1. Child Development Theorists

2. 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.

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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.

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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

10. Educational Video

11. What are the four observation records?

12. 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

13. 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

14. 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)

15. 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

17. 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

19. 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?

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

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