Monday’s lecture on Applications of Cognitive Development was a lecture that stood out for me. The lecture was interesting to me because I wanted to explain the concepts taught in class to my brother. Over the holiday weekend I had a chance to visit my brother and interact with my niece. During the weekend while I was socializing with him I made a comment to him about how shy my niece was. He explained to me that she was always quite and asked for my advice. I told him that she needs more social interaction with children her age. My initial suggestion was later confirmed when I saw her playing with her cousin and talking with each other. When I brought this to my brother attention, my parents chimed in and stated that she talks all the time at church. Once again I thought that I was on the right track. As I was leaving for home at the end of the weekend, my brother asked me to call him if I thought of anything else. I didn’t think much more of the topic until I heard the lecture on Monday.
The lecture was on two approaches to children learning. The first approach was the “child as scientist” perspective and second was the “child as apprentice” perspective. The first approach is often referred to as the “theory” theory or the Piaget theory. The concept behind this approach is for the child to do the learning and have the parent aid only when needed. The “child as scientist” approach is based off three ideas. The first one giving your child an opportunity to explore and observe things as they happen. The second idea is to answer questions that your child has explanations that lead back to underlying principles. The third idea is to have your child interact with their peers. The other approach that you can have with your child is the “child as apprentice” perspective. This concept is based off interaction with adults. The first point behind this approach is to give your child an opportunity to interact with their parents. The second point is to set up scaffolding concepts for the child. The third point is to have your child participate in cultural relate activities.
After Monday’ lecture, I went home and called my brother to discuss what I just learned. As I was talking with him, I was explaining to him about the different approaches that were discussed in class. I was explaining to him about the ideas and the points of each approach. I give him my advice that he should use a combination of both approaches. The first thing that I recommend to him was to enroll her in a day care system where she can socially interact with her peers. I than advised him to try and include her in activities that he does. The last thing that I recommend to him was to start reading to her.
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I thought that Monday's lecture was also relevant in my internship with the two year olds. They are at risk children who with early intervention won’t have the same trouble dealing with things as their parents did when they are older. This is a concern and some of them don't seem to know how to appropriately interact with other children. We want them to know how to interact with other children in order to help them grow and develop. It seems to stunt them if they are not able to interact with children their own again and speak with them freely as they would be less likely to do with an adult. Through the relationship with children their own age they are able to develop a sense of what they are supposed to be doing and what they are supposed to be learning.
I also agree that it is important for children to have a safe interaction with adults, because it is obvious how much parents and other adults mold children into young adults. It scares me sometimes because you think when I become a parent someday I am going to do all of these things to make sure my child is well adjusted and smart, but just by me doing something different might affect the way my child turns out. While at the nursery I spend 4 hours pretty much one on one time with certain children and I have just really started to notice how they have really developed over the last 2 months and how they really do mimic or imitate what adults do. We really do build the scaffolding and they keeping building from there. For instance the other day I was clicking my tongue and playing with a puppet. The puppet became a second avenue of entertainment for them and me clicking my tongue became the first. It was so fascinating to them, as if they had never heard anyone do it. So at least four of them attempted to click their tongues and it just really set in stone for me how influenced children are by adults and how it is up to us to show them the right path and give them all of the appropriate interactions they need with children and adults.
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