Putting it all Together: Lifespan Development in Action
In Chapter 13, we are shown the answer to the question of "what's next?" What comes next and how do we put all the information we have learned in previous chapters to good use. We are shown how to put theories into practice, and given a look at the field of lifespan development. Following this, we are given a look into current concerns and controversies, how history has informed change, and leadership opportunities. Next, we see Professionalism in the field of lifespan development, advocacy in the field of lifespan development and then finally legislation and lifespan development.
There are many people in this world that are working jobs that are
stressful and/or dissatisfying, myself included. We take on these jobs because of the money we
make or because we have to take care of our families, not because we are passionate about them.
On page 305 in our LifeSmart text it states that "knowledge of lifespan development is beneficial, if not required, in many fields. People who possess an understnading of the physical, cognitive, and social interactions throughout the lifespan will have greater insight into what is developmentally appropriate in a variety of areas." This is so true! By having the knowledge we have gained from studying lifespan psychology we can become much better teachers, professionals and people in general. Lifespan development can give us better insight into everyday obstacles and help us overcome them. One obstacle I have been having lately has been with my current job. I am an assistant teacher, and using knowledge gained in this course, I can recognize certain traits in coworkers and my manager and use that knowledge to effectively communicate with them. Also on page 305, the text highlights that "specific coursework relating to psychology has been shown to make a difference in the career choices students make." This too I agree with, and while I previously was not as set on the age group of students I would like to work with, I have now broadened the age range sue to some of the information presented in this and other psychology courses I have taken.
Further in the chapter, the text emphasizes the need for each of us to be an advocate for those who cannot be free to pursue their own dreams. In high school and college I worked with Amnesty International and had the honor of giving a voice to those who could not raise their own to help themselves for a number of different reasons. We all must strive to be an advocate, even in small ways.
The final section on legislation and lifespan development was very interesting to me, as I am very interested and like to be involved in politics. While there has been a good deal of legislation developed to aid in the protection of individuals' rights that have been introduced and passed in the last century, we still have much more to do. By being advocated we can change policies for the greater good. Currently, I am a big advocate for the rights of the LGBT community. This group of people, while some progress has been made for them, are still so far behind in their rights! Our children's children will look back on our behaviors towards these individuals and be as appalled as we are of our great grandparents' generation's attitudes towards African American individuals.
In summary, this text has taught me much about lifespan psychology, and how to apply it to my everyday life in a number of ways. By learning more about this field, I am better prepared for a career in teaching and has prepared me to be an agent of change as much as possible.
Wednesday, July 2, 2014
Sunday, June 29, 2014
LifeSpan Psychology- Week Seven
Dying and Spirituality
This chapter, while understandably morbid, was quite thought provoking. In chapter 12, we are introduced to the role of death in life, the role of grief, dealing with one's own death, suicide:the rejection of life, spirituality and a section based on a poem titled "If I Had My Life to Live Over."
I thought it very interesting to read about the "Take a Stand" case on page 283 about a 13 year old boy whose family wished to cease chemotherapy to treat his Hodgkin's lymphoma. Who has the right to decide how a person dies? As it states in the book, children do not yet have the ability to think rationally about death and dying. That being said, even some adults cannot tolerate the thought of their own mortality. The five stages of grief put forth by psychiatrist Elisabeth Kübler-Ross can help aid adults in the process of coming to terms with their own death, and the stages can also help family members and loved ones of the dying individual to cope.
Further in the chapter, it highlights an Oregon law called the "Death with Dignity Act." Personally, I support this law as long as it is carried out and followed correctly. Growing up on a farm, you learn to understand that sometimes it is more humane to end the life of an animal that is suffering and will continue to suffer. If one cannot enjoy their quality of life to its full extent we need to take into consideration what would truly be best for them.
The poem written by Nadine Stair, "If I Had My Life to Live Over" was poignant and truly shows how towards the end of life, we look back and think of all the things we could or should have done. However, in this piece written by an 82-year old, I also see all of the things that she loved to do and how she reflects upon them. Ms. Stair shows those of us who are still in our young and middle adulthood that we should life our lives to the fullest every single day, to take more chances and to truly live and be a part of our lives so that in the end, we have no regrets.
This chapter, while understandably morbid, was quite thought provoking. In chapter 12, we are introduced to the role of death in life, the role of grief, dealing with one's own death, suicide:the rejection of life, spirituality and a section based on a poem titled "If I Had My Life to Live Over."
I thought it very interesting to read about the "Take a Stand" case on page 283 about a 13 year old boy whose family wished to cease chemotherapy to treat his Hodgkin's lymphoma. Who has the right to decide how a person dies? As it states in the book, children do not yet have the ability to think rationally about death and dying. That being said, even some adults cannot tolerate the thought of their own mortality. The five stages of grief put forth by psychiatrist Elisabeth Kübler-Ross can help aid adults in the process of coming to terms with their own death, and the stages can also help family members and loved ones of the dying individual to cope.
Further in the chapter, it highlights an Oregon law called the "Death with Dignity Act." Personally, I support this law as long as it is carried out and followed correctly. Growing up on a farm, you learn to understand that sometimes it is more humane to end the life of an animal that is suffering and will continue to suffer. If one cannot enjoy their quality of life to its full extent we need to take into consideration what would truly be best for them.
