knowledge

THE STUDY OF CHILD DEVELOPMENT INVOLVES CHILDREN AND THE ADULTS IN THEIR LIVES. 2 GOALS OF CHILD DEVELOPMENT ADVANCE THE KNOWLEDGE OF CHILD DEVELOPMENT APPLY THE KNOWLEDGE THAT IS LEARNED

WHAT SHOULD CHILDREN LEARN? THROUGHOUT HISTORY THE ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION HAS ALWAYS REMAINED THE SAME, “CHILDREN NEED TO KNOW THE VALUES AND PRACTICES OF THE CULTURE AND HAVE THE SKILLS NEEDED TO THRIVE IN THEIR WORLD.” THIS IS STILL TRUE BUT IT HAS CHANGED DRASTICALLY BECAUSE THE SKILLS NEEDED IN OUR CULTURE CHANGE AT SUCH A RAPID RATE.

TYPES OF KNOWLEDGE THERE ARE 4 TYPES OF KNOWLEDGE NEEDED FOR NOW AND IN THE FUTURE. 1) EXPLICIT KNOWLEDGE – KNOWLEDGE ABOUT FACTS - EX: COLORS, SHAPES 2) IMPLICIT KNOWLEDGE – SKILLS-BASED KNOWLEDGE – EX: RIDE A BIKE, SWIM 3) SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE – ABILITY TO CREATE KNOWLEDGE – EX: EXPERIMENTING, CRITICAL THINKING 4) KNOWLEDGE ABOUT EXPERTS – EX: KNOWLEDGABLE EXPERT OR SOURCE

Havighurst’s concept of developmental tasks Developmental tasks are skills that a child should have mastered by a certain age Havighurst believed that 3 sources were needed to help a child’s readiness for a developmental task: 1) physical maturation – as the body matures so their ability to learn new skills improves ex: a baby learns to walk and then run 2) social pressures – the pressures of society through its rewards and penalties helps a child master certain tasks. Children learn the tasks related to their own unique cultures 3) inner pressures – a child’s own inner being pushes them from within to work harder to achieve different tasks.

Executive functions – are intellectual functions people use to manage their resources (knowledge, time) to achieve goals 3 functions 1) working memory –this is the ability to store, organize and manipulate information while working on any given task 2) cognitive flexibility – being able to adjust to various demands 3) inhibition – this is learning to put a filter on your words and actions so you don’t act impulsively

Galinsky’s 7 essential life skills 1) focus and self control – this is a skill that requires staying on task to achieve what you started despite distractions 2) perspective taking – this requires that you figure out what others are thinking or feeling 3) communicating – that you need to do more than listen it includes speaking and writing and understanding another persons perspective

Galinsky’s 7 essential life skills continued 4) making connections – this requires that you see how things are related and/or connect them together. 5) critical thinking – this requires that you use scientific reasoning to determine what causes something to happen. 6) taking on challenges – this requires that a person stretch their own abilities in order to achieve greater things 7) self-directed and engaged learning – this is a persons willingness to learn all their lives, always be open to new knowledge – adapting to change

Preventing stress in a child’s life Children are born into different environments every day. Those that are born into a loving environment with all their needs being met will probably lead a normal successful life. Those born in poverty, lack of food and necessities or an unloving home could end up on a path to unhappiness and stress, or become a danger to others.

Preventing stress Children need the opportunity to develop in an environment that is challenging for them but also healthy. As we continue to study child development you will see that a child’s environment can greatly affect their outcome in life.