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Journal Article Review

Morgan Schulz

EDP 400: Intro to Learning Principles

Professor Wall

October 1, 2021
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Summary

According to the article “so much is going on cognitively, socially, and emotionally in young

children, including infants” (Child Development and Early Learning: A Foundation for

Professional Knowledge and Competencies) than what was previously known. From birth

children are learning and it is important that they have adults with a warm and positive

relationship to support that learning and development. This article gives insight on research in

developmental biology and neuroscience in four categories that show the importance of

environment and experiences for children’s development.

The first category is the developmental window. A child’s brain develops at a fast rate

making connections with neurons. These connections are made through experiences in their

environment which makes this time important because it can hinder a child’s development or

positively impact it. The next category is the interplay of genes and environment. Not only does

genetics have an impact on a child’s development but also their environment can also impact

their development. The third category the impact on stress on development talks about how

stress can negatively impact a child’s development. Stressors that a child can have include

neglect, abuse, their basic needs not being meant, and their parents which are at a lower

socioeconomic status are more likely to have these stressors chronically (Child Development and

Early Learning: A Foundation for Professional Knowledge and Competencies). The last

category individual differences in sensitivity to environments which talks about that some

children are more sensitive to their influences in their environment than other children.

In infants and toddlers there is much more going on their minds then what we think. They

can reason and understand others’ intentions. They can observe something and understand the

cause and effect. Adult’s signals such as eye contact, calling their name, give infants awareness
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that they are being taught. Caregivers and educators can support these abilities by doing

activities that build on their development.

In preschool to elementary children their learning you can see much more than infants

and toddlers. During these ages they are doing a lot of exploring and relationship building with

peers and educators. Studies have shown that children’s abilities a lot of the time are highly

underestimated. To increase a child’s cognitive growth, teachers need to use strategies that

promote higher-level thinking, creativity, and thinking abstract (Child Development and Early

Learning: A Foundation for Professional Knowledge and Competencies). Children at this age are

starting to get control over their emotions and understand what emotions even are. This in return

helps them do work and make discoveries independently.

Instructional strategies are given including teaching going on developmental sequences.

Using combinations of different methods to be effective. Using different assessment methods

and then giving children additional support based off those assessments. Giving children

continuous high-quality support, teaching from early childhood continuing into elementary years.

Children learn language from interactions from peers and people around them. They must

give ample opportunities for children to learn and use language. For infants and toddlers using

language to respond to their emotional needs is crucial. Describing actions done throughout the

day, using songs, flannel board, stories. For preschool and elementary children, doing units that

contain multiple elements, complex language, and vocabulary. Use different types of groups

such as large group, small group, individual to guide peer interactions. Using books that are

interactive to read aloud to the class.

Children use mathematics in their play through comparing, counting, looking at patterns

and shapes. Children need a good foundation for mathematics in their early years. Teachers need
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to understand the content they teach, the levels of thinking and how to assess their class, and

what activities are appropriate for each child and where they are at.

Social emotional competence is important, and it is when the children can understand and

manage their emotions and behaviors as well as have positive relationships with others. This

gives children the ability to work academically by working with others such as peers, teachers

and give attention to their learning. Aspects that contribute to that include relationships with

others, having support and positive relationships. This gives children better social skills and

better understanding about emotions, and to have a more positive self-concept. Regulating

emotions is another part of social emotional. Their ability to regulate their emotions and

behaviors. Children need to have an understanding social and emotional skills. They learn to

think and feel from observing others and talking about it with others as well as experiences. The

way children feel about themselves impacts their learning. The way people give them feedback

whether negative or positive as an effect on them. Finally, stress can also impact a child’s

development such as poverty or abuse.

Children’s development is constructed by adults who provide their care and education.

These adults need to have knowledge about how a child develops and learns, how to have

nurturing relationships, factors that can contribute to positive or negative impact on

development. They then need to use the knowledge to have good interactions daily that help their

development, create positive social development, and be able to recognize that they may need

assessment or specialized supports. The end of the article gives knowledge and how to use that

knowledge to help a child’s development from birth to age eight. It is important for children to

get that high-quality instruction to continue and build a good foundation for academic success.
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Reflection on Article

This article gave a great insight on the knowledge and practices to help a child’s

development thrive from birth to elementary school years. It opened my eyes to how much

learning goes on from the minute a child is born. When I think of an infant and toddlers, I

expected them to be learning but not as much as they are. I had no idea that infants had the

ability reason as well as understand the basics of addition and subtraction. I work in a daycare

and have been for the last 3 years. I have worked all ages in daycare and even working with

infants I didn’t have a full understanding of their abilities of the mind. I always knew interaction;

language was both important when working with infants because it provided basic knowledge

they can later build off. But now I have a better understanding how much more they are capable

of and honestly it just makes more sense after working with them.

Something else that stuck with me was where it said that research showed that teachers

were underestimating their students’ abilities in the younger years. Essentially giving them

activities or teaching them about stuff they already know how to do. That stuck with me because

I am the lead teacher in our pre-k program. It made me think about the activities I give them and

question if I am having them do things that are too easy for them. I want them to not feel bored,

but I don’t want them to feel like it’s too hard. I need to find that balance for them, their zone of

proximal development. We have implemented assessments that I think can help me better plan

that and find exactly what activities they need.