The poem written by Nadine Stair, "If I Had My Life to Live Over" was poignant and truly shows how towards the end of life, we look back and think of all the things we could or should have done. However, in this piece written by an 82-year old, I also see all of the things that she loved to do and how she reflects upon them. Ms. Stair shows those of us who are still in our young and middle adulthood that we should life our lives to the fullest every single day, to take more chances and to truly live and be a part of our lives so that in the end, we have no regrets.
Tuesday, June 24, 2014
LifeSpan Psychology- Week Six
Early and Middle Adulthood
Chapter 9 describes the initiation into adulthood, physical and cognitive developments that take place, gender and sexuality, social development, marriage and the family and patterns of work that take place in early adulthood. This stage of life typically is more marked by social and cultural experiences, as opposed to the developmental changes that take place in adolescence. In general, the ages during when one goes through early adulthood are during high school through college. During this time, one comes into their identity and starts to become who they are going to be for the rest of their lives. While many of the topics in this chapter were interesting, I found the section on Marriage and the Family to be of particular interest. On page 221 it states "Unlike the early years of the 21st century, when marriage was viewed as the final step in adult development, young adults who choose to marry in the early 21st century view that step as the beginning of their development together and as individuals in a long term relationship. The goal is not simply to achieve a marriage, but is also to maintain satisfaction outside the marriage." I find this statement interesting. Are the authors saying that young adults nowadays get married not because they want to take that next step, but simply want to be comfortable in their lives without the pressures put forth by society? For example, before we were married my husband and I had dated for nearly 8 years. I cannot tell you how many times we were asked "oh when will it be your turn down the aisle?" I admit, this question was bothersome and was nice not to have to keep answering once we were wed, however we wouldn't have gotten married just to remain comfortable without all the questioning! The entire section on marriage and family was very compelling, as it was interesting to see the changing trends in marriage and families in America today.
In Chapter 10, the book goes over what takes place during middle adulthood through the physical, social and cognitive developments, through marriage and family, patterns of work and ends with coping with stress. Personally I noticed many of the changes and developments that were described as having happened or that were happening to my parents and some of my other family members and friends. Levinson's Seasons of Life was also very interesting, and the developments and questions that that were found in the findings were compelling to read. However, as in chapter 9, I found the section on Marriage and Family to be the most appealing to me. It was interesting to read that "middle age is often a time when husbands and wives reappraise their marriage" ( pg 247). This week my parents will be celebrating 40 years of marriage, and they will both be 60 years of age. When I discuss this with friends, they marvel at how they have "stayed together so long." My siblings and I have a hard time understanding this. We were raised to believe that when we get married, it is for life. Our partner should be our friend, confidant, and lover. Just because the children have left the nest does not mean that the parents can abandon the nest. My parents have been "empty nesters" for ten years and they have only grown closer. I once asked my mom how they still seemed to be so in love and she simply answered "because we are. We have a commitment to each other first, and to you kids second. Before you kids, there was just us. your father is the best man and father and I can't imagine not being with him." I thought it was so beautiful. Being farmers and small business owners I could see how the constant stress of their jobs coupled with raising us kids could have made them drift apart over the years. However when all of us kids moved out, rather than seeing what wasn't there anymore, my parents looked at what was still there and grew closer to one another. I use my parents as an example of how to have a good marriage, and strive to have a relationship with my husband like they have.
Chapter 9 describes the initiation into adulthood, physical and cognitive developments that take place, gender and sexuality, social development, marriage and the family and patterns of work that take place in early adulthood. This stage of life typically is more marked by social and cultural experiences, as opposed to the developmental changes that take place in adolescence. In general, the ages during when one goes through early adulthood are during high school through college. During this time, one comes into their identity and starts to become who they are going to be for the rest of their lives. While many of the topics in this chapter were interesting, I found the section on Marriage and the Family to be of particular interest. On page 221 it states "Unlike the early years of the 21st century, when marriage was viewed as the final step in adult development, young adults who choose to marry in the early 21st century view that step as the beginning of their development together and as individuals in a long term relationship. The goal is not simply to achieve a marriage, but is also to maintain satisfaction outside the marriage." I find this statement interesting. Are the authors saying that young adults nowadays get married not because they want to take that next step, but simply want to be comfortable in their lives without the pressures put forth by society? For example, before we were married my husband and I had dated for nearly 8 years. I cannot tell you how many times we were asked "oh when will it be your turn down the aisle?" I admit, this question was bothersome and was nice not to have to keep answering once we were wed, however we wouldn't have gotten married just to remain comfortable without all the questioning! The entire section on marriage and family was very compelling, as it was interesting to see the changing trends in marriage and families in America today.
