Educational Development Theories

In short, teachers now have comprehensive tools to guarantee that no child is left behind. Any child that sets foot into the classroom carries with him/her a myriad of experiences and background; thus, making it essential to perceive the child in relation to the systems and dynamics that surround him/her. “All areas of development depend on the context of children’s lives—children’s experiences in families, schools, neighborhoods, community organizations, cultural and ethnic groups, and society at large” (McDevitt & Ormrod, 2010, p. 5).

Learning does not happen in isolation and it is how these various contexts that play out during developmental years that significantly affect his/her experiences in school. To illustrate the impact of context to development a case study is presented in this paper of an eight year old child, Tonya, attending first grade. After a discussion of the student’s classroom behavior, the developmental milestones for her age will be presented. These stages of development will be contextualized with the socio-cultural background of the student.

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Having created a picture of the circumstances of the student, I will then propose an analysis of the situation of the student drawing from educational development theories. Ethical considerations for the case study will then be discussed, followed by recommendations to improve the schooling and learning outcomes of the student. Tonya literally stood out in her class, not only because she was big for her age, but also because she was older than the rest of the class having been retained in kindergarten. At eight years old, she was attending a first grade class.

Tonya was observed to display disruptive behaviors such as bossing and bullying other children, stealing items from others, or talking them into trading their things (McDevitt & Ormrod, 2010). The teacher received complaints from both students and parents that she was also stealing food from her classmate’s lunchboxes. Tonya’s behavior can be described as atypical for other children of her age, and required serious attention. The period from six to ten years old is often referred to as middle childhood.

There is continued differentiation of fine motor skills, although the growth in height and weight slows down and only picks up later on during the adolescent stage. Development of fine motor skills is reflected in illustrations that are “organized and detailed and include some depth cues” (Berk, 2009, p. 7). Moreover, such developments allowed for wider range of activities in play, sports and household chores. Often, parents start to build responsibility among their children by assigning them chores at home such as cooking, cleaning, and looking after their siblings.

Middle childhood is also a period of active neural developments that manifest in increasing integration of cognitive processes. They are learning to read and write, as well as perform basic mathematical computations (i. e. addition and subtraction). In addition, they are beginning to express themselves creatively. There is also a marked improvement in verbal expressions, and are becoming more aware of the concept of rules with peers and parents. Thus, they are learning to grasp the concepts of cause and effect better.

The socio-emotional development of children from six to ten years old is marked by development of emotional states in relation to the people around them. This accompanied by an increasing social network of peers and friends. At this stage, children become more aware of pride and guilt, and are more likely to conform to good behavior. Pro-social behaviors are observed when dealing with peers, especially as they learn to build friendships based on trust and assistance.

It can be deduced that at this stage, children start to develop their moral compass and respond to others with sensitivity and better judgment. In the case of Tonya discussed above, it is apparent that the socio-emotional milestone expected for her age group was not been met. Instead of displaying pro-social behavior, she is disruptive in class, and clearly is not developing friendships that are based on mutual trust and assistance. She is actually behaving exactly the opposite. In addition, having been retained in Kindergarten may be a good indicator of some cognitive delays as well.

However, physically, she has developed as expected, and has the capacities and skills to perform manual tasks for her age. In fact, the report from the teacher emphasized the point that Tonya had to take care of her three-year old brother before going to school. Knowing Tonya’s family background was the key to helping her curb the problematic behavior in school. Her physical development coupled with the responsibilities she had at home required healthy food and supplement, which was not available for her because her mother had lupus, and her step-father was permanently disabled.

Children’s experiences within their families are especially important to their health” (McDevitt & Ormrod, 2010, p. 149). Tonya was not provided with essential dietary supplement which triggered her decision to steal food from her classmates. Moreover, although she was entitled to free lunches, she was not aware of this, and there was no adult who facilitated the process of availing this service. Tonya’s behavior severely disrupted the possibility of developing friendships. Her reputation made it difficult to gain the trust and respect of her peers.

