Child & Adolescent Development & Learning

Child & Adolescent Development & Learning

1. Theories/Theorists

   • Montessori
     • Similar development across cultures
     • Materials
       • Real-world connections
       • Teaching life skills
     • Sensitive periods
       • Order
       • Language
       • Movement
       • Details
       • Hands
       • Senses
   • Attachment theory
     • Affectionate bond with primary caregiver
     • Phase 1 (birth- 3mos)
       • Prefer mother
       • Recognize voices
       • Crying as distress
     • Phase 2 (3-6mos)
       • Selective babbling
     • Phase 3 (6mos-3yrs)
       • Separation anxiety
       • Moving away from caregiver
     • Phase 4 (3yrs+)
       • Accepting of distance
     • Specific vs multiple attachments
     • Doesn't apply to non-western societies
   • Piaget (Cognitive Developmental theory)
     • Stages
       • Sensorimotor (0-2yrs)
         • Learn through environment
         • Object permanence
         • Intentional actions
       • Preoperational (2-7yrs)
         • Language and symbols
         • Difficulty understanding other perspectives
       • Concrete operational (7-11yrs)
         • Logic
         • Understand past, present & future
       • Formal operational (11+)
         • Abstract thinking
         • Consider other perspectives
     • Learning through experience
     • Assimilation
     • Accommodation
   • Erikson (Psychoanalytic theory)
     • Psychosocial stages of development
   • Vygotsky (socio-cultural cognitive theory)
     • Child develops differently across cultures
     • Culture transmission
     • Zone of proximal development
       • Scaffolding
       • Challenge = cognitive growth
       • Observation to inform teaching
     • Private speech
       • Helps self-regulation
   • Relational Culture Theory
     • Growth through relationships
     • Mutual empathy
       • Core of growth fostering relationships
       • Everyone in relationship grows
     • Marginalization/oppression
       • Impacts relationship mutuality

2. Indigenous & non-western understandings

   • Differences in what is knowledge or science
     • Formal education vs familial knowledge
   • Beliefs and knowledge come from family
   • Generational trauma
     • Need for "culturally safe" schools
   • Medicine wheel
     • Wholistic health
     • Stages of life
       • 7 years per stage
       • Growth and learning
       • Early development supported by extended family
         • Role models
     • Development in
       • Body
       • Mind
       • Emotions
       • Spirit

3. Practicum experience (JK/SK class)

   • Frequent repetition
     • Multiple lessons on same topic
       • Tying new information to prior knowledge
       • Scaffolding
   • Self-regulation challenges
     • Interrupting
     • Turn-taking
     • Met by consistent reminders
       • Reinforcing positive behaviours
     • Exacerbated by online context
   • Importance of differentiated assessments
     • Wide range of skills and strengths
     • Open ended assessment tasks
   • Students from different cultures/religions
     • Different understandings
       • "Who is in your family?"
   • Classroom management
     • Informed by age/development

4. Impact on my teaching

   • Instructional strategies
     • Scaffolding
     • Differentiated instruction and assessment
       • Supports cognitive development
   • Understanding development as varying across cultures
     • Learning happens within various social contexts
   • Setting appropriate goals
     • Challenging but achievable
       • Growth mindset
   • Relationship building
     • Aids social-emotional development
     • Aids learning
   • Students develop at varying rates
   • Addressing implicit biases

5. Influences on development

   • Social class/SES
     • Access to resources
   • Gender
     • Gender roles/expectations
       • Stereotype threat
       • Reinforced in teaching materials
     • Physical differences
     • Gender identity
   • Culture
     • Ethnostress
     • Discrimination
     • Cultural practices

6. Other experiences

   • Educational assistant
     • Importance of accomodations
       • Knowing your students
     • Trust
   • Camp counsellor
   • Classroom volunteer