Carrie Simpson September 2013 My current classroom…

Physical Growth & Development

Goals  Developmental framework  Teaching practices  Inspire thoughtful observations, questioning, and research

Physical Growth Look at norms, patterns, developmental sequences…and individual nature of growth.

Many Factors Affect Growth & Development Heredity Race/Ethnicity/Culture Health/Nutrition Gender Emotions and emotional climate SES

Birth to Age 2 Dramatic, rapid growth Half our adult height (2 yrs.) 4 times our birth weight (2 yrs.)

Brain Growth Spurt (3rd prenatal month until age 2 or 3) At birth: 25% of adult brain weight At 2 or 3 years: 75% of adult brain weight

Age 2 - Puberty Slow, steady growth Gain 2-3 in./ 5-7 lbs. per year Gain muscle mass and strength Lose baby fat 6 years - teeth!!

Adolescent Growth Spurt 2-3 years long 2-4 in./ lbs. per year Girls begin 2-3 yrs. earlier (age 10/11 vs. age 12/13)

Growth Patterns Cephalocaudally (from the head toward the tail) Proximodistally (from the center toward the extremities)

Brain myelinization (P) Muscular growth (C/P) Skeletal growth (P) Body proportions (C)

How does sensory processing affect school life and learning? How does motor development affect school life and learning?

Motor development & sensory processing affect… Comfort in body Social interactions Participation in learning Self-esteem / self-identity Energy level / attention span

Gross Motor Development: gaining control over the body’s large muscles for coordinated, effective movement Children gain and refine skills as they grow physically larger and gain strength, speed, and coordination.

Over time children are… Smoother and more graceful More efficient and precise Stronger and faster More agile More balanced More confident More adventurous Better able to estimate abilities

Fine Motor Development Coordination of eyes and fingers to work accurately and quickly to create & construct Requires core stability & gross motor control to move body, arms, and hands together smoothly

Fine Motor Development 1 yr.: pincer grip; “hit or miss” 4-5 yrs.: fine motor growth spurt (lots of practice in school!) yrs.: manipulative skills like adults; faster reaction time

Graphomotor Development Coordination of small muscles at the end of fingers to form letters while writing (rapid motor sequencing) Requires core stability & gross motor control to move body, arm, and hand together smoothly

Sensory Integration Definition: The involuntary process by which the brain assembles a picture of our environment at each moment using information from all our senses Sensory seeking Sensory avoidant

Supporting Children Educated observations Thoughtful questions Effective support plans “In order to be treated fairly and equally, children have to be treated differently.” (Melvin Konner, Childhood: A Multicultural View)