Emotional development and the early childhood curriculum
Erik Erikson 8 ages of man By- ms. Swati Popat
Why learn about childrens emotional development
New research shows that depression and other such stressful conditions can start to express themselves much earlier than we knew sometimes during the first year of life. Trauma can trigger the onset; so can stress, and so can still unknown variables. No matter the cause, we're increasingly learning that a baby's brain is not only far more fragile than we realized but far more like an adults too." This startling claim appeared in an article, "Small Child, Big Worries" in Time Magazine (March 21, 2011).
Who is Erik Erikson?
Erik
Erikson was born in Frankfurt, Germany. He was an artist and teacher who became interested in psychology when he met Anna Freud - daughter of Sigmund Freud. She convinced Erikson to study at the Vienna Psychoanalytic Institute, where he specialized in child psychoanalysis.
His theory- the 8 ages of man.
AGE
0 TO 1YRS 2 TO 3 YRS 4 TO 5 YRS 6 TO 12 YRS
ADOLESCENSE
YOUNG ADULTHOOD
STAGE
TRUST VS. MISTRUST
AUTONOMY VS. SHAME AND DOUBT INITIATIVE VS. GUILT INDUSTRY VS. INFERIORITY IDENTITY VS. ROLE CONFUSION INTIMACY VS. ISOLATION
GENERATIVITY VS. STAGNATION
STRENGTH DEVELOPED
HOPE WILLPOWER PURPOSE COMPETENCE FIDELITY LOVE CARE WISDOM
MIDDLE AGE
OLD
EGO INTEGRATION VS. DESPAIR
Erik Erikson and the preschool years.
LETS TALK ABOUT THE FIRST THREE STAGES AS THEY FALL IN THE PRESCHOOL YEARS.
0- 1 YRS- TRUST V/S MISTRUST
Trust has two parts, external (belief that significant adults will be present to meet the babys needs) and internal (belief in her own power to effect change and cope with a variety of circumstances). A baby who successfully adapts during this first stage approaches her second year of life with a sure sense that the world is a good place to be. She believes that others will guide and support her. She trusts that they will lend stability and continuity of care to her life.
0- 1 YRS- TRUST V/S MISTRUST
She knows she has the power to engage adults (through tears, smiles, or fussing) whenever she needs their help. This engaging of adults is part of what educators call attachment. When childrens needs go unmet, they are unable to develop trust in themselves or the world around them.
0- 1 YRS- TRUST V/S MISTRUST
Erikson believed that two actions on the part of parents and teachers help babies develop this basic sense of trust: Holding babies close and having warm physical contact with them when they are being fed Responding right away to their distress when they cry or fuss With consistent, responsive care, they are laying the foundation that will allow babies to grow into strong, confident toddlers ready to assert their independence.
Piaget at this stage.- object permanence.
Object permanence means that the baby has come to reliase that things exist even when he cant see them. Before achieving this milestone, a baby only thinks about what is in his view at the time. For example, if we carefully watch babies we see that before eight or nine months they drop things from the high chair tray and forget without making a fuss. This is because for a young baby if things are out of sight they are literally out of mind.
Piaget at this stage.- object permanence.
then suddenly at eight or nine or ten months, when the spoon drops from the tray the baby leans over pointing and providers are surprised and dismayed when they pick it up and hand it to a smiling baby who tosses it right back down again. This is not the beginning of the premeditated attempts to drive adult crazy. This is the first burst of the joy of learning! This is object permanence.
Piaget at this stage.- object permanence.
This is also the age at which we see separation anxiety in children. They cry when their parents leave them at child care or when their primary caregiver is not present. Now the baby understands that when his parent or provider is not in sight, that person is somewhere else. The caregiver hasnt just ceased to exist. So the baby makes attempts to bring that important other back into view-by crying.
Piaget at this stage.- object permanence.
To support cognitive development in children under two, Piagets theory tells teachers to keep babies safe but interested safe and interesting environment. Babies need to push, pull, and manipulate objects.
respond reassuringly to separation anxiety its a good idea to keep schedules routine.
2 to 3 yrs-AUTONOMY VS. SHAME AND DOUBT
The developmental task of this stage is to acquire a sense of autonomy (independence) without suffering extremes of shames and doubt. A child who successfully adapts during this stage of development will acquire a strong sense of self. She will be able to separate confidently, for limited periods of times, from parents and primary caregivers. She will demand that she do things for herself whenever possible.
2 to 3 yrs-AUTONOMY VS. SHAME AND DOUBT
Toddler teacher become accustomed to the shouts of No! Me! Mine! Me do it! which are characteristic of this stage of development. Toddlers also have a way of being fiercely independent one minute and needy and clinging the next.
2 to 3 yrs-AUTONOMY VS. SHAME AND DOUBT
Holding on can also be constructive : attachment to special people, courage in the face of adversity, or plain old persistence in getting a task done. Letting go can be destructive : tantrums, losing control when angry, hitting or biting.
2 to 3 yrs-AUTONOMY VS. SHAME AND DOUBT
This stages outcome determines, to a great extent, the ratio of love and hate, cooperation or lack of it, and freedom of expression or tendency to suppress feelings that become part of who we are for the rest of our lives. When a child can fully develop a strong sense of self-control without loss of self-esteem, she will feel proud and confident. When a child experiences loss of control and excessive shame, she will tend to doubt herself.
2 to 3 yrs-AUTONOMY VS. SHAME AND DOUBT
Erikson believed that adults can foster independence in children of this age by : giving children simple choices not giving false choices setting clear, consistent, reasonable limits accepting childrens swings between independence and dependence, and reassuring them that both are okay.
4 to 5 yrs-INITIATIVE VS. GUILT
The developmental task of this stage is to acquire a sense of purpose. At first glance, this stage seems much easier for adults that the previous two. Part of that has to do with the childs growing cognitive and physical abilities.
4 to 5 yrs-INITIATIVE VS. GUILT
To support childrens development of initiative in the third stage, Erikson says that teachers can encourage children to be as independent as possible focus on gains as children practice new skills, not on the mistakes they make along the way set expectations that are in line with childrens individual abilities focus curriculum on real things and on doing things
To read more on emotional development How to teach so kids can learn- By Swati Popat Vats- [Link] Prespectives on early childhood educaiton- By David Elkind Theories of childhood- By Carol Garhart Mooney
VERY SIMPLY PUT, IF YOU DO THE RIGHT THINGS AT EVERY STAGE YOU WILL HELP BRING ABOUT POSITIVE TRAITS IN THE CHILDS EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND IF YOU DO NOT THEN YOU WILL BRING ABOUT NEGATIVE QUALITIES IN THE CHILDS EMOTIONAL SET UP.