1. An Overview of Early Childhood Development Teddi Deka, Ph.D. Missouri Western State University

2. I. What is Development?  Change Growth, Senescence  From Genetics (nature) Caring (nurture) Environment  Influenced by Domains Contexts  Following a Sequence based on Averages Ranges

3. Domains and Contexts of Development  Exercise: What is one question about child development that you would like to ask?

4. Physical Social / Emotional Cognitive Domains of Development

5. Contexts of Development HistoricalSocioeconomicCultural

6. Averages and Ranges

7. II. Average Development in the Cognitive Domain  Of interest to early childhood providers: How does the child think/solve problems? What types of problems interest the child? How can I improve the child’s ability to think/solve problems?

8. How Does the Child Think / Solve Problems?  Theories of Child Development Jean Piaget’s Cognitive-Developmental Theory Lev Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Theory Theory of Mind

12. Problems that interest the young child  There are not right or wrong answers  The adult won’t get mad or anxious  It is fun  It involves play  It involves creativity (coloring, little scientist)  The task is bright or loud or irritating  The task is repetitive

13. III. Average Development in the Social / Emotional Domain  Of interest to early childhood providers: What is typical social development? What is typical emotional development? How to I discourage aggression? How do I discipline?

14. Typical Social / Emotional Development  Erik Erikson’s Psychosocial Theory  Emotion and Control

15. Emotional Development TemperamentEasyDifficultSlow to Warm Up Shyness √ Aggression √ fearfulness √ Attention √ Sociability √

16. InstrumentalPhysicalVerbalRelational Most Prevalent ToddlerChildhood Adolescence Gender Difference s Boys Girls StabilityLessMoreLessMore Types of Aggression

17. From 1 to 5, children should consistently improve on:  Emotion Regulation  Emotion Display  Hostile Aggression  Empathy  Sympathy

18. Improving on Aggression, Discipline and Prosocial Behavior  Handout: Recommendations