Childrens cognitive development: social emotional newborn to preschool

Childrens cognitive development: social emotional newborn to preschool Each year myriads of children enter kindergarten or preschool unprepared cognitively. Lack of cognitive development and school readiness is a start on the wrong foot. The fact remains, todays children will be tomorrows leader, parents, workers, and citizens. It is for this reason we should encourage their cognitive development. The issue of child development has raised an assortment of theories over time and cultures to aid the process of child care and parenting. Western cultural views on this subject have been influenced by the ideas of several theorists. Child development is a complex topic as it an intricate mixture of entwined systems and mechanisms occurring in the external environment. This theoretical paper explores key aspects and issues of childrens development in a socio- emotional framework. It will focus on social and emotional development in individuals from birth to school age. Furthermore, it will analyse current research challenges in the area of cognitive development in this group and seek to address the primary criteria is for children to develop successfully. It would be apt to discuss the views of theorists in social and emotional development and additionally include the effect of nature and nurture on the childrens development. This paper will show every theory gives differing developmental views. However, one thing is certain the agreement, of all, that the external, societal environment has a key effect on child development. In conclusion, it will offer recommendations in implementing policies and initiatives to social/emotional development. What is Child Development? Child development is the biological and psychological changes that occur in human beings between birth and the end of adolescence (Oates 1994). Mishra (2009) adds that it is multi-faceted, integral and continual processà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦in which children become able to handle ever more complex levels of moving, thinking, feeling and relating to others. All forms of a childs development occur when it interacts with its environment, family and society as a whole. Child development can therefore be described as the study dedicated to understanding every facet of human progression from birth to adolescence. These views show child development is a multi- disciplinary field. Kail (2006) describes the developmental stages of children as newborn (birth 1month), infant (1month-1yr), toddler (1-3yrs), pre-schooler (4-6yrs), school-aged child (6-13years), and adolescents (13yrs 20yrs). He further asserts that child development is essential to society thus importance was to be given to their social, cognitive, emotional and educational development. Core aspects of Child Development Child development occurs differently from one child to the other this is because developmental milestones are not the same for the various aspects development. (Waller 2009) acknowledged the uniqueness in each child and that there was no such thing as normal development. In the main, aside from physical development, Woodhead and Montgomery (2003) the core aspects of development as cognitive, speech and language, social and emotional, fine motor skills and gross motor skills. In reality the core aspects overlap so all areas of development are strengthened and enhanced by growth in others. Cognitive Development and Theories Cognitive (Intellectual) development is the acquisition of skills in childhood to adapt with the world around them. It plays a major role in a childs ability to think critically. These processes comprise of understanding reasoning, thinking, problem solving, learning, conceptualizing, classifying and remembering (Schaffer 2006). This assignment cannot conceivably cover all the work done on cognition in children. Dozens of child development theories exist but four exponents have contributed valued insights in this field. Each takes their cognitive development theories from a different angle. Jean Piaget expounds knowledge acquisition is an interplay between children and their environment. He gives four stages for cognitive evolution. Piaget noted that each stage of cognitive development was qualitatively different from the previous and the next. Piagets stages of cognitive development were; Sensorimotor (birth 2yrs), Preoperational (2 7yrs), Concrete operations (7 11yrs) and Formal operations (11 years on). Periods were based on approximation. Initially, Children were seen as little adults but Jean Piaget showed that childrens thinking capacities did not gradually improve with maturity but rather went through transformations in logical competency, passing through a sequence of stages in development. This explains why a four month old baby learning to explore his environment kicks his feet to move a mobile suspended above his crib. Other theorists, like Vygotsky, Erikson, and Gesell contend that Piagets early theories are flawed or incomplete. Vygotskys underlying theoretical framework argued that social interaction played key part in cognition development. He states every function in the child cultural development appears twice: first on the social level, and later on the individualà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.. This applies equally to voluntary attention, to logical memory and the formation of ideas (Vygotsky 1978). Gesell argued that cognitive development has a timetable which is decided by genetics. He, like Piaget, deemphasizes the individual differences in children and he stresses the significance of maturation. He believed that skills and abilities appeared in a predictable order and that because children were subject to preordained developmental forces their behaviours were not accidental. He offered four areas of behavioural development; motor, language, adaptive and personal-social. Erikson like Gesell was more interested in the emotional aspect of child development. He thought of development in terms of stages as well but his theory differs from Piagets in that the accent was on the individual differences in children. Social and Emotional Development Sroufe (1996) gave a definition of emotion as a subjective reaction to a salient event, characterised by physiological experiential and overt behavioural change. Emotions are an innate part our nature gain as a hereditary trait. Cognitive and emotional development are usually seen as disconnect processes. Bell Wolfe (2004) showed both behaviours and developments to be link; acting on each other to process ideas, information and action. Eriksons theory on Psychosocial Development Eriksons psychosocial development is possibly the best known theory in psychology. Like Freud, Erikson believed that personality developed in a succession of stages. But his theory differed from Freuds on two counts. Firstly Erikson stated that children were active and enquiring explorers who sought to adapt to their environment, other than a reactive or passive slave to the genetics of