Child Development Theories

Sundus Al Ghafri 

Abstract

This assignment mentions four child development theories from different theorists and explores all the theories. With results from questioners I was able to see how well the theories were agreed or disagreed by different people. Each question is based on one of the four theories, which I explained in the methodology. I then discuss the strengths and weaknesses of each theory and put my on input on why the results came out the way it did. In the end I concluded by mentioning all the theories that were stated in this essay.

Introduction

            Child development is the most important part in a child’s growth. Child development is how children can do difficult and complicated things, as they get older. The development of a child was not of interest to anyone in the past, it was only in the early 20^th century when studies on child development was conducted, however these researches were all about the child’s abnormal behaviour. Eventually the typical child development began to form interest in researchers. In this essay I will explain four of many of the child development theories that are an important aspect in the growth and progression of a child.

Literature Review

            There are many theories on how children develop; I’ll just mention four. Piaget’s Cognitive Development Theory talks about how the child perceives the world, the need to interact with things physically in order to understand them. Another theory is Skinner’s and Bijou’s Behavioural Child Development Theory where it focuses on how the environmental interactions affect a child’s behaviour, it looks at how our experiences shape us into who we are. Erikson’s Psychosocial Stage Theory explains that the social environments around the child will a have an affect on their social emotional growth. Gesell’s Maturational Theory describes that the child’s genes and biology is the reason for the behavioural traits and developmental trends in a child. Parents and teachers have little influence on their behaviour.

Methodology

            Each question is based on the theories of child development. The first question is about the environmental factors that affect a child. Secondly, the experience we have are often the reason we turn out they way we do. Third question suggest that a child to fully comprehend and understand what’s in front of them, they should physically interact with, And Lastly, the Maturation Theory believes that what ever behaviour a child perceives it is through their genes and that parents and teachers may have little o no affect on the child behavioural traits. All the questions can be found on the appendix.

            My research was conducted in Bayan College using the library facility to help. The research was done on April of 2012 with the help of my partner Melanie Marian Crasta with the questioners. Also, the help of Mr. Michael during class hours.

Results

Different people did fifteen questioners. The results show that the majority chose ‘Both’ in all the four theories. A few have disagreed with the theory, however the rest chose ‘Agree’ as their answer. These results show that everyone might not favour all of the theories different people have different ideas. Question 1 the theory of cognitive development showed balanced results. In question 2 of Behavioural Child Development Theory is displays the majority chose ‘Agree’ and ‘Both’ and a couple have selected ‘Disagree.’ Erikson’s Psychosocial Theory in question 3 presents to be both favourable and unfavourable it got the highest of them all. The last question was mostly agreed by everyone and disagreed with couple. Not many disagreed with the four theories.

Discussion

            Behavioral child development theory looks on how the atmospheres around us shape us to who we are, however; it completely ignores the affects of one’s thoughts and feelings. Piaget’s Cognitive Development theory indicates that a child should interact physically in order for them to understand it, which basically means that if they don’t they will never learn. Everyone has a different way of understanding things some by observing and others by examining. The Psychosocial Theory of Erikson’s proposes that the social environment around us has a great impact in our social an emotional growth, but with the advancement of technology social interactions are becoming less and less.

            I think the results came out equalised, because most of the people related with all four theories, as did I.

Conclusion

            In conclusion I would like to say that all the four theories presented to be suitable, but not complete. Every theory is correct, in my opinion, we may learn from through interacting with the environment physically, we may benefit form the social environment around us, we may be who we are because of our genes that were passed along. At the end of the day we all need to strive for a better future for our kids and focus on how to make a better generation.

Sources

Aldridge. J., Goldman. R., (2007) Child Development Theories.

http://www.education.com/reference/article/child-development-changing-theories/?page=2

Cherry, K., (2012) Child Development Theories.

http://psychology.about.com/od/developmentalpsychology/a/childdevtheory.htm

McElhenny, A., (2009) Maturation Theory.

http://maturationtheory.blogspot.com/

Oswalt, A., (2012) Child & Adolescent Development. 

http://www.gulfbend.org/poc/view_doc.php?type=doc&id=7927&cn=28

May Love Be Praised - Reem Al Lawati

A Poem Written by: Reem Al Lawati

Translation by Issa J. Boullata

Reem Al Lawati is an Omani poet who began to write young at the age of fifteen. Reem wrote under a pseudonym because the themes of her poetry often talked about love, which is considered a taboo in society. Her latest collection of poetry works is Invented Stupidities (2006).

About him:     
  

Praise be to Him who has made love a “fate” for us
                       

Offer your rose before the dream is extinguished
                       

This month is one of God’s months that is beginning
                       

 O strange woman
                       

And the farthest distance from you is alienation

About her: 
                       

Praise be to Him who has made a “fate” for us


of one love meeting another love


and who has made Time more knowledgeable than we are


Two eyes observing the horizon of love’s absence, wondering

will it rise when the sunrise is on the wane

Both singing:
                       

Have mercy on a love that is more
                       

than a woman coming out of a man’s rib
                    

more than a swelling, leaving an emptiness inside her
            

Praise be to you
                  

she is the resurrection of a voice coming from nonbeing
             

after life has flowed into its limbs

She/He: 
                       

Primordial matter of chaos
                       

is what knocked on heaven’s doors
                       

a kiss of intercession pouring out on its palms
                       

when night is more than a long chapter in the novel of time

He: 
                      

Come, I will paint a star on your palm
                       

and the henna of vision on your other palm
                       

Wave to a direction no one knows but you
                       

and no one will tread on but me
                       

Make the dry river in my land gush
                       

There is water here that used to overflow
                       

being a flood of the gods of love

She:
                       

And washing myself in you
                       

is a bridge that God has extended between two hearts
                       

The water was abundant when it met us
                       

so abundant that it was drowned by us

Confidential whisper:
                       

This breath coming out from deep inside, “Aaah
                       

praise be to you. Help, help. Save us from yearning.”

