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Element 4: Benefits of Multicultural School

It is important for a child to be exposed to different cultures and ethnicities while they are growing up, especially when they are in the beginning years of their development. According to Reedly International school.edu, they state that there are four main reasons as to why it will help a child’s development. The first reason they said is that it will make the child a better communicator, which will help their ability to understand different accents and learn their culture as well. The next reason that they said is that the child will develop an open mind to multiple cultures and give them a chance. The third reason is that the child will not form the habit of stereotyping others before they know the information first. The last reason they said is the child will be able to celebrate other cultures’ holidays, which most likely wouldn’t occur if the school wasn’t diverse. I really benefit from this topic, because I grew up in a town that was very diverse in multiple cultures. When I first started elementarily and also middle school, almost my entire school was primarily white. When I started high school, it was a very diverse school with multiple cultures in all of my classes. There are even flags that hang from the ceiling in one of the hallways that have some of the nations that some of my classmates came from. In the end, I wish I had the option to learn about those cultures when I first started school because it really interested me and would have benefited me in high school.

Reference:

The Advantages of Being in a Multicultural Classroom. (2017, June 19). Retrieved October 27, 2020, from https://reedleyschool.edu.ph/blog/the-advantages-of-being-in-a-multicultural-classroom/

Element 3: Children’s Literature Books

It has been said for a long time that different types of books can benefit child development in their early stages of life, and it is actually true. According to Martha Crippen of Luther.edu, she states that reading literature will help develop a child’s opinion recognition, be able to learn different cultures, and lastly to develop emotional intelligence. So when I was growing up, I can name three different books that really benefited my development growing up. The first book that I remember was “Interrupting Chicken” written by David Ezra Stein, and how it taught me to always be patient and how to learn to wait your turn. It really benefited me as well because I never had to most patients growing up and I would interrupt others as well, and it also made me laugh at the same time. The next book that I remember was “We Don’t Eat Our Classmates” written by Ryan T. Higgins and how it taught me how to be nice to others, which also made me laugh while I was reading it as well. The last book that I remember reading when I was growing up was called “Hands Are Not For Hitting” written by Martine Agassi and how it taught me to never hit anyone else. This book actually helped me as well because I had a tendency to hit others when I would get mad. By looking at all of the books that I listed, the common theme with every book is that they serve a life skill to master while making it a fun and silly story.

References:

Crippen, M. (n.d.). The Value of Children’s Literature: Oneota Reading Journal. Retrieved October 26, 2020, from https://www.luther.edu/oneota-reading-journal/archive/2012/the-value-of-childrens-literature/

Element 2: Factors Influencing Early Childhood Development

In the life of a normal family, there are considered three main influences that will impact the development of the child in their early stages. The founder of this information is Ines Van Keer, who works for Parenting and Special Education Research Center, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Catholic University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium. She states that the three influences of a child’s early stages of development are the social setting (home environment), the type of neighborhood that the child is raised in, and finally the recognition of the type of culture that the child is raised into or influenced with. I know that it is a lot to take in, but the main idea that she is trying to display is that the environment that is around the child is important or their development in order for them to be successful. Although there are some people that grew up in a bad environment that have become successful as they grew up, it is a higher chance for your child to become a successful person when they grow up in a good environment. To put it in another way, would you rather be raised in a positive environment and be successful when you grow up, or would you rather grow up in a very bad environment for a child and not develop into the person you could have been? It all comes down to the roots of when a child is around two, which is the start of the early stages of development.

References:

Van keer, I., & Maes, B. (2018). Contextual factors influencing the developmental characteristics of young children with severe to profound intellectual disability: A critical review. Journal of                   Intellectual & Developmental Disability43(2), 183–201.

 

Element 1: Developmental Milestones for Early Childhood

There are three age years that are very important to the beginning years of a child. During the first five years of a child’s life, is when you see the more noticeable from when they were firstborn.  The first age that is very important to a child’s development is at the age of two. At the age of two, a child starts to jump and throw, begins to count, and can understand behavior signs of basic emotions. The next age group that is very important for a child’s development is between the ages of three and four. During that time span, a child will be able to properly use scissors, can begin to count numbers up to ten (and be able to count correctly), and will be able to regulate their emotional self-regulation. The last age group that is very important for a child’s development is between the ages of five and six. According to the book “Infants and Children Prenatal Through Middle Childhood” by Laura E. Berk, she states that between those two age years, a child will be able to tie his/her own shoe, be able to tell the difference between a false belief, and will become a better social problem solver. It is important that it is visible that there is a difference between the ages two and five from everything that I listed. The main concept that is important to note is that the child will become a better social child, grow in size, and be able to expand their knowledge as they get older.

Reference:

Berk, L.E. & Meyers, A.B. (2016). Infants and Children: Prenatal through middle childhood (8th Ed.).
Boston, MA: Pearson Education Inc