their parents. Erikson held that in every stage of life individuals must negotiate social realities to adapt effectively and show a normal development pattern. With social interaction our Ego Identity develops. According to Erikson the ego identity regularly changes as a result of new information gained daily by our day to day interaction with others. Secondly, Erikson placed lesser accent on sexual tendencies than Freud psychosexual theory. He places more accents on cultural influences and explains the impact of social experiences over an individuals lifetime. Erikson held the view that a sense of competency motivated actions and behaviours but managing a crisis inadequately made the individual feel a failure. For Erikson development was a life-long process and his eight stages of man theory confirms this proposing that development of man began at birth and ended with old age and death. Greene (2008) adds that each developmental stage was a new plateau for developing mastery within the context of social factors. As mentioned earlier the socialization process had eight psychosocial stages (crises) during an individuals lifetime. All crises need to be resolved successfully to work towards an acceptable resolve in the next crises. Erikson viewed these conflicts as areas of developing or failing in psychological quality. In all crises there is an equal potential for success or failure in personal growth. His eight stages of psychosocial development are, in order, Trust verses Mistrust, Autonomy versus Shame and Doubt, Initiative versus Guilt, Industry versus Inferiority, Identity versus Confusion, Intimacy versus Isolation, Generativity versus Stagnation, and finally Integrity versus Despair. This final crisis appears in the aged and focuses on reflection of life. In who are unsuccessful at this stage will feel that life has been wasted and experience pain and regret leading to bitterness and despair. On the other hand, individuals who are proud of their accomplishments feel a sense of integrity. A successful completion means satisfaction with few regrets, if any. Such individuals, Erikson claims, will achieve wisdom even on confrontation with death. Challenges to Eriksons theory on Development Eriksons psychosocial theory is still held in high regard widely but there are critics, as with all concepts and models that challenge his ideas. His model is made up of stages. This brings in the idea of discontinuity which stresses that development happens in a succession of sudden changes that develop into changes. Continuity theorists disagree, arguing that individuals developed in smaller stages with no sudden change. For example language development and physical growth are a gradual, smooth continuous growth. Erikson didnt accept defeat in this argument. He suggested that early stage experiences had a bearing with later stage experiences subsequently they were connected in a manner to show continuity. For some his theory is seen as too generalised. Stevens (1983) suggests his theory lacks rigour. In his theory behaviours and mechanisms cannot be easily identified as the often appear unclear. Also being challenged are the overlapping stages. Yet, it may have been a true reflection of its nature as opposed to being inadequate. Erikson, himself, affirms that his theory was based on clinical studies and that all walks of people gave him access to their life experiences. He does accept that due to this his theory could be culture or class driven. He sought to rectify his assertion through his study of anthropology where he compared and debated the life cycles of different societies. Erikson conceptualization of identity was based on the modern western society only. This paved the way for the possible criticism of cultural bias. Nature versus Nurture Influence The nature verses nurture debate is a controversial issue that surrounds cognition. The question arises as to which influences development and whether the influence of genetics and the environment can be separated. Not easily. It may be safe to assume that genetic and the environment balance an individuals trait and behavior. Neither one influences on its own as without one the other is not triggered. Genes have an effect on personality and behavior nonetheless the environment transforms and shapes the reaction of people. This debate will stay ongoing as accurately pinpointing where either gene or environment step in is nigh on impossible. John Locke (1693) disagreed with the view that infants were miniature adults who were born fully equipped with abilities and knowledge. He further introduced the concept of tabula rasa (blank slate) as a description of a newborn babys mind. Children to him were born neither good nor sinful but ready to be formed by their education and experiences. The arrival of the 20th century brought in new ideas from behaviourists who asserted that early training of children turned them into any type of adult irrespective of genes. It is apt to then to look at other features like the cultural background of the child, timing of experiences and ecological factors. They saw the time of an experience occurred would have a significant influence on a childs development. Conclusion Eriksons model recognises the massive role the social environment plays in shaping a childs sense of self. His theory, as we have seen, was based on the premise that individuals interact with countless people, starting with mother and ending with society as a whole. His life cycle stages offers a glimpse into the various stages of babies infants, pre-schoolers etc. It can be seen that successful socio-emotional and cognitive development can bring about behaviours that assist in cognitive development in children. The environment has to be physically and cognitively stimulating to offer fresh concepts while the familiarity is maintained. Such environments should let the child see and be a part of society so that societal norms can be experienced. We have seen that the great theorists are all in agreement that society plays a major part in childrens development. It is becomes apparent as we see that if children are to develop successfully they must confidently understand the mechanisms and works of their own society. This is so that they can adjust or adapt their behaviour to fit in the society. The paper shows that all developmental aspects are closely interrelated. So, the criterion required for successful cognitive and emotional development resides in an environment which lets the child develop and achieve their needs whilst allowing them to learn about their society. We found that emotional development requires thinking to interpret the various situations, understand peoples reactions, so that behaviours and responses are moulded accordingly. The pressures of present society, family and relationships plus the zest for personal development and fulfilment make Eriksons theory very pertinent. His theory is amongst other reasons useful for self-awareness, teaching, coaching managing, applying to conflict resolution and perhaps most important of all parenting.

