Cognitive Development

Cognitive Development

Cognitive development is one of the domains characterizing childhood development. Cognition encompasses skills linked to how a child learns and processes information, solves problems, and remembers information. There are numerous milestones of cognitive development that children display across different age groups. According to Piaget’s theory of cognitive development, little changes occur to children’s cognition system as they learn and experience changes, giving them the ability to adapt (Bullard, 2014). The theory also highlights that learning occurs in stages that are broken down based on a child’s development. This theory has taught me that children learn and grow at their own pace; thus, an educator needs to understand cognition as it enables them to plan lessons accordingly.

As an educator, it is vital to understand that age and brain development occurs in different stages. Similarly, the educator should use a child’s age to identify the gap between what a child can do on their own and what they can understand with assistance from an educator (Wadlington and Wadlington, 2012). For example, with proper guidance, a child that is in the second grade who has a basic understanding of addiction can be directed by the teacher to understand basic subtraction since it is within their proximal development. However, it would be challenging for them to comprehend algebra since it’s out of their proximal development. As an educator, my knowledge of behavioral development theory is vital in developing learning processes that are aimed at enabling a child to learn effectively. Therefore, I will employ classical and operant conditioning during learning to shape a child’s experiences and behavior (Doherty & Hughes, 2014). For example, within the classroom, I will create stations whereby a child can visit and make discoveries that will enhance their interest in the subject matter.

Socio-Emotional Development

Socio-emotional development is characterized by children in a variety of behavior, including a child wanting to please their peers, increased interest in engaging in activities such as dancing or singing and displaying demanding behavior or cooperation. According to Ann Miles Gordon & Kathryn Williams Browne (2017), since no behavior exists within a vacuum, the teacher needs to develop a safe, caring, cooperative, and inclusive social space and physical environment for the students. For example, a child is unable to sit in class during circle time, leading them to wiggle around. Thus, the teacher can make their experience easier during circle time by providing squares so that they can wiggle without inconveniencing the other children.

According to Doherty & Hughes (2014), play promotes early brain development, improving a child’s social skills while also creating the appropriate context to enable learning. An early childhood educator can introduce free and guided play within the classroom to foster socio-emotional development in several ways. First, the educator can introduce guided to foster the learning of vocabulary whereby children can engage in a shared book reading, followed by a guided play in which the educator oversees directed learning activities to emphasize vocabulary words. Secondly, guided play fosters socio-emotional development since children can acquire the skills necessary to function among their peers. For example, a child with low language competencies can learn how to share with others, compromise for others, and sympathize with peers.

A child exhibiting a bully-type personality can display the following behaviors; disrupting other children, being impulsive and doing whatever they want, and being negative toward peers’ behavioral challenges. As a childhood educator, I would encourage good behavior by remaining consistent with rules that ensure the child follows class rules without exception. I would create a welcoming and warm learning environment by using positive verbal and body language when addressing the child (Wardle, 2011).

Physical Development

Physical development is characterized by motor skills that feature muscle utilization, harmonization, growth, and movement. In this exercise, I will monitor a twelve-month-old infant’s physical developmental milestones. Tom is struggling with physical development issues. There are several developmental milestones that children within his age group are expected to meet. The strategy that I will take to monitor his physical development includes; encouraging him to explore the child-sized chair, sit on the child-sized chair as I sing to him, move the child-sized chair back and forth as I hold him, and lastly, encourage him to stand momentarily without support to monitor his progress (Groark et al., 2014). The physical development goals of the exercise are to monitor whether he can pull himself into a standing position, walk while holding onto a child-sized chair and stand while supporting himself on a child-sized chair.

Conclusion

Socio-emotional development is characterized by children in a variety of behavior, including the need to please peers, an increased interest in engaging in social activities, and a display of demanding behavior or cooperation. Similarly, cognition encompasses skills linked to how a child learns and processes information, solves problems, reasons, and remembers information, whereas physical development is characterized by motor skills that feature the utilization, harmonization, growth, and movement of muscles. These three developmental domains are used to characterize typical human development, enabling caregivers to gain insight into how children grow and advance across the developmental domains (Wardle, 2011). Caregivers must know about these developmental domains across specific age ranges to facilitate optimal development of the child by offering appropriate support and direction that will positively impact the child’s physical skills, social skills, and academic competency. 

References

Ann Miles Gordon, & Kathryn Williams Browne. (2017). Beginnings & Beyond : Foundations in Early Childhood Education. Cengage Learning.

Bullard, J. (2014). Creating environments for learning : birth to age eight. Pearson.

Doherty, J., & Hughes, M. (2014). Child development : theory and practice 0-11 (2nd ed.). Pearson Education Limited.

Groark, C. J., McCarthy, S. K., & Kirk, A. R. (2014). Early child development: From theory to practice. Bridgepoint Education.

Wadlington, E., & Wadlington, P. (2012). Teacher dispositions: Implications for teacher education. Childhood Education, 87(5) p. 323-326. doi: 10.1080/00094056.2011.10523206

Wardle, F. (2011). Creating indoor environments for young children (Links to an external site.). Retrieved from http://www.communityplaythings.com/resources/articles/2011/creating-indoor-environments-for-young-children