What does this mean?:the vocation and work of the child

Terri Martinson Elton

What is the work of humans? What is the work of childhood? What is the calling/vocation of childhood? What is the work of adolescence? What is the calling/vocation of

adolescence? What is the work of adulthood? What is the calling/vocation of adulthood? What is the work of family? What is the calling/vocation of families?

THE WORK OF CHILDHOOD

Child development refers to the biological and psychological changes that occur in human beings between birth and the end of adolescence, as the individual progresses from dependency to increasing autonomy.

What develops?

Physical Growth/Motor Development Cognitive/Intellectual Development Social – Emotional development Language – Speech Spiritual Development

Jean Piaget (1896-1980)

There are two major aspects to his theory: the process of coming to know and

the stages we move through as we gradually acquire this ability.

4 stages of cognitive development Sensorimotor stage (Infancy). In this period (which has 6

stages), intelligence is demonstrated through motor activity without the use of symbols. Knowledge of the world is limited (but developing) because its based on physical interactions / experiences. Children acquire object permanence at about 7 months of age (memory). Physical development (mobility) allows the child to begin developing new intellectual abilities. Some symbollic (language) abilities are developed at the end of this stage.

Pre-operational stage (Toddler and Early Childhood). In this period (which has two substages), intelligence is demonstrated through the use of symbols, language use matures, and memory and imagination are developed, but thinking is done in a nonlogical, nonreversable manner. Egocentric thinking predominates

http://www.edpsycinteractive.org/topics/cogsys/piaget.html

4 stages of cognitive development cont.

Concrete operational stage (Elementary and early adolescence). In this stage (characterized by 7 types of conservation: number, length, liquid, mass, weight, area, volume), intelligence is demonstrated through logical and systematic manipulation of symbols related to concrete objects. Operational thinking develops (mental actions that are reversible). Egocentric thought diminishes.

Formal operational stage (Adolescence and adulthood). In this stage, intelligence is demonstrated through the logical use of symbols related to abstract concepts. Early in the period there is a return to egocentric thought. Only 35% of high school graduates in industrialized countries obtain formal operations; many people do not think formally during adulthood.

http://www.edpsycinteractive.org/topics/cogsys/piaget.html

ERIK ERICKSON - 1902-1994Erikson said that humans develop

throughout their life span (while Freud said that our personality is shaped by the age of five). Erikson developed eight psychosocial stages that humans encounter throughout their life.

The stages are: Trust vs. MistrustAutonomy vs. Shame & DoubtInitiative vs. GuiltIndustry vs. Inferiority

Search Institute40 Developmental Assets® for Children Grades K–3 (ages

5-9)

External AssetsSupport

EmpowermentBoundaries & Expectations

Constructive Use of Time

Internal AssetsCommitment to LearningPositive ValuesSocial CompetenciesPositive Identity

Search Institute® has identified the following building blocks of healthy development—known as

Developmental Assets®that help young people grow up healthy, caring, and

responsible.

Search Institute – External Assets

Support 1. Family Support 2. Positive Family

Communication 3. Other Adult Relationships 4. Caring Neighborhood 5. Caring School Climate 6. Parent Involvement in

SchoolingEmpowerment 7. Community Values

Children 8. Children as Resources 9. Service to Others 10. Safety

Boundaries & Expectations 11. Family Boundaries 12. School Boundaries 13. Neighborhood

Boundaries 14. Adult Role Models 15. Positive Peer

Influence 16. High ExpectationsConstructive Use of Time 17. Creative Activities 18. Child Programs 19. Religious Community 20. Time at Home

Search Institute – Internal Assets

Commitment to Learning 21. Achievement

Motivation 22. Learning Engagement 23. Homework 24. Bonding to School 25. Reading for Pleasure

Positive Values 26. Caring 27. Equality and Social

Justice 28. Integrity 29. Honesty 30. Responsibility 31. Self-Regulation

Social Competencies 32. Planning and Decision

Making 33. Interpersonal Competence 34. Cultural Competence 35. Resistance Skills 36. Peaceful Conflict

Resolution Positive Identity 37. Personal Power 38. Self-Esteem 39. Sense of Purpose 40. Positive View of Personal

Future

Copyright © 2009 by Search Institute, 800-888-7828; www.search-institute.org. All rights reserved.

