The Importance of Human Development in the Classroom

The importance of educators understanding the stages of human development in the classroom is immeasurable. Without this foundation of knowledge, teachers in all areas of education would be lost and very unsuccessful in the pursuit of excellence in teaching and in assisting children on their path to enlightenment. Teachers must be versed in the basics of all areas of development. These areas include, but are not limited to physical development, social development, cognitive development, language development, and personality development, including a sense of self. If all of these areas are nurtured in the learning process, a well-adjusted child will be the product.

Teachers that understand a child's physical development may be able to identify the possible cause of the problem a child is having in school. The area of physical development is an especially important area for teachers of children under the age of four, as this is when many and rapid physical changes are taking place. In the early childhood stage, simply knowing when an infant is typically supposed to begin attempting to sit up can be a help, especially to first time parents. Many times, the parents may look to the teacher to not only enlighten their child, but themselves as well. If educators want their position to been seen as a profession, teachers must begin to use the wealth of knowledge and access to resources that are in reach. Many times teachers and parents may begin to search in the wrong area for answers to problems a child is having in the classroom. Many times the last place checked, physical development, is the problem. If a child is constantly inattentive when the teacher is writing problems on the blackboard, it could be that the child could not see the board. It is not always a behavior or cognitive problem. If teachers and parents continue to mistreat or neglect problems, the problem could worsen, jeopardizing the child's health.

Understanding the stages of cognitive development is of the utmost importance, as the child's developmental level cognitively is the baseline of where the teacher begins. The teacher must be able to decipher a child's starting point in order to catapult them to the next stage of development. If a teacher does not understand the sensorimotor stage of infants and toddlers, they may try to stifle the learning that takes place through the senses. Infants and toddlers need to mouth toys, smell different scents, and feel many different textures. Teachers that do not nurture the senses could slow down a toddler's rapid development, delaying major milestones. Educators who offer very little play time to children between the ages of three and six will handicap the child's ability to learn, as this is the primary learning source for children in the "preoperational stage"(Bee, 2000 p. 75). Sociodramatic play is crucial to children in this age range because "...by playing roles, pretending to be someone else, they also become more and more aware of how things may look or feel to someone else, and their egocentric approach to world declines"(p. 75). For children that reach the stage of concrete operations, a highly hands-on manipulative environment is needed, and the best way to discourage learning is for a teacher to demand "deductive logic" (p.79) from students who do not have the cognitive skills to conceptualize something "they have not yet experienced"(p.79). Children between the ages of seven and twelve have the ability to understand concrete ideas, but can not draw conclusions on area that are foreign to them. Teachers of this age group who are not aware of this underdeveloped area in a child's cognitive ability will simply frustrate or bore their class if abstract ideas and activities are forced on the class.

Language development in young children can be difficult for educators and even parents to understand. Because of the large age range for language development, to diagnose a child with a language disability may be difficult to do, and in many cases is probably wrong. Children's language skills develop at many different rates, and "...more than half of children who talk late eventually catch up"(p.151). Teachers should never assume that a child has delays simply because of late language development. Teachers should speak with the parents about his or her concerns, and ask about the background of the parent's language development. "One possibility is that the rate of language development may be something you inherit-in the same way that intelligence or the rate of physical development may be affected by heredity"(p. 151). In order to stimulate language development, teachers should expose children to as much language as possible. Some ways to do this is to have scheduled times to read to children throughout the day. For older children who can read, scheduling a time when they choose a book that interests them and just enjoy some quiet time reading. For children who are not yet able to read, reading to them is crucial in language development. Also encouraging parents to read to children of all ages is important for teachers to do. Even infants need to be exposed to language. Having parents record themselves reading books is a great way to get parents involved in learning in the classroom. Playing these tapes while showing the book to the class will give them a much-needed visual.

A child's development of personality and self-esteem is important, not only in school but also in life. Teachers and parents help children to establish morals and values that will impact them throughout the years. The early years in a child's life can impact their social/emotional development for years to come. If a strong bond is not established with a caregiver, specifically the mother, early on in life, a child may go through life experiencing problems in establishing bonds of trust with the world in general. A child who experiences a negative environment for an extended period of time, or who is consistently bullied or badgered by a fellow student or teacher will typically have a drop in self-esteem, which in most cases, causes a drop in grades, and in drastic cases, depression. If a caregiver consistently ignores a baby's needs, never even acknowledging their existence, it will be difficult for this child to develop a sense of self, because "... the infant develops a sense of himself as an agent in the world-as able to make things happen"(p.191). If the infant never receives a reaction from his actions, he loses this sense of self. When children are not given multiple avenues to develop their sense of self, their development may suffer, and as a result self-esteem may plummet.

To promote thinking abilities, teachers should ask open-ended questions. Teachers that constantly ask "yes" or "no" questions not only stifle cognitive development, but language development as well. Asking higher learning questions will add to the student's knowledge base. Posing problems for children to solve will also help to develop thinking abilities. If a preschooler is building a tower with blocks, a teacher could ask him what would happen if you put a large block at the very top of the tower? What if you put only one block on the bottom to hold up the rest of the tower? These questions will typically fall into Vygotsky's "zone of proximal development". For older children, asking them to offer up alternative endings to a story read will promote thinking abilities, as will asking them to predict the outcome of a science experiment. Then change one ingredient and ask how that one change would affect the whole experiment. Creating a hands-on environment will also help to keep students engaged and when students are engaged, they are thinking. To promote the social-emotional well being of the children in a classroom, teachers should always remain positive, even in the face of adversity. Teachers should remain calm, especially in situations that could be seen as hostile or scary to that class. If the authority in the situation remains in control, it is more likely that the students will follow that lead. A great way to promote a positive self-concept is to always post at least one piece of work from everyone in the room. Teachers should never post work that has red marks on it, as this could lead to embarrassment, but displaying a story, picture or report that the child did a superior job on can boost a child's self-esteem. Teachers should also establish rules in the classroom concerning the treatment of all children. Classes that practice inclusion may want to include a rule about helping each other when it is needed. This will help to promote a sense of community and empathy within the classroom. Including parents in studies about different ethnic groups or people with disabilities will help to develop a sense of openness on the subjects. Many times teachers will feel uneasy about asking parents to speak about their disability or heritage, as they are afraid their own ignorance on the subject will embarrass the parent. Normally, parents will jump at the chance to help educate tomorrow's leaders. To maintain sensitivity to all parties involved, teachers could send a survey home at the beginning of the year, asking parents to explain what holidays they observe. This will help in the area of celebrations and topics, and also what can be used to decorate the classroom. If a family does not take part in Halloween, a teacher may choose to instead have a fall harvest party where no representation of Halloween is present. The most important way a teacher can promote respect across all lines is to role model.

In summary, teachers have a huge responsibility to educate students in many aspects. All areas are important to the whole child, and if one area is left out, that area may weaken the child to the point of handicapping them. As responsible adults, teachers and parents should work together to facilitate a positive, enlightening classroom environment that children will blossom in physically, cognitively, and emotionally. By using simple hands-on activities, teachers can reach many learning styles and age groups. By asking higher learning questions, children will develop strong thinking abilities. By establishing open lines of communication about sensitive subjects such as ethnicity and special needs, teachers educate students on embracing differences.

Reference:

Bee, H. (2000). Child and Adolescent Development. Upper Saddle River: Allyn&Bacon.