Child Growth and Development

Module 2: Child Development Theories

Welcome to the Florida Department of

Children and Families Course:

Let’s reacquaint ourselves!

Choose two different color

M&M’s…Tell us TWO things about yourself, based on the

colors you chose.

Review… module 1Basic Principles & Concepts, Brain Development,

and Implications for LearningGROWTH Similarities :Growth is defined as

specific body changes and increases in the

child’s size.

Growth begins from the HEAD, to the

center of the BODY, and outward.

Children DIFFER in growth…taller…

shorter… smaller…

largerA child’s growth is supported by good

NUTRITIAN, adequate SLEEP, & regular

EXERCISE.Children will experience

weeks or months of slightly slower growth followed by GROWTH

SPURTS.

…and it’s all NORMAL!

Development Principles:

#1-Relatively the same for all children, in a typical sequence.#2-Proceeds from general to

specific.#3-It’s continuous; one phase to

the next.#4-Proceeds at different rates.

#5-All areas of development are interrelated.

Brain DevelopmentSurroundings

Interactions

with other people

Brain Development & Readiness for

Learning

Achievement of

Development Milestones

Simple Complexitie

s

More Complex

tied

Developmental Delay

Developmental Disability

What is the difference?

…occurs when a child acquires skills and/or learns at a slower pace than

typical children the same age.

…is a chronic condition that is diagnosed in

childhood and substantially limits

major life activities in adulthood.

Americans with

Disabilities Act (ADA)

Individuals with

Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)

To summarize: Children follow the same growth and developmental sequence. The rate of a child’s growth and development may progress differently. A child’s readiness for learning and the achievement of developmental

milestones are directly tied to interactions with other people and the child’s surroundings.

It is likely that the child care professional will spend more time with a child than their parents. Knowledge of child development is essential to identify possible delays and/or disabilities. Classroom observations can assist the parents get the early intervention the child may need.

Question…

Set of facts or principles analyzed in relation to

one another…

…and used to explain a phenomena.

What is a…

Module 2

Make a Statement!

Pay close attention!

Each of you must come up with a statement at the end of module 2, that each of the theorists

would say about their own theories. No two statements can be alike!

“Father of Humanistic Psychology”: Humans are more than the sum of their parts.

M

Level 1 Physical

Level 2Comfort & Safety

Level 3SocialLevel 4

Self-Esteem

Level 5

Hierarchy of HUMAN Needs: 5

Self-Actualizing

EE

“Doubt” is the

brother of “Shame”.

DEVELOPMENTAL Psychologist: 8 Emotional CONFLICTS to be “resolved”.

Play is the answer to how anything new

comes about.

4 Stages of Cognitive Development

Theory of COGNITIVE Structures: 4 Basic Stages

Through

others, we

become ourselv

es.

SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT Theory: Zone of Proximal DevelopmentA child develops in the context of a culture; COLLABORATION with adults and/or peers.

Let’s hear your statement!

To Summarize:Maslow, Erikson, Piaget, and Vygotsky:

all have theories about how children learn and grow.Maslow: Hierarchy of five sets of needs must be met for

optimum development.Erikson: Children and adults have to resolve eight conflicts to

grow into a strong social and emotional life.Piaget: Children move through four stages and build on to

maximize their cognitive development.Vygotsky: For cognitive development, children learn through

social and cultural interactions.