The poem May Love Be Praised talks about love and how God made love a fate for us in which we should experience in our lives. The spiritual love between God and he/she is the most powerful love, which we should nurture. Both he and she are talking about the same thing, but they both interpret it differently. What the poem tells us is that the spiritual love should always overcome the materialistic love.

The first stanza is addressed to her by him urging her to appreciate the love of God. Offer your love to Him before it is too late (love may fade/death). The holy month is the time to get closer and create a strong spiritual connection. “O strange women” he is addressing the love between Him and the beloved that the love between them will further apart and once you forget about Him, He will forget about you.

The Union of love is a destiny made by Him. He knows more about time and what will happen in the future, because he made time so make the most of it while you still can. God waits for his answer searching for the love and wondering if it will ever be as it once were.  Value the love of a women and don’t just consider her a toy to be played with she is an equal and treating her less then that leaves a huge emptiness within her. She is a being that is searching for her identity in the chaos.

The chaos is just the beginning, the start of destruction. The unity and kindness of humanity will slowly distance away when the materialistic love becomes more important than the spiritual love. God is calling for them to come to Him, he will guide you with the stars and give you the bright vision with the henna. He will guide your destiny to a direction no one knows but you and no one will walk on but Him. Make the empty land flourish with the water of love and purity. Bring back what once was a land flowing with the love.  

In the first two stanzas the first line is repeated indicating on the emphasis and effectiveness of the meaning. ‘Fate’ symbolising love is the important theme, the destiny in which love of God is sacred. To "Offer your rose” is to give the you love to God before it fades away and is forgotten. The two eyes watching the horizon are a symbol of the eyes of God, the sun and the moon, waiting to embrace the love.

The palms represent unity and kindness in which God asks us to show to him, and make an end to the dark night of sin that has overcome us and allowed us to forget our maker. The metaphor in stanza five, line two "henna of vision" is the spiritual message and guidance given by God. In stanza five, line five "the dry river in my land"  comparers the emptiness and the absence of the love like a dried river that needs to be filled with purity of water, in this case its love.

In my opinion I think that the poet is pleading the reader to forget about the chaos of the world, remember Him as their saviour and know that if you give him love, you will feel the love back. It is a primitive and a destiny we can’t escape from, if we embrace it we’ll feel the joy of the world and if we refuse it then there will be a cloud of destruction and darkness following us around.

Sources

http://www.blackbird.vcu.edu/v9n2/poetry_gulf/al_lawati_r/love_page.shtml

http://www.blackbird.vcu.edu/v9n2/poetry_gulf/al_lawati_r/index.shtml

        

Binge-Watching? What is it?

Sundus Al Ghafri

Ever had that feeling where you feel left out of the conversation while the rest of your friends talk amongst them selves about the latest popular show on TV. what do you do next? Oh yes, go on a marathon! No not that 26 mile marathon you run for a good and healthy cause. Its the other marathon where you forget your friends and family, forget your work and basically forget you ever had a life.

Oh the cost of keeping ourselves current. I cant remember when was the last time I ever had a good night sleep.

The journey of binge-watching starts with a simple "Did you watch the latest episode of ..?" And while we are consumed by the plot lines of the stories, invest our thoughts and dreams in the characters love relationships we often forget the people closest to us.

As I was reading more about what binge-viewing is I came across  a funny but accurate description of the level of emotional, mental and physical stages we go through (well, I go through) when we sit down to watch a show. "22 Struggles Of Binge-Watching A Show" demonstrates step-by-step what happens when we are immersed in a show. 

Media services like Netflix have changed the way we perceive and look at shows. A few years ago people had to wait every week to watch an hour long show, where as now, we can watch a 5 year long show in just 5 days. 

Binge-watching removes the obstacle of cliffhangers. and for some that might be a good aspect and yet for others it might not. Those cliffhangers are put in place to attract and grab the viewers attention. Its there to keep the hook on.

What we don't realise is that when we might think we want to know verse the fact of actually watching it right away are two completely different things. We sometimes regret after the fact and wished we hadn't clicked on the next episode. The pauses between each episode allows us to absorb and sink in all the information and details of each episode and value the way the story is told and portrayed.

To me, for as long as I can remember binge-watching has always been apart of my viewing process. Since most shows don't air at the same time in the Middle East as they do in the US, my friends and I have grown accustom to watching everything online all in one go. I just don't have the patience to sit and wait for each episode, every week to find out what happens next on so and so. Thats how I've always watched it and I think thats how I'll always will.

Sources
http://www.buzzfeed.com/ariannarebolini/struggles-of-binge-watching-a-show
http://money.cnn.com/2013/12/13/technology/netflix-binge/

A Poem

Sundus Al Ghafri

Facial expressions 

Are simple discretion's

Of our deepen submissions

To the fairy tale delusions

A precaution

To hide the frustrations

Of the longing emotions

we manifest of of our imaginations

A realization 

To the harsh actualization 

Of a life filled with fogy destinations 

Guided by our many tribulations

A generation 

Filled with false representations 

Of a media life inspirations  

Misleading different nations