Child Development Theorists

Complete the Front of the worksheet Worksheet can be found on brown table under the bulletin board On the back, identify and explain the five areas of development.

Sigmund Freud (1856-1939) Findings & Ideas Significance Believed that personality develops through a series of stages Experiences in childhood profoundly affect adult life Significance Childhood is much more important than previously thought and its effects are longer lasting

Jean Piaget (1896-1980) Findings & Ideas Significance The first to study children scientifically Focused on how children learned Believed that children go through four stages of learning Significance Children must be given learning tasks appropriate to their level of development

Lev Vygotsky (1896-1934) Findings & Ideas Significance Wrote that biological development and cultural experience influence children’s ability to learn Social contact is essential to intellectual development Significance Children should be given the opportunity for frequent social interaction

Eric Ericson (1902-1994) Findings & Ideas Significance Like Freud, said that personality develops in stages Thought that each stage includes a unique psychological crisis If that crisis is met in a positive way, the individual develops normally Significance Parents and caregivers must be aware of, and sensitive to, children’s needs at each stage of development and support them through crises.

B.F. Skinner (1904-1990) Findings & Ideas Significance Argued that when a child’s have positive results, they will be repeated. Negative results will make the actions stop Significance Parents and other caregivers can affect a child’s behavior through the use of negative and positive feedback

Urie Bronfenbrenner (1917-2005) Findings & Ideas Outlined layers of environment that affect a child’s development, such as the child’s own biology, family/community environment, and society. Significance Child’s primary relationship with a caregiver needs to be stable, loving and lasting

Albert Bandura (b. 1925) Findings & Ideas Significance Said that children learn by imitating others Disagreed with Skinner. Pointed out that although the environment shapes behavior, behavior also affects environment Significance Caregivers must provide good examples for children to follow

Educational Video

What are the four observation records?

Why observe children? Offers you the chance to see children as individuals Meeting the challenges of development in their own way & in their own time See a child’s personality Adapt activities to a child’s needs Identify children who may have disabilities or require extra care Research – early intervention – do better over the long term Feedback

How to Observe Young Children Knowing what to observe & how to analyze it Observing – more than just watching Written record – analyze Separate fact (objective (seen & heard)) from opinion (subjective) Assumption – fact taken for granted You think you know, but do you really?? Do not make judgments Smiling does not mean happy

Observations What down what you see when you see it Wait – forget Write down: Date, time, # of children, # of adults, names and ages Wait down exact ages 2 year old (is she 2 years and 1 month, 2 years and 10 months = BIG difference)

Running Record Record of everything for a set period of time Useful Just getting to know the child/children Concentrating on a certain type of development/area

Anecdotal Record Report of a child’s actions that concentrates on a specific behavior or area of development Ex: adjustment to a new child care center. Every morning (two weeks) the observer could record how a child behaves upon arriving at the center

Frequency Count A tally of how often a certain behavior occurs Useful: when trying to change unwanted behavior First – observer find a baseline – a count made before any steps are taken to try to change behavior After attempts to change behavior – additional frequency counts – is it working?

Developmental Checklists List of skills children should master or behaviors they should exhibit at a certain age

When observing Must keep everything CONFIDENTIAL – protection of another person’s privacy by limiting access to personal information