1. Learn About Children
Chapter One

2. 1.1: Make a Difference in Children’s Lives

3. Benefits of studying children
Why do babies like to chew on books? Why do toddlers throw their toys again after you have just picked them up? What should you do if a three-year-old lies?
Children’s behavior can be both fascinating and frustrating, especially when you do not understand it
Taking care of children is one of the most important responsibilities you can have

4. Understanding Children and Yourself
People and events help shape who children become
When you live with children, you influence them every day
Even if contact is less frequent, what you say and how you act still matters
Learning more about how children grow and develop will help you understand children better
It will also improve your understanding of yourself

5. By interacting with children and studying their behaviors you will…
Learn why children feel, think, and act the way they do
No children are alike but there are some typical behaviors
Discover caregivers’ importance
Provide more than food and clothes. Give affection, help children learn, and teach them life lessons
Enjoy children more (I hope  )
Learn about career opportunities

6. Views of childhood
Childhood means different things to different people
The way you think about childhood can depend in part on what your own childhood was like
If childhood fairly easy/comfortable, you may think of it as carefree time of security
If your parents struggled to provide or something traumatic happened during that period, you may think of childhood as a hardship
For everyone, childhood is a period of rapid development
Dependence on caregivers, and preparation for adult life

7. Compare Childhood Past and Present
Using the textbook and worksheet provided, complete the graphic organizer at your table groups
This sheet is for you to keep and use to study for a future exam

8. 1.2: Studying Children

9. Importance of Childhood Development
Childhood prepares us for adulthood.
Babies receiving stimulation develop more quickly and have a more secure self- image.

10. What Researchers Have Found
Child Development theorists have provided valuable information about how children learn and develop skills
Some theorists perform experiments to create theories
Perception of volume
Some theories cannot be tested
Although they don’t always agree, scientific researchers have given us insight about how to best nurture and educate children

11. Characteristics of Development
5 general rules of Child Development:
Development is similar for each individual
Development builds upon earlier learning
Development proceeds at an individual rate
The different areas of development are interrelated
Development is continuous throughout life

12. Influences on Development
All over the world babies are cared for in different ways in different cultures
However, all infants follow predictable sequence of development at about the same time
Children develop at different rates because each has a unique combination of factors influencing their development
Heredity: the biological transfer of certain characteristics from earlier generations. Blood type, eye color, and hair to name a few.
Environment: the people, places, and things that surround and influence a person including family, home, school, and community.