In Chapter 10, the book goes over what takes place during middle adulthood through the physical, social and cognitive developments, through marriage and family, patterns of work and ends with coping with stress. Personally I noticed many of the changes and developments that were described as having happened or that were happening to my parents and some of my other family members and friends. Levinson's Seasons of Life was also very interesting, and the developments and questions that that were found in the findings were compelling to read. However, as in chapter 9, I found the section on Marriage and Family to be the most appealing to me. It was interesting to read that "middle age is often a time when husbands and wives reappraise their marriage" ( pg 247). This week my parents will be celebrating 40 years of marriage, and they will both be 60 years of age. When I discuss this with friends, they marvel at how they have "stayed together so long." My siblings and I have a hard time understanding this. We were raised to believe that when we get married, it is for life. Our partner should be our friend, confidant, and lover. Just because the children have left the nest does not mean that the parents can abandon the nest. My parents have been "empty nesters" for ten years and they have only grown closer. I once asked my mom how they still seemed to be so in love and she simply answered "because we are. We have a commitment to each other first, and to you kids second. Before you kids, there was just us. your father is the best man and father and I can't imagine not being with him." I thought it was so beautiful. Being farmers and small business owners I could see how the constant stress of their jobs coupled with raising us kids could have made them drift apart over the years. However when all of us kids moved out, rather than seeing what wasn't there anymore, my parents looked at what was still there and grew closer to one another. I use my parents as an example of how to have a good marriage, and strive to have a relationship with my husband like they have.
Thursday, June 12, 2014
LifeSpan Psychology- Week Five
Adolescence
Adolescence is a tough time for everyone. Not only is it a turbulent time for the teen that is going through this stage in life, but also for the parents and caretakers of them. At this time in their life, adolescents believe that they are adults, when adults know that is not the case at all. Chapter 8 goes through when adolescence begins, as well as the physical and cognitive developments that occur during this time. Following this, we are introduced to identity issues, social development, sexual identity and mental heal issues that are associated with this stage of life.
As outsiders, it is difficult for us to commiserate with teens going through this time of their life because most of it is hormonal and internal. One of the things that I found really interesting in this chapter was that the average age of menarche for girls has been decreasing. On page 189, the text says that "in the United States, in the late 18th and 19th centuries, the average age of menarche was 17. Today the average age of menarche is 12.5." Along with this, the text highlights several reasons that this could be happening. The most compelling theory to me was that by Ellis and associates (1999) indicating that family relationships are associated with starting puberty later, especially if a father is present in the home. Generally, it is believed that females who have not had a father figure or a good relationship with their father when they are growing up tend to me more promiscuous. It would be interesting to see if the data would correlate between an absent father figure, early menarche and sexual promiscuity.
Throughout this chapter it was interesting to learn just how many different behaviors begin and that come about in adolescence are effected by family interactions. I firmly believe that every child deserves a loving home life, and seeing how much having one can effect a child through adolescence and even carry on to adulthood strengthens this belief.
Adolescence is a tough time for everyone. Not only is it a turbulent time for the teen that is going through this stage in life, but also for the parents and caretakers of them. At this time in their life, adolescents believe that they are adults, when adults know that is not the case at all. Chapter 8 goes through when adolescence begins, as well as the physical and cognitive developments that occur during this time. Following this, we are introduced to identity issues, social development, sexual identity and mental heal issues that are associated with this stage of life.
As outsiders, it is difficult for us to commiserate with teens going through this time of their life because most of it is hormonal and internal. One of the things that I found really interesting in this chapter was that the average age of menarche for girls has been decreasing. On page 189, the text says that "in the United States, in the late 18th and 19th centuries, the average age of menarche was 17. Today the average age of menarche is 12.5." Along with this, the text highlights several reasons that this could be happening. The most compelling theory to me was that by Ellis and associates (1999) indicating that family relationships are associated with starting puberty later, especially if a father is present in the home. Generally, it is believed that females who have not had a father figure or a good relationship with their father when they are growing up tend to me more promiscuous. It would be interesting to see if the data would correlate between an absent father figure, early menarche and sexual promiscuity.
Throughout this chapter it was interesting to learn just how many different behaviors begin and that come about in adolescence are effected by family interactions. I firmly believe that every child deserves a loving home life, and seeing how much having one can effect a child through adolescence and even carry on to adulthood strengthens this belief.
Friday, June 6, 2014
LifeSpan Psychology- Week Four
Early and Middle Childhood
For this week, our reading was on Chapters 6&7 of our LifeSmart text.
Chapter 6 deals with early childhood, it's physical and motor development and cognitive development, as well as early childhood education and different developments that happen during this time period. Chapter 7 also deals with physical and cognitive development, then goes on to highlight critical thinking and problem solving, the changing sense of self, social development and stress in middle childhood. As with my other blog postings, I will highlight on areas from each chapter that I found of particular interest.
In this text, early childhood is defined as between 2-6 years, and as anyone who has experience with children of this age, there are quite a lot of changes and differences in those four years! As their minds and motor skills begin to develop the number activities (and length of time they can do them) changes greatly from when they were in infancy. Watching my nieces interact with one another (ages 3, 2 1/2, 2 and 20 mos) you can really see the changes taking place. For example, page 133 discussed Piaget's preoperational period, saying that "the great accomplishment of the preoperational period is a growing ability to represent, which is how we record or express information." With the younger nieces, they are just beginning to understand and play imitative and symbolic games while the two older girls have been in love with their doctor kit and grocery cart for some time.
Later in the chapter they discuss early childhood education. As someone who works with preschool-aged children, I really believe in these programs. I have been classrooms based on different approaches, and I believe that head start, constructivist and Reggio Emilia approaches are the most beneficial. Children in this age group need to be engaged on different levels, and trying to have them memorize names, places and facts at this age is not as beneficial to them. Having a learning environment with structure and interaction is very helpful for them and children at this age (in my experience) tend to retain information more readily when they believe they have helped "discover" it. I personally am not as big of a fan of the Montessori approach to learning, as I believe it can leave out some key learning techniques that could be of more value.