In general, this article gave me a lot of new strategies that I can use in my own classroom

and then continue to use when I become an elementary school teacher. Teaching is about the

whole child not just specific sections of them. The activities I plan and do all have influences in

all the domains of a child’s development. It is important I give my children the high-quality

instruction they deserve to ensure they have good developmental growth.

There were many different theories that connected to this article. The first big one that

goes through the whole article is Bronfenbrenner’s Biological Theory. This theory explains the

different systems with influences around the child that impact their development. Microsystem

being their peers, parents, relationships, and school. This is talked about throughout the article

through saying that relationships with these influences are a direct impact on a child’s

development whether positive or negative.

Erikson’s psychosocial theory is another one connected to this article. This theory states

that there is a crisis in each stage of life and depending on whether they get through the crisis or

not directly impacts a child’s social development (Durwin, C. C., & Reese-Weber, M p. 49) The

article doesn’t directly state this theory, but it ties into it by explaining that children need to be

given independence and explore things on their own. Which ties into the second crisis which is

autonomy versus doubt where toddlers are given the chance to be independent and get a sense of

autonomy or they aren’t given that and have a sense of doubt with what they are doing. Another

example would be the article talking about feedback and how it needs to be positive because

children are sensitive to negative and positive feedback. This would tie into the third stage or

crisis which is initiative versus guilt. This is when children are given positive feedback for trying

new things and being creative and get a sense of initiative. If they are given negative feedback

when they make mistakes, fail or just overly critical they get a sense of guilt.
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Piaget’s theory on cognitive development also relates to this article. His theory is based

on the idea that both nature and nurture play a role in a child’s development (Durwin, C. C., &

Reese-Weber, M p. 116). In the beginning of this article, it explains that it isn’t just nature or

nurture that research is showing that both play a crucial role in children’s development. This

theory also builds off the idea that children build or construct their own knowledge. Throughout

this article it states many times that it is crucial for children to be given independency to explore

and experiment on their own to learn. Whether it be infant, or an elementary student child learn

from not just interactions from others but their own experiences. They then take that knowledge

and use it as a foundation to continue to build more knowledge which is explained throughout

the article.

Vygotsky’s theory emphasized more of the social interaction then piaget’s Vygotsky’s

theory states that there is zone of proximal development which is the difference between a

child’s development level and what their potential developmental could be with more help from

others (Durwin, C. C., & Reese-Weber, M p. 122). This help could be from educators to parents to

peers that have more knowledge on a subject. This connects to the article because they explain

how social interaction from all three of these: parents, peers, educators are important to a child’s

knowledge. It gives practices that can help an educator support their students in their learning to

ensure success and continue to build on their foundation.

Theories that I didn’t see connections with the article were the information processing

theory which explains how children process information and where it goes in their mind. This

article doesn’t focus on how children process information rather than how educators can support

a child’s development and learning. Another theory I didn’t see a connection was Kohlberg’s

theory. Which talks about moral reasoning and how children develop this. While it touches on
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social emotional development and that they need to have empathy for others it doesn’t go into

detail about moral reasoning.

Future Teaching Practice

For me, this article was a great resource for instruction strategies for not only me as a

future elementary teacher but also for me as a pre-k teacher right now. One thing that is the most

important for me is to create a positive and safe environment and relationship with each of my

students. In order for my children to be successful academically, they need a positive relationship

with supports. There will be children that I have in my classroom that may not have that at home

and school could be their safe place. I want all my students to always feel safe and trust me as a

teacher. As a teacher to be able to help them build their knowledge and learn they need to be able

to have that warm, positive relationship so they are motivated to want to come to school and

learn.

Another practice I will be doing is creating portfolios that use multiple ways of assessing

the children. This will ensure that I can recognize each child’s specific needs in order to have

authentic planning and supports for them. Each child is going to have different needs. As a

teacher I need to be able to either help them work on those specific areas or get the proper

resources or supports to make sure they get help on the areas needed. This also ties into using

different instructional methods. Children that are taught in different ways instead of just doing

the same method such as power points and notes each day. They need to have a combination of
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different methods in order to ensure they are successful. This will keep the children engaged and

help their development in all areas instead of one specific area.

Family connection is also going to be a big practice I want in my classroom. My

relationship with each of my student’s families impacts a child whether they know it or not.

Having communication with families ensures that they are also active in their children’s learning.

Giving them the resources and knowledge, they may not have previously had will help flourish

each child develop in a positive way. I would like to find different strategies that I can use in my

classroom that help the parents understand information in a way that is helpful for them and can

also be fun for them to work with their children at home.

There are so many things that this article gives that I will also use in my classroom. It is a

resource that I will keep for when I need to look back if I need a refresher or need help. I hope to

be a great teacher that my students look forward to seeing each day and enjoy being in my class.

I want to have a positive impact on each student’s development that helps them be successful for

years to follow.
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Works Citied

Board of Children, Youth, Families. (n.d.). Child Development and Early Learning: A
Foundation for Professional Knowledge and Competencies. Retrieved October 5, 2021.

Durwin, C. C., & Reese-Weber, M. (2020). Interactive: EdPsych Modules Interactive eBook (4th
Edition). SAGE Publications, Inc. (US). https://reader2.yuzu.com/books/9781071807187