Reflective Journal

Children are a crucial factor in the development of human society as they enhance the continuity of human race. As such, Making a Difference in the Lives of Children and Adolescents is a topic that opens up the comprehension of this fact (McDevitt & Ormrod, 2013). I understood the development process of children and the factors that one needs to consider to ensure that children such as Tonya live a descent live as they transit from children through adolescence to adulthood.  However, investigation allows individuals to comprehend ways to transform children and adolescents lives. Thus Using Research to Understand Children and Adolescents is a topic that permitted me the chance to learn ways to conduct research related to children and adolescents.

Week 2

Human beings have a genetic character that determines the manner in which they develop from childhood to adulthood (Kontopodis & Wulf, 2011). Biological Beginnings is a topic that set the ground on how the process of human development occurs and thus, gave me the opportunity to comprehend biological influence on the life of children. Unfortunately, the successful development of children is comprised of the socialization process they undergo as illustrated by the Family, Culture and Community topic (McDevitt & Ormrod, 2013). Essentially, the family is the first place where children are introduced to their community’s culture, which acts as guideline on how they need to lead their lives.

Week 3

The Physical Development of humans occurs at an instant rate as body organs differ and require diverse components to enhance the growth process. In this regard, this topic permitted me the opportunity to comprehend the disparities in human development and most especially through Lucy’s case study. Nonetheless, comprehend development of children must be accompanied by cognitive development, which enhances the social interaction process of children. Through the various theories resented in the topic I managed to comprehend the disparities in cognition process among children.

Week 4

The manner in which humans reason and present their ideas is dynamic is it reflects their growth process. This occurrence is enhanced by the cognitive processes they undergo as illustrated by the library project case study. One of the outcomes of cognitive processes is development of an individual’s intelligence level. The theories presented in relation to intelligence offered me a chance to comprehend the diversities in human intelligence and the numerous factors that contribute the variation in human intelligence. That is, the impact of environmental and heredity on the level of an individual’s intelligence.

Week 5

Language is the prime factor that allows humans to establish a link and share ideas. As a result, language development set the ground for children to learn about the communication process, as they acquire linguistic knowledge through the school years (McDevitt & Ormrod, 2013). This explains how the lengthy conversations occur as children grow. I believe the socialization process that children undergo helps determine the development of their language.

Week 6

The development of a language is enhanced by the comprehension of phonology and literacy, which means that children can read and write. I believe the development in the content domains allows children to read and write the subjects they taught in the school; that is science, mathematics, and humanity subjects. The academic domains prepare children to comprehend the diversity in life; therefore, allow them focus on what they are interested, as well as appreciate and respect the decisions of their fellows. The emotional development of children allows them to appreciate the incidences in their lives and most especially learn to find solutions for the challenges that life supplies. I believe since life presents diverse constraints, children manage to find attachments and close bonds with their caregivers, thereby acquire skills to appreciate what life provides.

Week 7

Self awareness and esteem are crucial factors in the life of humans as they are individuals to have the confidence to express and share their insight on real life matters. The development of self and social understanding allow children to develop their self esteem and awareness, meaning that they will have control over their self-perception.  One way to improve the performance and productivity of individuals is through motivation. However, motivation needs to emanate from the inner self as explained by development of motivation and self regulation (McDevitt & Ormrod, 2013). I believe self regulation enhances self control, thereby giving children a chance to develop self motivation.

Week 8

The interaction process of children allows them to learn their surroundings, make friends and comprehend ways to solve life’s constraints. Peers are a good ground for the development of children as they share similar challenges and meaning that the help each other find a solution (McDevitt & Ormrod, 2013). The school and society are the other grounds that offer quality learning and interaction ground for children and directs them through adolescence to adulthood. Peers, schools and society are a topic that helped me comprehend these factors and how children develop socially.

Summary

The analysis of the various topics covered allowed me to establish topics that tremendously impacted on my life were making a difference in the lives of children and adolescents; this topic allowed me to figure out ways through which individuals can transform the lives of young individuals in an attempt to help them attain the goals they have in life. Family, culture and community is the other topic that offered me a chance to comprehend the significance of social surroundings in the development process of children. The family offers security and a ground to learn and appreciate an individual’s culture and community. Self and social understanding, on the other hand, offered me a chance to comprehend that self understanding helps individuals know who they are and thus, allows them to appreciate through around them through social understanding. The process of self and social understanding is enhanced by the development of motivation and self regulations, because individuals need to have self-will.

Conversely, there are a number of topics that I believe need further explanation, cognitive development, cognitive processes and intelligence. Although for human development to be complete cognitive development and processes are crucial, the tie amid cognition and intelligence is confusing. That is, I would not comprehend the diversity amid the two as they appear similar and interlinked. The two topics are explained different, but I believe they should be discussed as one as they focus on the same factor, the development process and ability of human brain. The other topics I believe require elaboration is academic domains, which explains how children are introduced to subjects they require in their life. My assertion is that the topic needs to explain how these domains relate to the development process of children. That is, children need to be introduced to real life factors rather than subjects they will learn in the school.

References

Kontopodis, M., & Wulf, C. (2011). Children, development and education: Cultural, historical, anthropological perspectives. Dordrecht: Springer.

McDevitt, T. M., & Ormrod, J. E., (2013). Child Development and Education, 3^rd edition. Boston: Pearson Education.