However, the teacher’s intervention helped Tonya discern what was right and wrong. Tonya responded to the intervention positively, and changed tremendously. Because of the situation at home, Tonya lacked a role model and the constant guidance of the parents to help her maximize her potentials, both cognitively and socio-emotionally. The change in Tonya’s behavior and understanding of the consequences of her actions are good indicators of sound judgment and comprehension skills.

It is highly plausible that retention in Kindergarten may have been caused by socio-emotional problems, rather than cognitive difficulties. Drawing ideas from prominent educational theorists, Piaget, Vgotsky and Erickson, can be helpful to facilitate learning for Tonya, and hopefully accelerate her so she achieves the proper grade level for her age. Jean Piaget coined the term “concrete operational stage” for children ages seven to eleven years old.

At this stage, children have developed the concept of “conservation. ” “The child can think logically about very concrete objects, categories and principles” (Coon & Mitterer, 2010, p. 99). Thus, it is essential for the teacher to pay special attention to Tonya’s development of mathematical skills, and its relation to other subjects, such as science. Once she gains mastery, she will gain confidence as well in performing tasks, and this is essential for her to work towards reaching her expected levels.

Providing Tonya with hands-on experiences will further facilitate her learning. Judging from the circumstances that surround Tonya, it is highly challenging for her to successfully develop according to the developmental milestones. As explained by Vygotsky’s (1978) zone of proximal development (ZPD), “human learning presupposes a specific social nature and a process by which children grow into the intellectual life of those around them” (as cited in Slee, 2002, p. 209).

One of the contemporary proponents of ZPD, Wood (1988) further outlines the instructional options for mothers of children between four and five years old: “(i) general verbal encouragement; (ii) specific verbal instruction; (iii) assistance in choosing materials for a task; (iv) preparing materials for assembly in a task; (v) demonstration” (Ibid). With Tonya’s family background, maternal interaction has been limited, and from her early years, she has missed out on the developmental opportunities. Vygotsky’s (1978) ZPD highlights the role of the adult in facilitating the learning of children.

Compared to Piaget however, he approaches the development in a more qualitative, rather than quantitative perspective and is more liberal on the expected abilities of the children. It highlights the role of the adult, and in the case study, Tonya’s teacher to provide the guidance that she is not able to acquire in the home. Furthermore, it will require effort in integrating Tonya in the class considering her past behavior towards her classmates. Vygotsky’s (1978) theory emphasizes the role of adults and peers in the learning of the individual.

I consider it meaningful to highlight Erickson’s psychosocial theory because Tonya’s case is hinged on her socio-emotional experiences which have serious implications on her psychological state. At her age, the basic conflict as identified by Erickson is “industry versus inferiority” (Learning Theories Knowledgebase, 2010, October). School becomes more formalized, and children have to adjust to the new environment while meeting the demands in academics. Competence is achieved through successful attempts, while failure breeds feelings of inferiority.

An eight year old joining a first grade class sets the stage for inferiority, and the teacher must be proactive in creating measures to make Tonya feel competent. Encouraging words and positive reinforcement can help her gain confidence and advance academically. At this point, it is highly important to focus on building her confidence first, so she is able to take risks and work further towards building her competencies. The role of the teacher in assisting students like Tonya always stands out. The teacher becomes the architect who shapes the conditions that will benefit the students more.

Going back to the teacher’s narration in this case study, it may be observed that the intervention highly suggested by the principal violates the ethical standards set by the National Education Association. The principal’s suggestion of punishment which consisted of a month without recess not only puts the child in danger, but also becomes an additional cause for further disruptive behavior. The teacher though, may have violated the code as well by disclosing the decision of the principal in published material which has the possibility of causing harm to the principal’s profession.

However, the teacher made a wise decision about visiting the family, and examining the conditions before taking any action. Doing so allowed her to find better solutions without compromising the health of the student. It is hoped that the teacher did not give her real name so as not to compromise the school and the principal. Although the problem was resolved, there were still administrative matters that she hopefully handled properly, and exercising due confidentiality.