Chapter 7 was on the middle childhood, from about 6-11 years of age. Children have continued to further develop their coordination in their motor skills and can now accomplish such tasks as being able to dress themselves and tie their shoes, and their sense of responsibility is beginning to grow. This chapter describes how children continue to develop physically and cognitively, and describes Gardner and multiple intelligences. This really struck me as being brilliant. I agree with the information on page 163 referencing his eight equal intelligences. These can have such a great impact in the classroom. This theory suggests that children develop and succeed according to their abilities and inclinations, rather than saying they are either smart/good or not. As educators we need to acknowledge that all children are different. One child may be extremely gifted in mathematics and ace every assessment, while another child does not have a different inclination and, consequently will not do well on the assessments. Just because the child does not do well on an exam does not adequately show that they do or do not understand the concepts being presented. As educators we should strive to keep in mind that a test school does not show the character, complete knowledge or all that a student is capable of.
For this week, our reading was on Chapters 6&7 of our LifeSmart text.
Chapter 6 deals with early childhood, it's physical and motor development and cognitive development, as well as early childhood education and different developments that happen during this time period. Chapter 7 also deals with physical and cognitive development, then goes on to highlight critical thinking and problem solving, the changing sense of self, social development and stress in middle childhood. As with my other blog postings, I will highlight on areas from each chapter that I found of particular interest.
In this text, early childhood is defined as between 2-6 years, and as anyone who has experience with children of this age, there are quite a lot of changes and differences in those four years! As their minds and motor skills begin to develop the number activities (and length of time they can do them) changes greatly from when they were in infancy. Watching my nieces interact with one another (ages 3, 2 1/2, 2 and 20 mos) you can really see the changes taking place. For example, page 133 discussed Piaget's preoperational period, saying that "the great accomplishment of the preoperational period is a growing ability to represent, which is how we record or express information." With the younger nieces, they are just beginning to understand and play imitative and symbolic games while the two older girls have been in love with their doctor kit and grocery cart for some time.
Later in the chapter they discuss early childhood education. As someone who works with preschool-aged children, I really believe in these programs. I have been classrooms based on different approaches, and I believe that head start, constructivist and Reggio Emilia approaches are the most beneficial. Children in this age group need to be engaged on different levels, and trying to have them memorize names, places and facts at this age is not as beneficial to them. Having a learning environment with structure and interaction is very helpful for them and children at this age (in my experience) tend to retain information more readily when they believe they have helped "discover" it. I personally am not as big of a fan of the Montessori approach to learning, as I believe it can leave out some key learning techniques that could be of more value.
Chapter 7 was on the middle childhood, from about 6-11 years of age. Children have continued to further develop their coordination in their motor skills and can now accomplish such tasks as being able to dress themselves and tie their shoes, and their sense of responsibility is beginning to grow. This chapter describes how children continue to develop physically and cognitively, and describes Gardner and multiple intelligences. This really struck me as being brilliant. I agree with the information on page 163 referencing his eight equal intelligences. These can have such a great impact in the classroom. This theory suggests that children develop and succeed according to their abilities and inclinations, rather than saying they are either smart/good or not. As educators we need to acknowledge that all children are different. One child may be extremely gifted in mathematics and ace every assessment, while another child does not have a different inclination and, consequently will not do well on the assessments. Just because the child does not do well on an exam does not adequately show that they do or do not understand the concepts being presented. As educators we should strive to keep in mind that a test school does not show the character, complete knowledge or all that a student is capable of.
Friday, May 30, 2014
LifeSpan Psychology- Week Three
Pregnancy, Prenatal Development, Birth, Newborn Child and Infancy
In this weeks reading from our LifeSmart text, Chapter 3 focused on the pregnancy and prenatal development. In the beginning, it discussed the biological basis of development and how scientifically we come to be. From here, we are shown the different complications and disorders that can arise during this time. Personally, as someone that will be looking to start a family in the next few years, I found this section to be quite unnerving. So many things can go wrong! After this, it is back to high school health class and we are shown the fertilization process. Not much new information there. Following this, the chapter goes on to describe that there are 3 stages of prenatal development: germinal, embryonic, and fetal. The germinal period is the time when the fertilized egg passes through the fallopian tube. The embryonic period is the time of rapid development and great sensitivity. The fetal period is when the fetus prepares itself for life outside of the womb. The rest of the chapter focuses primarily on how different things can harm the fetus and shows how great the need is to take certain precautions (especially/mainly by the mother) when a fetus is developing. Again, as a woman who is thinking of starting a family in the near future, this section set off my worry wart and made me incredibly uneasy as to all the things that could go wrong. However, this chapter also showed me just what a miracle it is to become pregnant and how amazing it is that a human being can develop our of just one tiny little zygote.
Next, we ready Chapter 4. This chapter focuses mainly on the birthing process and the first characteristics exemplified by neonates. This section (combined with the last few minutes of the Nova movie we watched this week) terrified me! My sister is due to have her baby in a few weeks and I cannot fathom what she is going to go through-willingly!-for a second time. Thank goodness for modern advancement of birthing techniques! Mothers and babies now have much better pre- and post-natal care than ever. When I was born I was just over six weeks early. If it wasn't for the technology available nearly 30 years ago I would not be here, and quite possibly my mother may not have been as well.
