond the immediate setting of the home or early childhood programmes outside the home†. (Ministry of Education, 1996, p. 9) Bronfenbrenner, an Ecology of Human development theorist (Ministry of education, 1996) developed the environment systems which can either directly or indirectly influence the child. In this ecological system, we are directly influencing the child, because we fall under the Mesosystem as the school, early childhood centre. In the Mesosystem, that’s where the child learns to explore and discover new things, a saf e place to fully develop themselves. As a teacher or caregiver we are responsible for taking care of the children that are entrusted to us. This moves us to provide a well nurtured place where the development of the child can be enhanced. Also, the child might be developing relationships with adults outside their immediate family for the first time, so it emphasizes how we have to care and nurture the needs of the child. We can relate this to John Bowlby’s attachment theory. A child feels a special emotional relationship (Berk, 2007) that involves an exchange of comfort, care and pleasure. He also agreed with Piaget, of how an early experience in childhood can have an important influence on development and behavior later in life. By examining the characteristics of attachment, we can differentiate the kind of attachment the child has made. There are three, safe haven is when the child feel threatened or afraid, he or she can return to the caregiver for comfort and soothing. Secure base, the caregiver provides a secure and dependable base for the child to explore the world. Proximity maintenance is when the child strives to stay near the caregiver, thus keeping the child safe. Separation distress, when separated from the caregiver, the child will become upset and distressed. The way we care and nurture for the children in the centre will have an affect on how we view separation of a child and parent as they get dropped off, and how they socialize with strangers. If we find that the child takes a while to get separated with his or her parent, we leave give them time to settle in and feel comfortable in the place. We are also responsible for creating that safe haven in the centre for the children, especially when the child spends 11 hours, five days a week in the centre. Consequently, having knowledge of different theories will help us to better understand how children develop their understanding of themselves and those who are taking care of them. It helps us to open our views to a much wider idea of why such behavior is happening, or how a child might want to learn, why a child is finding it hard to separate himself to his parent and to the care of another stranger or even how the environment can have an influence on children. Just as the theorists themselves have their own opinions on development, this also goes for caregivers who will apply a different approach to learning. However, it’s all for the benefit of the child. Thus, having this knowledge from different kinds of theorists, let’s put them into application and continue to develop the child’s intellectual, physical and emotional needs. References massey. ac. nz/~alock/virtual/trishvyg. htm cyc-net. org/cyc-online/cycol-0304-bowlby. html http://webspace. ship. edu/cgboer/bandura. html http://webspace. ship. edu/cgboer/erikson. html http://webspace. ship. edu/cgboer/piaget. html