Developmental changes in the brain-
Early childhood:
The brain strengthens frequently used neurological circuits and allows underutilized connections to shrivel. Synaptic pruning occurs in waves throughout distinct parts of the brain. The front part of the cortex (close to the forehead), which is used for learning new information, controlling behavior, and planning head, undergoes synaptic pruning throughout childhood and adolescence and into adulthood. Myelination continues to protect neurons and speed up the transmission of signals. The two hemispheres of the brain take on increasingly distinct responsibilities. Although synapses are pruned during childhood, adolescence and adulthood, new synapses continue to be formed, reflecting learning through experience. We as instructors should take advantage of a child’s growing awareness of patterns in their environment. Ask kids to think about changing seasons, tidal movements, and holidays. Encourage our kids to gain proficiency in more than one language. Informally expose our kids to advanced cultural and aesthetic systems, such as music, poetry, and geometric patterns.
Motor Skill Development
Early Childhood:
Chatter, fantasy play, and sheer joy accompany gross motor movements in this age group. Often, young children infuse pretend roles into their physical play. They may become superheroes or villains, cowboys and cowgirls, astronauts and aliens. Children of this age are comfortable with a busy level of noise and activity; often working while standing. They can produce higher quality works when encourage appropriately and more slowly by their instructors. Teachers are also encouraged to limit the number or complexity of tasks.
This age group also makes great strides in fine motor skills. They begin to dress and undress themselves; eat with utensils, put puzzles together, and string beads. Some children, such as those born with certain chromosomal conditions and those exposed to alcohol during prenatal development, tend to show delays in fine motor skills. Some evidence also indicates that certain fine motor activities may be easier for girls than boys. Children will copy from the board, but may find it difficult. While writing, they may find spacing and writing on the line to be somewhat a task.
Physical Appearance
Early Childhood:
-Arms and legs begin to lengthen and take on more mature proportions
-Boundless physical energy for new gross motor skills, such as running, hopping, tumbling, climbing, and swinging
-Begin to acquire fine motor skills, such as functional pencil grip and use of scissors.
-Begin to transition away from naps, but can still be seen by way of occasional fussiness around the afternoon time.
-Boys of this age group tend to be more physically active than girls, but girls tend to be healthier overall. These differences continue throughout childhood and adolescence.
-As instructors, we should provide frequent play opportunities outside or in a gymnasium. We should encourage fine motor skills through puzzles, blocks, doll houses, and arts and crafts. We should choose activities that accommodate diversity in gross and fine motor skills.
Importance of Sleep and Rest
Early Childhood:
Children around the age of six tend to need at least 11+ hours of sleep on average. Nightmares tend to be common and children may tend to ask parents for help in dealing with their night demons that may seem realistic to them. When children get insufficient sleep, they are likely to become irritable and have difficulty in adapting to a routine. They may become depressed or even aggressive and have trouble concentrating in class. They tend to perform at low levels academically and possibly even engage in high-risk behaviors.
Chronic Health Conditions to be Aware of
Early Childhood:
We as teachers may observe eating problems, toileting problems, and susceptibility to many mild illnesses like the cold. Children may even believe that “being bad” is the cause of their getting sick. We must realize that some children have special needs. They may have special nutritional or medicine needs. They may need to take dietary supplements or they might fail to take their prescribed medicines if their parents believe they are unnecessary or cannot afford them. We must try to encourage them as best we can to follow through with their advised diets by medical personnel. As teachers, we should allow our students to access the restroom when necessary. Not only this but we must protect and safeguard small children from environmental substance that exacerbate their symptoms (ie: asthma etc).
Overall, as instructors, we can expect our first graders to be more aware of themselves. They will become aware of their fingers more as tools and use them as such. They are sloppy and loud; always in a rush and tend to be somewhat clumsy. Children of this age can be expected to fall backwards out of chairs and can still be trying to distinguish from left and right. Since they tend to still be teething, they will chew on pencils, fingernails, hair, books, etc. They will tire quickly and become sick easily. More or less, they are extremely active in every physical aspect and require immense time outdoors or in a gymnasium.
-this post was written by: Courtney Boyd
-this post was written by: Courtney Boyd
