Child Development

This class will focus on how a child develops from conception to age 5. Students will learn about the factors that affect child development such as genetics, prenatal, early environment and developmental norms.  Students will also be exposed to a practicum where they will apply the foundational theories to real individuals

Student Resources

Physical Development

In this aspect of development the child will be growing in stature, and developing gross (large, whole body) and fine (small, hand) motor skills.  Other aspects could include diet and physical environment. 

Intellectual Development

In this development aspect we look at how it is that a child learns.  Piaget and Vygotsky's theories help to provide baseline understandings as to how a child learns.  This domain may be difficult to see as the children will be in their play time and there will be no structured instruction.  Rainy days and pollution days will however drive students indoors and may allow for this domain to be studied.

Emotional Development

Harlow talks about attachment as love.  Debate has risen up following his work, but his work shows strong emotion in young monkeys that were deprived of their mother.  Attachement theories abound.  Self esteem and regulation of self are also of prime consideration in emotional development.

Social Development

Social Development is best found when looking at how children interact with outher individuals.  Types of play by Parten help to give light to how quickly children may become involoved in others around them.  Social and emotional domains are closely linked.  As even one aspect of social development is to understand emotions of others.