Learning About Children Chapter #1

Chapter Objectives Explain the best way to learn about children. Identify three areas of childhood that researchers have studied. Summarize how children learn and develop important skills. List the stages of development after childhood. Determine why observation is important in the study of child development. Compare and contrast different methods of observations and interpretation.

Chapter Journal Entry #1: Caring Children of all ages need to be cared for. However, as they get older they need less care. Write to generate ways to show caring to a one-year old child you are babysitting.

Making a Difference in Children’s Lives Section #1.1

Section Objectives Explain the best way to learn about children. Identify three areas of childhood that researchers have studied.

Understanding Children and Yourself You have an impact, or significant effect, on children’s lives. By interacting with children and studying their behaviors, you will: Learn why children feel, think, and act the way they do. –Typical Behaviors: A way of acting or responding that is common at each stage of childhood. Discover caregivers’ importance –Caregiver: A person who takes care of a child. Enjoy children more Learn about career opportunities

Apply What You Learn You are in an excellent position to study child development because you are close enough to adulthood to think critically, but still young enough to remember what being a child feel like. By studying child development you will… –Gain new skills. –Understand yourself better.

Views of Childhood The way you think about childhood depends in part on what your own childhood was like. –If your childhood was fairly easy and comfortable, you may think of it as a carefree time of security. –If your childhood was full of struggles, you may think of it as a time of hardship. Research and scholars have determined that childhood has a profound influence on later life.

Comparing Childhood Past and Present Until the 20 th century, some people believed that there was nothing special or important about the early years of life. Little was known about the emotional and intellectual needs of children. Changing attitudes, social changes, and advances in technology and medicine have changed views about childhood.

What Has Changed? Health: –Advances in medicine have helped more children survive into adulthood than in the past. Education: –Advances in technology have made education a more well-rounded experience for children. Work: –Laws have been passed to prevent children from working before certain ages and in dangerous environments. Play: –Technology has made a wider variety of toys and games available to children. Dress: –Dress for children has become less formal for children in the last century

What Hasn’t Changed? Parental Love

Studying Children Section #1.2

Section Objectives Summarize how children learn and develop important skills. List the stages of development after childhood.

The Importance of Childhood Childhood is a time of preparation for adulthood. Recent research has shown that early childhood may be the most important life stage for brain development. Children’s brains are not fully developed at birth. Scientists have found that babies’ brains develop in response to stimulating activities that arouse their senses (sight, taste, smell, feel, and hear). –Stimulation: Any activity that arouses a baby’s senses.

Theories About Development Child development theorists have provided valuable information about how children learn and develop skills. –Some have performed experiments that involve children to test a theory, or belief. Not everyone agrees on how parents, caregivers, and educators should apply theories and research findings.

What Researchers Have Found Development is similar for each individual. Development builds upon earlier learning. –Sequence: An order of steps. Development proceeds at an individual rate. The different areas of development are interrelated. Development is a lifelong process.

Influences on Development Heredity: –The biological transfer of certain characteristics from earlier generation. Environment: –The people, places, and things that surround and influence at person.

The Child Development Theorists Sigmund Freud Jean Piaget Lev Vygotsky Erik Erikson B.F. Skinner Albert Bandura Urie Bronfrenbrenner Maria Montessori

The Role of Self-Esteem Self-Esteem: –The value people place on themselves. Self-esteem plays a role in people’s ability to face and overcome the challenges of each developmental stage. A sense of self-worth is critical to children’s development. Research has shown that the level of self- esteem that is developed in childhood changes very little over time.

Lifelong Growth and Development Development does not end when childhood does. It continues throughout life. The human life cycle are the stages humans go through from birth until death. Developmental tasks occur at different stages of the human life cycle and mastering these tasks, prepares a person for their next task.

Development Beyond Childhood Adolescence (12-21): –Creating an identity, becoming independent, pursuing education. Young Adulthood (22-29): –Finish their education and find a mate. The Thirties (30-39): –Establishing roots, reevaluating life choices, and finding stability in career and relationships. Middle Age (40-55): –Evaluate if they were satisfied with their lives and make changes if they weren’t. Late Adulthood (56-75): –Become more politically and socially active, travel, take classes, or enjoy other activities. Very Late Adulthood (76-death): –Contribute their knowledge and experiences to society.

Observing and Interacting with Children Section #1.3

Section Objectives Determine why observation is important in the study of child development. Compare and contrast different methods of observation and interpretation.

Why Observe Children? Observing offers you the chance to see children as individuals, meeting the challenges of development in their own ways and in their own time. Observing an individual child will acquaint you with their unique personality. Observing children provides caregivers with useful feedback.

How to Observe Young Children Separate fact from opinion. –Objective vs. Subjective Choose an observation record method. –Running Record, Anecdotal Record, Frequency Count, or Developmental Checklist. Determine the type of observation. –Formal or Informal

Subjective vs. Objective Subjective: –Relies on personal opinions and feelings, rather than facts, to judge the event. Objective: –Factual, and leaves aside personal feelings and prejudices

Types of Records Running Record: –Everything that is observed is written done for a set period of time. Anecdotal Record: –The observer concentrates on one specific area of child development. Frequency Count: –A tally of how often a certain behavior occurs. –Baseline: A count made before any steps are taken to try to change the behavior. Developmental Checklist: –A list that an observer checks off when certain skills or behaviors are shown.

How to Act While Observing Formal Observation: –An observation that is set up with a child care center or family in which are provided with some information about the child(ren) you are observing. Informal Observation: –An observation that is done at a random location in which you are not provided with any information about the child(ren) you are observing.

Using Observations Using objective notes interpret them to formulate ideas about what you saw in the observation. –Interpretation: The analysis an observer forms and expresses about what was observed. After you have interpreted your observation, you must keep your interpretation confidential. –Confidentiality: The protection of another person’s privacy by limiting access to personal information.

Bibliography Brisbane, H.E. (2010). “The developing child.” Glencoe; Columbus, OH.