Our final chapter of the week, Chapter 5, dealt with infancy and the different was that an infant develops during this stage. Having many nieces and nephews, as well as from working with infants it is truly amazing to watch the different physical, perceptual and cognitive developments that take place- and so quickly!- during their infancy. The chapter goes through the different accomplishments that infants achieve during this time, as well as how they acquire information about the world around them. The section of this chapter that I found of particular interest though, was on the social and emotional development during this time. On page 119 it states: "during infancy, emotions generate adaptive functions that help to define the meaning of a child's experiences." In other words, our emotions and emotional development help us to process and behave during certain situations. When we are infants we are not only setting up our physical and cognitive future selves, we are also starting to develop our emotions and our future emotional responses.
Following this the chapter discussed attachment. At my job, many children are still in the securely attached stage and exhibit a lot of distress at being separated from their parents and/or caregivers.
Finally, the section on temperament really hit the nail on the head when it stated "Infants instantly tune in to their environment. They give clues to their personalities so that mother's and father's responses to their child's signals must be appropriate for that child; that is, greater parental sensitivity produces more responsive infants." (pg. 124) I completely agree! Each infant and each person for that matter is different, and must be treated as such. My cousin Erika has fraternal twins, Caden and Brock. While they are the same age and look very similar, they are very different. Caden is more cuddly and prone to smiling, whereas Brock is more reserved. At first Erika's husband found it frustrating that Brock did not like to be held and cuddled, he grew to understand that while they may be nearly the same boys, they each have differences and are each unique and wonderful. Not holding one child to anothers standards is something that even as adults dealing with one another we need to properly learn.
In this weeks reading from our LifeSmart text, Chapter 3 focused on the pregnancy and prenatal development. In the beginning, it discussed the biological basis of development and how scientifically we come to be. From here, we are shown the different complications and disorders that can arise during this time. Personally, as someone that will be looking to start a family in the next few years, I found this section to be quite unnerving. So many things can go wrong! After this, it is back to high school health class and we are shown the fertilization process. Not much new information there. Following this, the chapter goes on to describe that there are 3 stages of prenatal development: germinal, embryonic, and fetal. The germinal period is the time when the fertilized egg passes through the fallopian tube. The embryonic period is the time of rapid development and great sensitivity. The fetal period is when the fetus prepares itself for life outside of the womb. The rest of the chapter focuses primarily on how different things can harm the fetus and shows how great the need is to take certain precautions (especially/mainly by the mother) when a fetus is developing. Again, as a woman who is thinking of starting a family in the near future, this section set off my worry wart and made me incredibly uneasy as to all the things that could go wrong. However, this chapter also showed me just what a miracle it is to become pregnant and how amazing it is that a human being can develop our of just one tiny little zygote.
Next, we ready Chapter 4. This chapter focuses mainly on the birthing process and the first characteristics exemplified by neonates. This section (combined with the last few minutes of the Nova movie we watched this week) terrified me! My sister is due to have her baby in a few weeks and I cannot fathom what she is going to go through-willingly!-for a second time. Thank goodness for modern advancement of birthing techniques! Mothers and babies now have much better pre- and post-natal care than ever. When I was born I was just over six weeks early. If it wasn't for the technology available nearly 30 years ago I would not be here, and quite possibly my mother may not have been as well.
Our final chapter of the week, Chapter 5, dealt with infancy and the different was that an infant develops during this stage. Having many nieces and nephews, as well as from working with infants it is truly amazing to watch the different physical, perceptual and cognitive developments that take place- and so quickly!- during their infancy. The chapter goes through the different accomplishments that infants achieve during this time, as well as how they acquire information about the world around them. The section of this chapter that I found of particular interest though, was on the social and emotional development during this time. On page 119 it states: "during infancy, emotions generate adaptive functions that help to define the meaning of a child's experiences." In other words, our emotions and emotional development help us to process and behave during certain situations. When we are infants we are not only setting up our physical and cognitive future selves, we are also starting to develop our emotions and our future emotional responses.
Following this the chapter discussed attachment. At my job, many children are still in the securely attached stage and exhibit a lot of distress at being separated from their parents and/or caregivers.
Finally, the section on temperament really hit the nail on the head when it stated "Infants instantly tune in to their environment. They give clues to their personalities so that mother's and father's responses to their child's signals must be appropriate for that child; that is, greater parental sensitivity produces more responsive infants." (pg. 124) I completely agree! Each infant and each person for that matter is different, and must be treated as such. My cousin Erika has fraternal twins, Caden and Brock. While they are the same age and look very similar, they are very different. Caden is more cuddly and prone to smiling, whereas Brock is more reserved. At first Erika's husband found it frustrating that Brock did not like to be held and cuddled, he grew to understand that while they may be nearly the same boys, they each have differences and are each unique and wonderful. Not holding one child to anothers standards is something that even as adults dealing with one another we need to properly learn.
Friday, May 23, 2014
LifeSpan Psychology- Week Two
Theories of Development
For our second week of class, we read Chapter Two in our LifeSmart text. This reading was basically an overview of several different important psychologists and their specific theories regarding Lifespan Development. In my previous courses here at Trinity I have gone over many of these theories and in doing so again, I have really found which theories I find the most interesting.
