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All areas of this form marked with * are essential information and must be completed. Semester*: One Unit Code*: ETP420 Assignment Title*: Assignment 1 Lecturers Name*: Dr Sue Smith Students Full Name*: Elizabeth Geradine Cusack Students Email: * lisa.cusack@optusnet.com.au Student No*: s239335 Students Phone No: 0427871615 Unit Name*: Teaching & Learning 2 Adolescent and Child Develop. Date Due*: Week 9 Submission Date*: 17th April, 2012

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Write your assignment here In this assignment your aim is to link the teaching theory that you have covered in this subject with practical applications and your own developing philosophy of teaching Scenario 5 JoJo is enrolled in kinder each day but doesnt always attend and there is always a tantrum when Mum leaves. She sometimes stays longer and other times she is quick to leave. JoJo has angry outbursts most days and seems happiest in the Directors office. By drawing on theoretical perspectives and developmental indicators in the Kindergarten year, we can start to understand the implications for JoJos social, emotional and cognitive development, and core relationships in her life. JoJos tantrums and outbursts may be a result of her maladaptive social skills, but they may also be attributable to environmental stressors, including family and community, which could be modified to help her better assimilate into Kindergarten. The theories of Cognitive Development; Social and Emotional Well-being; and Family, Peers, Media and Schooling have been drawn on to examine JoJos Kindergarten experience and identify practical applications to smooth this transitionary period. An effective plan must be one that is socially relevant, and individually and developmentally appropriate for this age group. It is important to work collaboratively with JoJos family to assist with her transition into the classroom. By valuing parents knowledge and perspectives on their childrens learning it enriches the learning process. Open communication and consistency in approaches to behaviour tap into respective bodies of knowledge and understanding of childrens development and JoJos in particular. The Kindergarten experience has a lot to offer and it is therefore worthwhile settling JoJo into her potentially new environment as calmly and efficiently as possible. Inconsistency in JoJos attendance at school and the routine that follows the first few precious minutes in the classroom needs addressing. The importance of modelling productive habits of mind by JoJos parents and teachers can contribute to her life skills for success. (Marzano & Pickering, 2009, p.263). The modelling of consistency could be a firm but loving goodbye from the parent after a five-minute settling in period. Effective parenting, such as the authoritative style which is firm but loving, can help to modify a difficult childs maladaptive styles (Berk, 2009, p.424, p.569; Vasta, Haith, Miller, 1999, p.655) and temperaments (Rothbart and Bates in Berk, 2000, p.423). Attachment behaviours become less visible during preschool years except when the child is stressed. (Berk, 2009, p435). Patient, sensitive parental guidance (Rothbart and Bates in Berk, 2009, p.417) may help to regulate JoJos emotions so that a goodness-offit-model emerges (Thomas and Chess in Berk, 2009, p.423). In preschool, peer acceptance is related to the extent to which parents initiate play opportunities for their children (Ladd & Hart, 1992, in Vasta et al, 1999, p.656). Together, parents and teacher can strategise ways to ensure that JoJos environment is dynamic and meaningful so that she looks forward to attending Kindergarten every
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day. This can be achieved by interpreting JoJos play to identify key interests that will absorb JoJo on arrival to the classroom, or to provide her with an important job that she feels valued for. Emotions can effect social and cognitive development, (Berk, 2009, p.325), therefore it is important to ascertain if JoJos anger and tantrums are based on insecurity or larger matters at home. Children need safety in order to learn (Devine & Cohen, 2007, retrieved April 8, 2012 from http://www.wellbeingaustralia.com.au/uba/National Climate Survey 2010.pdf). Gathering vital information regarding JoJos home life may help to understand her behaviour, such as: interests, likes, dislikes and fears; routines; sleep; nutrition; sibling relationships; parental style, risk of harm, and to determine if JoJo is adopting hostile thoughts and emotions from watching violent computer or television programs (Berk, 2009, p.628). As noted in the Professional Standards for Queensland Teachers, identifying information regarding students to set learning goals helps to promote personal development and social participation.(Standard 6, p. 7, Retreived March 3, 2012 from http://www. qct.edu.au/standards/documents/PSQT_ GradLevel_v3_Web.pdf ). I believe in ensuring that all aspects of a childs developmental needs are programmed for and periodically assessed. In this way teachers can supportively encourage JoJo to move from solitary play or onlooker play to co-operative play (Talay-Ongan; Ap, 2005, p.138). By scaffolding JoJos play and working within her zone of proximal development teachers can provide interesting activities and themes to engage her; enquire about thoughts, motivations and emotions; encourage and guide; reduce conflict; and know when to act as mediators or role models. (Berk, 2009, p.238). Incorporating Social and Emotional Learning skills, and strategies that meet specified learning goals, needs, and curriculum requirements is important for JoJo at this stage. (Retreived April 8, 2012 from http://casel.org/why-itmatters/benefits-of-sel/). I believe in providing individual and age appropriate experiences for children, encouraging initiative and self-reliance in an atmosphere of trust and structured freedom. JoJos reluctance to integrate with peers means she is missing out on playing by the rules and engaging with peers and social procedures. The importance of peer interaction between children is emphasised by Vygotskys Sociocultural Theory that took the Piagetian personal constructivism model to one of social constructivism. (Smith, R; Lynch, D; Knight, B, 2007, p.22). Vygotsky proposed that it is within social environments that learners construct their own understandings to represent culturally meaningful activities in play. (Berk, 2009, p.264). Vygotskys social-constructivist classroom is an engaging forum for children to collaborate with teachers and peers, advancing social and cognitive development (Berk, 2009, p.637), and one that resonates with me as a parent as I watch my children learn from their peers in a social context. Important opportunities for reciprocal teaching and co-operative learning are extremely limited for JoJo when she is absent from the classroom. Childrens pro-social behaviour is learnt from more competent peers and adult rolemodelling thereby contributing to their socialisation by influencing behaviour (Berk, 2009, p.624). JoJo falls into Piagets pre operational stage of cognitive development when imaginative play can help to integrate emotions, including highly emotional events in childrens lives (Berk, 2009, p.17). From age three children can develop empathy for
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one another and learn to self-regulate their emotions. (Berk, 2009, p.415 ; Shaffer, 1996, p.223). Vygotsky regarded make-believe play in preschool and private speech in play to be the central source of development for cognitive processes. (Berk, 2009, pp.265-267). Today, The Early Years Learning Framework underscores play as representing the most appropriate stimulus for brain development, and social and emotional learning, (http://www.deewr.gov.au/EarlyChildhood/Policy Agenda/Quality/Pages/EarlyYears LearningFramework.aspx, p.1) with the development of emotional intelligence and prosocial behaviour greatly improving academic and life success (Berk, 2009, p.325). Given JoJos antisocial behaviour, peers could be rejecting her. Children rejected by peers have difficulty in perspective-taking, a deficiency which may contribute to angry outbursts. (Berk, 2009, p.604, pp.616-617; Jennings, 1975 in Vasta et al, 1999, p.650). However, rejected children, in particular, can help to improve social status through intervention (Berk, 2009, p.617; Dodge in Vasta et al, 1999, p.650). Providing social supports to families can also be effective in easing parental stress and maltreatment (Berk, 2009, p.599). Longitudinal studies indicate that children do not automatically outgrow problems, though some do. (Rubin 1993 in Vasta et al, 1999, p.651). Intervention addressing JoJos social and emotional needs is important, such as: modelling, reinforcement, perspective-taking, and problem solving skills to help her adjust and to prepare her for learning in life. (Berk, 2009, p.325; http://casel.org/why-it-matters/benefits-of-sel). Opportunities for engaging in skills such as conflict resolution with peers, restraining impulsivity, exemplifying perseverance and learning other important social cues of pro social behaviour can all be experienced in the classroom. By informally observing JoJos play and assessing her competency against models such as Dimensions of Learning for example, it can give the teachers information to reliably judge JoJos performance and her improvements over time. (Marzano, Pickering, 2009, p.262, p.314). I believe in developing an holistic approach to learning which embodies intellectual, social, emotional and physical skills in children. JoJo is currently exhibiting problematic behaviour that may be symptomatic of stress in her personal environment, maladaptive social capability, and unmet emotional needs. Child development theories would indicate that these behaviours may have implications for JoJos cognitive development, her social and emotional well-being, and her ability to learn and form satisfactory social relationships. However, this may also be a normal response to new stimuli and be short-lived. Teaching theory suggests certain practical applications to assist the child in resolving the difficulties being experienced in her school environment and to remove the obstacles to her development. Appropriate emphasis on her assimilation with her peers and engagement in co-operative play will enhance the childs social, emotional and cognitive development. Teaching strategies may be appropriately targeted to the childs situation but will be of limited effect without better understanding of, and resolving stressors and deficiencies in, JoJos wider environment.