THE WORK OF ADOLESCENCE

Three phases -Early (10-14) – middle (15-16) - and late (17-21)

The Work Physical/sexuality/body image Moral/ethical Cognitive/Intellectual Self-concept/Autonomy/Move toward

independence Psychological and emotional Relational/individual and in community

Major Questions Who am I? (sexuality, social roles, identity) Am I normal? (do I fit in?) Am I competent? (am I good at something that is

valued by others?) Am I loveable and loving? (can someone outside my

family love me?)OR Who am I? (identity) – given not found! It’s a God-thing Do I matter? (autonomy – achieving) – giftedness -

vocation How do I relate to others? (reconnecting) – baptized

community – network of relationship, rooted in the Triune God.

What is the critical work of Young Adulthood?

The central work is not a task or circumstances… ”Rather, the promise and vulnerability of young adulthood lie in the experience of the birth of critical awareness and the dissolution and recomposition of the meaning of self, other, world, and ‘God.’” Parks, Big Questions, Worthy Dreams, 5

Whether this work is done, or not, has consequences for the adult years ahead. Hence…young adulthood is the time for “asking big questions and discovering worthy dreams.” Parks, Big Questions, Worthy Dreams, 5

Young adulthood

Without special attention to young adulthood, these adult visions will be shaped in a vacuum without guidance of larger societal institutions and/or will be overly influenced by the particular aspects of the culture that are paying attention to young adults.

“young adulthood is the birthplace of adult vision”

Parks, Big Questions, Worthy Dreams, 8

WHAT DOES FAITH HAVE TO DO WITH HUMAN DEVELOPMENT?

What does the Bible say?

Recent scholarship – Biblical studies and childhood

Guiding Questions:What terms are used to refer to

children/child?Nature/status of children in biblical texts?Adult responsibilities regarding children.Adult/child relationships, education and

formation.Children and their responsibilitiesBroader Findings

The Child in the Bible

Themes:Wide range of terms and rhetorical and

metaphorical uses of these terms.Multifaceted views of children themselves.Adults have obligations to their own and to

other children.Teaching, training and disciplining children

are sophisticated and multi-layered tasks.Children are complex characters, play various

roles in families and communities, and bear responsibility to others.

Children and childhood are integrally connected to other central biblical themes.

Ideas:

“And God was with the Boy” Children and Genesis - Fretheim

Children in God’s image – “Everything that the image of God is, every child is.” (4) All humans, not just children, are in a stage of becoming. We are

continually creating and relating and becoming. (5)

Children are the focus of God’s promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. (6) All the promises of God depend upon the birth and

continuing life of children. (7) Abraham as Teacher of Children – religious education

and implications for daily life (9) The focus is not just on repetition, but on interpretation of

the tradition in view of the new times. (9) Vulnerability and endangerment of children is

recognized. (9)

A biblical text and childrenLuke 2:39-52

When they had finished everything required by the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him. Now every year his parents went to Jerusalem for the festival of the Passover. And when he was twelve years old, they went up as usual for the festival. When the festival was ended and they started to return, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but his parents did not know it. Assuming that he was in the group of travelers, they went a day's journey. Then they started to look for him among their relatives and friends. When they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem to search for him. After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. And all who heard him were amazed at his understand- ing and his answers. 48 When his parents saw him they were astonished; and his mother said to him, "Child, why have you treated us like this? Look, your father and I have been searching for you in great anxiety." He said to them, "Why were you searching for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?" But they did not understand what he said to them. Then he went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them. His mother treasured all these things in her heart. And Jesus increased in wisdom and in years, and in divine and human favor.

Your readings and the work of Children Review each section, highlighting one or two

key learnings from each essay, that might inform raising children and fostering faith.

How do these readings go with or against the developmental understanding of the work of children?

How might these learnings inform the work for this class? How might these learnings help inform our engagement with the “first third event”?