Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Child and Adolescent Development

Jenna's Statements:

1. The roles of adolescents may be similar across peers--family member, friend, student--but even these roles are socially constructed and vary according to many variables, such as family structure, socioeconomic status, gender, and geography.
1. I have to keep in mind that even though there are many theories on development of adolescents, there are a checkpoint for me to refer to. Not every student develops at the same rate. 
2. One may assume that higher levels of the taxonomy are not reached until students are older, near the end of their schooling. This is not necessarily the case.
1. This statement stood out to me because I think sometimes as adults we dumb things down too much for children. Children are smart, and when given the opportunity to expand beyond what they are expected to be able to do, they usually surprise us with their capability to perform tasks. As a teacher, I need to challenge my students and remember to give them the opportunity to go beyond what the "norm" is for them.
3. Nevertheless, we apply tremendous pressure on our children to be good at everything...And none of us adults can. In one way or another, all minds have their specialties and their frailties.
1. I need to keep in mind that not every student will be the best at everything, but this does not mean that he/she is not smart. I do well in math but not reading. I am still smart, and still do well in school because I had teachers who took the time to teach me a different way than the "normal" approach to reading so I could succeed. I hope to be that teacher for all my students.

Alex's Statements:

1. Analyzing the qualities of various materials, they (first-graders) synthesized the information they had learned and created many different kinds of traps and, applying their knowledge of leprechaun preferences, loaded them with appropriate bait.
1. The last part of the quote about loading the students with the appropriate bait stood out to me because it made me realize that students can succeed at things that are not expected of them when equipped with the right tools. I have build many relationship with students through BOOST, and have seen student succeed after a "failure" when equipped with tools that work best with their unique personalities.
2. If students are not encouraged to interact toward new learning or if disagreements are met quickly by the teacher's intervention and solving the problem for them, children will not feel competent to handle problems on their own. Likely, they will always seek adult help to resolve any issues that come along.
1. I need to remember as a teacher taking the leading role in everything can do more harm than good. Allowing my students to independently work through issues will develop skills they need in everyday life. 
3. Classrooms and schools need to offer different types of learning to students, so they can shine in their own unique ways.
1. I hope to create a community where my students feel comfortable to allow their unique skills to shine, including children with diverse abilities.

Tyler's Statements:

1.       “Intelligence is a theoretical construct whose existence can only be inferred on by a basis of a person’s performance on certain types of cognitive tests that only represent a sample of the person’s intellectual skills and abilities.”

a.       What this tells me is that intelligence, while a good indicator of certain things, is not all that should be paid attention to.

2.        “The vast majority of persons with intellectual disabilities have an IQ between 50 and 70-75.”

a.       This means that the vast majority of people with intellectual disabilities can live full productive lives if they are given the right tools.

3.       “Common behaviors of persons with mental retardation include attention deficits, or difficulty focusing and attending to relevant stimuli, and memory problems.”

a.       As these symptoms become more wide spread in the classroom it is important to make sure we label the right students in order to give them the right help as soon as possible. 

Tori's Statements:

• "Once a child has developed a positive self esteem via many experiences if feeling competent, he will be able to exhibit much greater self-control."

• As far as any students goes, making sure to be an uplifting character in their lives is key. Some of the "worst" teachers I had were some of which we're degrading and didn't treat their students like young adults. Some of the "best" teachers I have had gave me uplifting feedback and helped me find the person that I was meant to be. I need to remember that the same applies in the Special Education classroom. In tough times, I need to be a positive light, because all of my students will be finding their identity, and in turn, will be better students because their self esteem will be high in my class, thus their self-control will be also.

• "Each person is unique and has an unique journey of identity."
• Although putting myself in my student's shoes to try to understand them, I need to also remember that everyone is different. I may have not had the same family life, home style, strengths and weaknesses. Because we are all unique, we are all going to find ourselves differently and I need to remember to respect that in each of my students.

• "Trying on" different roles is common in adolescence and made easier by a society that offers many choices."
• Because I would like to be in a middle school setting, this quote really sticks out to me. I need to remember that these students are confused about "who they are" in general, and while they are on the journey to finding themselves, I need to be patient with them and point out the good in who they truly are.

Courtney's Statements:

1. "If teachers create a learning community that values diverse ideas, opinions, and strengths, the children will feel a sense of belonging in a context where they are viewed as competent and appreciated."
1. This statement reminds me that I need to create an environment that is beneficial to all the individuals in my classroom. The children in my class need to feel like they are safe and secure and not have to worry about judgement from others. 
2. "When reading theories about how children typically develop, it is important to be careful not to equate that with normal or acceptable development."
1. It is important that I do not think that someone is abnormal if they are not developing at the same pace as others. I have a tendency to think something is wrong if a child does not act the same way. I need to keep in mind that is perfectly fine to be a little slower than average. 
3. "There are always individuals who progress in ways that do not fit the model described by theorist."
1. I also need to keep in mind that some individuals develop in a different way than the models describe. People can develop in different orders and that is perfectly okay.