Freud's psychoanalytic theory, the theory of the development of personality with an emphasis on the subconscious is very interesting to me, as are his stages of development. Freud's stages of development include: Oral (0-1.5 yrs old), Anal (1.5-3 yrs old), Phallic (3-5 yrs old), Latency (5-12 yrs old), and the Genital Stage (12 yrs and older). Although I am not completely convinced of his ideas on fixation, I can agree with him that we all have defense mechanisms that we use, even if they are not acknowledged. For example, one of my defense mechanisms comes into play when I am stressed out: I bake. In general, I enjoy cooking and baking for pleasure, however when I am stressed or worried about something and trying to avoid and defend myself against these things, I will fins myself drawn to my baking tools like a duck to water.
Another theory of his that I agree with is his argument that "at different stages of a person's development, personality is influenced by three distinct structures of the mind: the id, the ego, and the superego." (pg 30) This argument is so obvious to me. People battle these three structures all the time in an attempt to order to strike a compromise.
Finally, we look at Maslow's hierarchy of needs. Again, I have covered this several times while at Trinity, and each time I find it interesting. For myself, I would place myself near the top of the self-esteem tier. I am an adult with healthy relationships and with an occupation where children see me as a teachers aide in a classroom I believe that after a certain age we eventually start to revert back down the hierarchy as we age, thus making different needs a priority.
For our second week of class, we read Chapter Two in our LifeSmart text. This reading was basically an overview of several different important psychologists and their specific theories regarding Lifespan Development. In my previous courses here at Trinity I have gone over many of these theories and in doing so again, I have really found which theories I find the most interesting.
Freud's psychoanalytic theory, the theory of the development of personality with an emphasis on the subconscious is very interesting to me, as are his stages of development. Freud's stages of development include: Oral (0-1.5 yrs old), Anal (1.5-3 yrs old), Phallic (3-5 yrs old), Latency (5-12 yrs old), and the Genital Stage (12 yrs and older). Although I am not completely convinced of his ideas on fixation, I can agree with him that we all have defense mechanisms that we use, even if they are not acknowledged. For example, one of my defense mechanisms comes into play when I am stressed out: I bake. In general, I enjoy cooking and baking for pleasure, however when I am stressed or worried about something and trying to avoid and defend myself against these things, I will fins myself drawn to my baking tools like a duck to water.
Another theory of his that I agree with is his argument that "at different stages of a person's development, personality is influenced by three distinct structures of the mind: the id, the ego, and the superego." (pg 30) This argument is so obvious to me. People battle these three structures all the time in an attempt to order to strike a compromise.
Freud's theory is one the most interesting ones that I have studied. I
was always interested in the battles that one's id and superego went
through on a day to day basis. I do not really agree with all the latent
sexual feelings that Freud pushes with this method, I do see strong
evidence that the unconscious is important in people's development. I
tend to constantly think about some of the defense mechanisms that
people have. I go back to one that I have noticed in myself. When
dealing with a somber topic, like death for example, I have the tendency
to make jokes about whatever situation I am. I suppose it can be that
subconsciously, I am afraid of the topic and I want to change it to a
less serious one.
Other theorists included Erik Erikson and his theory of psychosocial theory of development, Jean Piaget's stages of cognitive development (which I have covered several times while at Trinity), Lev Vygotsky's sociocultural theory, Ivan Pavlov (and his dog), B.F Skinner and his theories on reinforcement (which I also covered in a previous blog posting), Albert Bandura's Social Cognitive Learning, Uri Brofenbrenner's Ecological Theory as well as the Developmental systems theory and contextual model. While I believe the developmental contextual model is slightly convoluted (pg 45), I do believe it accurately portrays the exchanged between individuals and the multiple levels of their complex contexts propel development.
Other theorists included Erik Erikson and his theory of psychosocial theory of development, Jean Piaget's stages of cognitive development (which I have covered several times while at Trinity), Lev Vygotsky's sociocultural theory, Ivan Pavlov (and his dog), B.F Skinner and his theories on reinforcement (which I also covered in a previous blog posting), Albert Bandura's Social Cognitive Learning, Uri Brofenbrenner's Ecological Theory as well as the Developmental systems theory and contextual model. While I believe the developmental contextual model is slightly convoluted (pg 45), I do believe it accurately portrays the exchanged between individuals and the multiple levels of their complex contexts propel development.
Finally, we look at Maslow's hierarchy of needs. Again, I have covered this several times while at Trinity, and each time I find it interesting. For myself, I would place myself near the top of the self-esteem tier. I am an adult with healthy relationships and with an occupation where children see me as a teachers aide in a classroom I believe that after a certain age we eventually start to revert back down the hierarchy as we age, thus making different needs a priority.
Overall, this chapter was kind of a review for me as I have already covered many of these theories. That being said, these topics are so interesting that there is always something new to discover about them and to see them in a different context.
Friday, May 16, 2014
Lifespan Psychology- Week One
Lifespan Development
For our first week of class, I ready Chapter One in our Lifesmart text, and viewed a Words of EnCOURAGEment video on the Mobius Strip.
As we are introduced to the subject in our text, Lifespan Development is the way researchers look at our lives over the years. They look at not only our physiological changes, but our biological and social changes as well in their research. As I have worked with children of varying ages, I can really see how this would be similar and also how it would help us look at the different life stages. A young baby cannot walk, however a two year old can. A five year old may decide they do not like meat one week while loving it the next, but a twelve year old may decide to become a vegetarian. Looking at how children change and develop through not only the eyes of a caregiver but as someone learning and researching the changes makes me see how much we all really change, not only over the course of a few years but from week to week and month to month.