Microserfs

In Microserfs Douglas Coupland attempts to analyze the lives of people whose work is closely associated with most advanced machines that have yet been made: computers. The title of the novel Microserfs introduces the two main ideas of the novel: it is a play on the dominant force within the computer industry (Microsoft) and the word serfs, which refers to the semi-slave groups who existed within feudal societies in medieval times. Coupland suggests that the people who work for companies like Microsoft are essentially a king of voluntary serf. The characters within this novel want to be machine-like for a number of reasons. First, that seems to be the characteristic which has enabled Bill Gates (the founder and CEO of Microsoft) to rise to the top of the industry. While they apparently hate their jobs at Microsoft, leading to their leaving them and attempting to set up their own company, they also greatly admire the machine-like quality that Gates brings to his work.   Secondly, a machine is totally involved with what it is doing – it has no distractions that will take it away from the task at hand. Third, there is the beautiful logic of software code which contrasts with the often chaotic nature of their personal and professional lives. In Microserfs the great spur for activity is the search to be â€Å"One-Point-Oh†, that is â€Å"to be the first to do the first version of something†(Coupland, 1995). Computer software is normally identified according to which version of the program it is, so to be â€Å"one-point-oh† (1.0) is to be the best. There is a machine like logic to this idea which is of course not really based upon reality: normally the first version of any program is crude and ineffective compared to later versions which are more sophisticated and have been adapted according to the real-world experience of the software being used. In many ways the main characters of the novel such as Daniel, Susan and Todd are removed from the real world to the extent that they need to employ someone from that world to be their â€Å"reality-check†, that person being Daniel’s mother. The characters are obviously satirical in nature, and are taken to such an extreme that they almost seem like people who inhabit a video game. Take for example Michael, who is a brilliant but awkward programmer who leaves Microsoft to start his own company, and decides to adopt a â€Å"Flatlander diet† (Coupland, 1995). This involves only eating â€Å"two-dimensional food† (Coupland, 1995) which means food that can be slid under his door, He has a screen name of â€Å"Kraft Singles† (Coupland, 1995), an ironic comment upon his peculiar diet. Michael is just one example of the tendency to take matters to an extreme among the characters. Todd is not just a body-builder, but an obsessive body-builder. Bug is not only experienced, older and a little more cynical than his younger fellow workers, he calls himself â€Å"the World’s Bitterest Man† (Coupland, 1995). All of these characterizations make the people who inhabit the novel seem essentially machine-like: they are one/two dimensional, relentless in their pursuit of an end and often limited in outlook.   A software program is designed to do one thing extremely well, but nothing else. In the same way the characters attempt to do one thing, or be one thing, extremely well. The constant conflict between the need for a pure existence as a designer, body-builder, bitterest man etc. comes up against the natural human tendency to diversify and to be multi-faceted. While Microserfs was written before the massive explosion in Internet usage, the manner in which people are now essentially locked to their computers:- constantly checking e-mail even in the most remote locations – is a natural development of the kind of process that Coupland sees in this novel. The ongoing discussion between machine and human being, something which is reflected within Coupland’s novels, continues unabated. In conclusion, the characters of Microserfs seek to be machine like because they see this as a route to success. Their â€Å"king†, Bill Gates, who they leave, is nevertheless an icon to be aimed at. He seems more like a machine than a human being according to Coupland, and has all the strengths and weaknesses that are associated with this identity. The characters of this novel, wonderfully funny, but often very sad at the same time, reflect this search to be the perfect human machine.   The fact is that they seem to lose their humanity along the way. Works Cited Coupland, Doug

