Early Childhood Education

Understanding Development
O Child Development – pattern of change that occurs as children grow from birth to adolescence.
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How, when, why and in what order changes occur.
If you know what a child’s capabilities should typically be – you know what to expect
O What are the implications for the child care worker?

A result of over a hundred years…
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In the past – chd were seen as small adults.
Interests in child grew, led to research
O Observed and tested theories
Even today, current researchers carry on the efforts

Sigmund Freud – 1856-1939
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Austrian neurologist, considered “Father of Psychoanalysis”
Believed personality develops through a series of stages – early experiences shape adult life

Maria Montessori – 1870-
1952
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Italian physician/educator
Children learn by using their senses, learn best by pursuing their interests
Children need
“manipulatives” to exercise sensory learning

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Psychologist and pediatrician
Devel. Basic info about the order in which child. Master various skills, typical rate of devel.

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Swiss developmental psychologist and philosopher
1 st to study child. In sci. way, focused on how child. Learn
4 stages of thinking that shape how chd see and learn about the world
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Sensorimotor stage (0-2)
Preoperational stage (2-7)
Concrete operational (7-11)
Formal operational (11-16>)
Chd should be given learning tasks suitable to their stage of thinking

Lev Vygotsky (1898-1934)
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Soviet Belarusian psychologist
Posited a concept of “Zone of Proximal Development” the difference between what a learner can do without help and what he or she can do with help.
Bio devel and cultural exper influence child ability to think and learn, social contact essential to intellectual devel.
Many opp for social interaction to devel intellectually

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American psychologist/behavioris t
Operant conditioning/reinforcem ent – good consequences
= action reinforced, bad consequences = action not repeated
Parents can use rewards/punishment to influence child behavior

Abraham Maslow (1908-
1870)
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American psychologist
Pyramid shaped –
“hierarchy of needs”
For personal growth, needs must be met in order

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Canadian Psychologist
Children learn by modeling
Disagreed with Skinner – although environ shapes behavior, behavior also affects the environment

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Child Psychiatrist/prof at
Harvard U
Studied children’s moral development
Important role of parent and other caregivers play by examples they set

O Child development broken down into areas of development:
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Physical
Intellectual
O Emotional
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Social
Moral

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Growth of the body as well as its abilities
Height/weight
Most dramatic during infancy and adolescence
As child dev physically, they gain new abilities
Motor Skills – abilities that depend on the use and control of muscles
O Fine vs. Gross

O AKA Cognitive development – occurs as child learn to think, understand, reason and use language
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Infants – readily soak up knowledge via 5 senses
Early years – rapid changes – brain growth
O Complex thinking develops

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Feelings about themselves, others and the world
Positive (happy/contentment) and negative
(angry, fear, frustration) are experienced
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Pos = emotionally well adjusted (too much stress = detrimental)
Neg – acceptable,need to learn how to handle emotions appropriately and recover

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Children discover how to relate to other people
Skills needed to get along with others and fit into society
Play, share trade, settle fights w/ words
Understand that society has rules we live by
What effect can proper social development have on how a person views him/herself?

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Linked to social dev
Understand and act according to what is right and wrong
Develop values
Affects how they interact with people
O WHS – if someone hits you, you hit them back.
Is there a dilemma in terms of teaching
“moral values” in the child care setting?

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Characteristics of
Development
Development is interrelated.
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Changes taking place in many areas at the same time, impacts other areas
Self-feeding – physical + intellectual

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Characteristics of
Development
Development is Similar for All
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Similar for everyone, same stages in same order
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Sit before standing, stand before walking

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Characteristics of
Development
Rates of development are individual
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Rate of growth varies from child to child
How can a caregiver tell when a child should be learning a new skill? – Patterns of dev. Are predictable – average age
Boys dev. Slower than girls
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Avoid comparisons

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Characteristics of
Development
Development is ongoing aka life-span development
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Rate of development changes, but never stops
Child get good start sets the stage for satisfying dev over a lifetime (brain research)

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Characteristics of
Development
Development is sequential
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Development follows a step-by-step pattern – a sequence

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Top to Bottom (cephalocaudal) – master body movement and coordination from head downward – lift head, then trunk
Center to Outside (proximodistal) – development progresses from spine to arms and legs and then to fingers and toes – swing arms in lg circles – maneuver wrists

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From large to small – chd dev control over large muscles before small – run and jump before they are able to throw or catch a ball w/ accuracy
From general to specific – simple, increasingly complex, - jump up and down w/ two feet then w/ one

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Create a concept map of developmental principles.
ON the back of your paper, create a map for the sequences of development

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Why is understanding childhood development important?
Your Assignment:
O You will observe a selection of toys in a toy store, big box store, or via the internet (Toys R
Us). Identify toys that promote the different areas of development, toys that promote multiple areas of development and ONE Toy that has very little value in promoting development