While the first chapter of the book was interesting, I really thought the video was more thought provoking. I have heard of the Mobius strip in the context of shapes, but never as something to describe ones life. In this video, Parker Palmer describes how everyone has two lives- the "on stage" life, where things influence you and your actions and ego comes into question and another life, "backstage". The "backstage life is more who you really are: beliefs, intuition, values, i.e. your soul. Palmer mentioned that you can become "centered" and try to combine the two. This reminds me of my yoga classes a great deal. We spend much of the class focused on being centered and looking towards our center to be who we are. I agree withe Palmer's idea that we are born whole. However, I am not completely in agreement that we all lose touch with our souls. I believe that our environment greatly influences us, and if we are brought up to be who we are and not be ashamed of it but rather embrace it then that is what we will do.
When reading with and to children, I believe it is important to read literature encouraging them to be themselves. If we don't encourage them to do so while they are young, that is the start of them losing their wholesomeness. We all need to strive to find the balance to be who we want to be, and who we are.
For our first week of class, I ready Chapter One in our Lifesmart text, and viewed a Words of EnCOURAGEment video on the Mobius Strip.
As we are introduced to the subject in our text, Lifespan Development is the way researchers look at our lives over the years. They look at not only our physiological changes, but our biological and social changes as well in their research. As I have worked with children of varying ages, I can really see how this would be similar and also how it would help us look at the different life stages. A young baby cannot walk, however a two year old can. A five year old may decide they do not like meat one week while loving it the next, but a twelve year old may decide to become a vegetarian. Looking at how children change and develop through not only the eyes of a caregiver but as someone learning and researching the changes makes me see how much we all really change, not only over the course of a few years but from week to week and month to month.
While the first chapter of the book was interesting, I really thought the video was more thought provoking. I have heard of the Mobius strip in the context of shapes, but never as something to describe ones life. In this video, Parker Palmer describes how everyone has two lives- the "on stage" life, where things influence you and your actions and ego comes into question and another life, "backstage". The "backstage life is more who you really are: beliefs, intuition, values, i.e. your soul. Palmer mentioned that you can become "centered" and try to combine the two. This reminds me of my yoga classes a great deal. We spend much of the class focused on being centered and looking towards our center to be who we are. I agree withe Palmer's idea that we are born whole. However, I am not completely in agreement that we all lose touch with our souls. I believe that our environment greatly influences us, and if we are brought up to be who we are and not be ashamed of it but rather embrace it then that is what we will do.
When reading with and to children, I believe it is important to read literature encouraging them to be themselves. If we don't encourage them to do so while they are young, that is the start of them losing their wholesomeness. We all need to strive to find the balance to be who we want to be, and who we are.
Monday, January 20, 2014
Module 5
-Motivation in Learning and Teaching, Teaching Every Student, & Classroom Assessment, Grading, and Standardized Testing-
Chapter 12 looks into motivation in learning and teaching. In this chapter, we learn how to arouse curiosity in the work a student does, how to establish value in the learning of material, what we need to know about students in order to motivate them and well as what we need to know about motivation itself to solve these problems. Woolfolk defines motivation as being either intrinsic or extrinsic. Intrinsic motivation is associated with being influenced by internal rewards for motivation, whereas extrinsic motivation is motivation by external factors, such as rewards or punishments. (p. 431.) Motivation is a key factor for all students, and as teachers we need to find out what motivated each of our students in order to help them become engaged in a subject and succeed. Woolfolk goes on to describe five approaches to motivation: Humanistic, behavioral, cognitive, social cognitive and social cultural conceptions. She also goes on to explain Maslow's theory, goal orientations, beliefs and perceptions, motivation to learn and school, as well as interests, curiosity, emotions and anxiety. For me personally, anxiety plays a huge part in my learning, as I have a large amount of anxiety in my life, in regards to not only education but also socially. Learning more about Maslow's theories has given me new perspective on my disorder. Woolfolk goes on to identify several dimensions of Epistemological beliefs: structure of knowledge, stability/certainty of knowledge, ability to learn, speed of learning and nature of learning. "Student's beliefs about their knowledge and learning affect the goals they set and the learning strategies they apply" (p 442.) I found this particularly interesting, and thought that these will be useful to incorporate into the classroom to aid students.
Teaching every student is the theme of chapter 14. In it, Woolfolk begins by describing the
characteristics of effective teachers. She details what makes an expert teacher as well as what it is that expert teachers know. Woolfolk next goes into the specifics of teaching; starting with planning,
teaching approaches, differentiated instruction and teacher expectations. The section on planning was very interesting, as I think of myself as an efficient planner. That being said, I found the information presented extremely helpful. Apparently I have a lot still to learn about planning! Woolfolk's explanation of explicit versus active teaching had me further solidifying my preference that active teaching is best. (p. 519) Rosenshine's six teaching functions were also really helpful, and I can see using them as a checklist for teaching basic skills in my future classrooms. (p. 520) Differentiated instruction is a flexible approach to teaching that matches content, process, and product based on student differences in readiness, interests and learning needs. (pg. 531) In this passage I found the passage detailing making adaptions quite captivating. Finally, teacher
expectations. In this section, Woolfolk explains how a teacher's expectations can effect students. Some of the sources of these expectations, such as intelligence test scores, gender, notes from previous teachers, previous achievement and ethnic background among others, can sometimes have a negative effect. These
sources may influence a teacher's views of the student and either cause them to motivate the student to do better, or consequently to further continue to have low expectations for a student causing them to continue to be less motivated to perform.