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References Australian Govt. Department of Education, Employment & Workplace Relations (2011). The Early Years Learning Framework. National Quality Framework. Retrieved March 29, 2012, from http://www.deewr.gov.au/earlychildhood/ policy_agenda/quality/pages/earlyyearslearningframework.aspx Berk, L. (2009). Child Development. (8th ed.). (pp. 17, 238, 264-267, 325, 415, 417, 423, 424, 435, 599, 604, 617, 624, 628, 637). Boston MA, United States of America: Pearson Education International. Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (2000). Why It Matters. What is SEL. Retrieved April 4, 2012, from http://casel.org/why-it-matters/benefitsof-sel/ Marzano, R. J., & Pickering et al, D. J. (2009). Chapter 5 Habits of Mind, Chapter 6 Putting It All Together. In Dimensions of Learning. (2nd ed.). (pp. 262, P.263, p.314). Moorabbin, Victoria Australia: Hawker Brownlow Education. Miller, R., Haith, M. M., & Miller, S. A. (1999). Chapter 16, Peer Relations. In Peer Relations. (3rd ed.). (pp. 650, p.655). Wiley, New York. National School Climate Survey 2010, Vol. 1, No. 1, 2010. (n.d.). Wellbeing Australia. Retrieved April 7, 2012, from http://wellbeingaustralia.com.au/wba/National School Climate Survey 2010.pdf Queensland College of Teachers (2007). Professional Standards for Queensland Teachers (graduate level), Standard 6 (p.8). Retrieved March 15, 2012, from http://www.qct.edu.au/standards/documents/PSQT_GradLevel_v3_Web.pdf ) Smith, R., Lynch, D., & Knight, B. (2007). What is Learning? Current Knowledge and Theories. In Learning Management. (p. 22). Frenchs Forest, New South Wales: Pearson Education Australia.

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Talay-Ongan, Ap. (2005). Chapter 8. In Exploring Children's Play: development and contexts / Sheila Degotardi. (p. 138). Southbank, Victoria: Thomas Learning.

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