Prison and Finn

Book Review on: Incarceron Author: Catherine Fisher Number of pages: 442 Publisher/Year: Dial Books 2010 Imagine a living prison so vast that it contains forests, towns, and even seas. This is Incarceron. It is a self- sustaining prison like no other. Incarceron’s prisoners live in cities, not cells, and they live normal lives. The prison has been sealed for centuries and only one man, in legend, has ever escaped. The story starts with Finn, a seventeen year old, who is convinced he doesn’t belong in Incarceron.This is because he has dreams where he sees stars, and there are no stars in Incarceron. He thinks he came from the outside and got stuck there somehow. The story tells that Finn is part of a tribe with his oath brother, Keiro. They just caught a prisoner who turns out to be a Maestra, or leader, of another tribe so they trade her back to them for her weight in goods like coins and treasures. Finn finds a strange key in the treasures and decides to keep it. The o ther â€Å"key† part of this book is a character named Claudia who is the warden of Incarceron’s daughter.She sneaks into her father’s study and finds a key in one of the drawers of his desk. She quickly takes it and goes to her teacher, Jared. He says that he has never anything like it and that he will have to do research to see what it does. That is when the story really takes off because Finn decides he has to find a way out of Incarceron and Keiro, Attia, a prison girl who lives on the street and a prophet who always wanted to see stars and the outside named Gildas follow him. Finn then began to fiddle with the key and it started to glow. Claudia pops up out of nowhere as a holographic image because she also had a key.She tells them that she wants to help them escape and their journey soon comes to an end near the edge of Incarceron, the wall. Claudia goes back to her father’s study to search for clues. She sits down in the chair in the middle of the room and is instantly transported to Incarceron. She had no idea what was going on but she soon found Finn and the others. Her father couldn’t stand that she was in there so he told them how to get outside. He said that the keys are actually transporters so that when you press the eye of the eagle on the keys you teleported out.The dilemma was that there were only two keys and five of them. After a lot of fighting Finn and Claudia promise to return for the rest of them and they left. We later find out that the prison is actually inside the watch that the warden carries around with him. All in all, I truly believe that this is an awesome book. The way that the author melds two story lines into one plot amazes me and I had a great time reading this story I would recommend Incarceron to anyone that likes fantasy books with twists. I can’t wait to start reading the second one. Reviewed by: Andrew Caldwell ***** English IV Period 4

What Attracts Bedbugs to Human Environments

Once considered a pest of the past, bedbugs now make regular headlines as they infest homes, hotels, and dormitories worldwide. As bedbugs spread, more people worry about them and want to know what causes a bedbug infestation. Though it might seem as if bedbug infestations are on the rise, historical context indicates that bedbugs and other bloodsucking parasites have been associated with humans for thousands of years. Throughout that history, people have endured them feeding on their blood. Bedbugs all but disappeared when people started using DDT and other pesticides to keep insects out of their homes. Although news headlines suggest bedbugs are conquering the world, the reality is that bedbug infestations are still at historically low numbers. Why are they called bedbugs? Once they settle into your home, they congregate where you spend a lot of sedentary time: chairs, couches, and especially beds. They are attracted to you by the carbon dioxide in the air you breathe out, and you do a lot of breathing over the hours youre in bed. Then they feed on your blood. Bedbugs Dont Care If Youre Clean or Dirty Contrary to popular belief, there is no association between bedbugs and filth. They feed on human and animal blood, and as  long as a source of blood is available to them, they will happily take up residence in even the most pristine home. Being poor doesnt put you at greater risk for bedbugs, and having wealth doesnt immunize you from a bedbug infestation. Although poverty doesnt cause  bedbugs, impoverished communities may lack the resources needed to control infestations, making them more persistent and pervasive in such areas. Bedbugs Are Excellent Hitchhikers For bedbugs to infest your home, they have to hitch a ride on someone or something. They dont usually stay on their human hosts after feeding, but they might hide in clothing and inadvertently go along for the ride to a new location. Most often, bedbugs travel in luggage after someone has stayed in an infested hotel room. Bedbugs may even infest theaters and other public spaces and spread to new locations via purses, backpacks, coats, or hats. Bedbugs Go Where the Action Is Since bedbugs travel by hitchhiking,  infestations are more common in places with high rates of turnover in the human population: apartment buildings, dormitories, homeless shelters, hotels and motels, and military barracks. Any time you have a lot of people coming and going, theres an increased risk that someone will carry a few bedbugs into the building. In general, owners of single-family homes have a lower risk of getting bedbugs. Bedbugs Hide in Clutter Once in your home, bedbugs scurry quickly to select a new hiding place; in beds and other furniture, behind baseboards, under wallpaper, or inside switch plates. Then its just a matter of time before they begin multiplying. A single female may arrive at your doorstep already carrying enough eggs to produce hundreds of offspring. While filth does not benefit bedbugs, clutter does. The more cluttered your home is, the more hiding places there are for bedbugs and the harder it will be to get rid of them.