Wednesday, January 8, 2014
Module 4
-Complex Cognitive Processes, The Learning Sciences and Constructivism,
& Social Cognitive Views of Learning and Motivation-
& Social Cognitive Views of Learning and Motivation-
Module Four's focus was different aspects of learning, understanding, as well as the learning sciences.
In Chapter Nine, Woolfolk explains the role of metacognition in learning and remembering. Metacognition is "knowledge about our own thinking process" (Woolfolk, 318.) Metacognition has three skills that are used to regulate learning and thinking and they are: planning, monitoring, and evaluating. Woolfolk then goes on to explain that there are differences in our metacognition capabilities as we age and develop, and it is also shaped by life experiences (p. 319.) Much of the information on Metacognition was extremely valuable. By teaching students (especially at a younger age so they can develop their abilities,) how to reflect back on the work that hey have done as well as think about what they already know can by immensly beneficial to helping them gain a sense of personal accomplishment. If a student feels good about themselves and their abilities their self confidence will grow and they will be more likely to try as well as to succeed at other tasks.
This chapter goes onto discuss different learning strategies as well as some suggestions for their effective use and application. As an educator, I will need to use the strategies not only to help my students, but also to keep myself on the ball. Hopefully, by incorporating these into my own use I won't feel so overwhelmed as a first year instructor.
In Chapter Nine, Woolfolk explains the role of metacognition in learning and remembering. Metacognition is "knowledge about our own thinking process" (Woolfolk, 318.) Metacognition has three skills that are used to regulate learning and thinking and they are: planning, monitoring, and evaluating. Woolfolk then goes on to explain that there are differences in our metacognition capabilities as we age and develop, and it is also shaped by life experiences (p. 319.) Much of the information on Metacognition was extremely valuable. By teaching students (especially at a younger age so they can develop their abilities,) how to reflect back on the work that hey have done as well as think about what they already know can by immensly beneficial to helping them gain a sense of personal accomplishment. If a student feels good about themselves and their abilities their self confidence will grow and they will be more likely to try as well as to succeed at other tasks.
This chapter goes onto discuss different learning strategies as well as some suggestions for their effective use and application. As an educator, I will need to use the strategies not only to help my students, but also to keep myself on the ball. Hopefully, by incorporating these into my own use I won't feel so overwhelmed as a first year instructor.
Chapter 10 is about the learning sciences and constructivism. There are some basic assumptions that are made of the learning sciences, which are: "that experts develop deep conceptual knowledge, learning comes from the learner, creating learning environments is the responsibility of the school, students' prior knowledge is key, and reflection is a critical component of learning." (Woolfolk, 356-7) These beliefs aid researchers from many different fields to study similar issues in learning, allowing collaboration and research. Following this, Woolfolk describes the two kinds of constructivism, psychological (first wave constructivism) and social (second wave constructivism)(p.360-1.) She then goes on to distinguish between constructivism and constructionism. While constructionists are mostly interested in how "public knowledge in academic disciplines is constructed" (p. 361) and constructivism is the "view that emphasises the active role of the learner in building understanding and making sense of information,"and while they have many different views, the two ultimately agree that “learners therefore, are not empty vessels
waiting to be filled, but rather active organisms seeking meaning" (pg. 363.) Further through the chapter, I found the section on collaboration and cooperation to be quite informative and engaging. Delving into all the different ways that students can help themselves and each other learn in groups as well as in cooperation made me rethink how some teachers in my past handled different learning situations. In school I have had instructors with many different styles of teaching, and I believe some of the best learning experiences that I had involved classrooms where all the students were able to collaborate and cooperate together. When I am a teacher, I will undoubtedly apply the information that I learned here as to prepare my students for this method of learning .
Finally, chapter 11 explains the social cognitive views of learning and motivation. In social learning, one observes another being either reinforced or
punished and it can have similar effects on the observer's behavior. Expanding on that, social
cognitive theory broadens social learning theory to also include: beliefs,
expectations, and self perceptions. Woolfolk next delves into self efficacy, self concept and self esteem. I found this section quite interesting. Self-efficacy is "a person's sense of being able to deal effectively with a particular task" (Woolfolk, p. 404,) and is "concerned with judgements of personal competence; self esteem is concerned with judgements of self worth. There is no direct between self- esteem and self-efficacy." (p. 405) Further into this section, Woolfolk details teacher's sense of efficacy and she mentioned that teachers with a higher sense of efficacy tend to be more motivated, willing to work harder and be more persistent in order to help even difficult students to learn. However, there can be problems with having high efficacy in new teachers, an example being that "excessive optimism of beginning teachers that interferes with their ability to accurately judge their own effectiveness" (Woolfolk, p.409.) Additionally, "Overconfident efficacy may quickly be followed by giving up if the task proves more difficult than first thought" (p. 404.) As a new teacher, I will have to make sure to not become overconfident, but still do my best to make a difference and help my students build their confidence.
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