Lifespan Development Personal Statement

I am currently studying a degree in Early Childhood Studies at Stranmillis College. This course has given me a strong foundation in how children learn, think and develop and the theory underpinning the multi-professional and multi-disciplinary of early year’s services. Previous to this I completed an HND in Working with Children and

     Going back forty-five years is not an easy task to complete because I can’t remember some of the finer details of my childhood. I know I was born on a hot August afternoon in Birth Year at Place Of Birth in City ands State. My mother was just twenty-two at the time and was already the mother of two, I was her third child. My father was twenty-one and already a workaholic, I know because my mother would constantly remind me not to be like that. My mother and father were good parents and they tried to give us the best upbringing they could. My father was the kind of person that believed he should provide and protect his family, and he did a very good job of doing that.

Through working with 0-2 year olds it has provided me with opportunities and experience to acknowledge children’s needs by finding ways to communicate through body language. By having opportunities to extend by knowledge via different courses has allowed me to extend my knowledge. Although I have gained a

I have always known that I wanted to make a difference in society by becoming a teacher, due to my love of children and helping people understand various topics. I have worked with children by babysitting, instructing karate, leading children’s Sunday school, and working at a summer camp. By doing these activities I have established bonds with diverse groups of children, but at the same time, I kept a professional and respectable boundary. I have successfully worked inside a planning department alongside people of all ages and personalities in planning activities and lessons for kids.

From ages 6-11 you are considered early middle childhood. Around these ages you start changing your physical development by growing about 2 to 3 inches in height and 5 pounds in weight each year. A female body will mature quicker than the male body. Girls are slightly lighter and shorter than boys at ages 6-8, and then at age 9 it gets reversed. Around the middle childhood age the lower portion of the body is growing fastest, children appear to look long-legged. Girls end up having slightly more body fat and boys have more muscle. Between ages 6-8 the child should be able to do independent things like dress themselves, and tie their shoes. Children also start to develop more independence from their parents. It becomes important for a child

I am an enthusiastic, responsible and a studious individual with a desire in pursuing a future career in primary/childhood education. One could say that in order to work effectively and correctly with young children, you must have the capability to be patient. Young children process information variously than grownups. You might have to repeat and explain yourself a lot as it takes time for them to understand. A responsible adult must also have the ability to compromise with any disruptions that may develop. It is essential to obtain exceptional communication skills. Communication involves listening and reading skills. When working with children, an adult must be able to swing complicated content into small and understandable content in order

On October 13, 2017, our Life-Span Development class had the opportunity to observe the physical, cognitive, and socio-emotional development of Levi, a seventeen-month-old male toddler. When he came to the observation with his mother, father, and sister. With the whole family coming to the observation, we were able to observe more interactions, and learn more from the parents. The observation was conducted at Dordt College in room 1309, and the infant’s parent consented to participate in the live observation.

Working with children has been my number one career prospect since leaving school, but at first was undecided of the age range. This lead me into attending Franklin College to study English and Psychology at A level. However, felt this was not the right choice for me. After being disheartened from my experience at college I decided to apply for Level 2 Childcare at my local sixth form. I became intrigued by the various approaches to working with children and learning how children develop.

Discuss your role as an early years’ practitioner in supporting young children’s learning and development

I believe that each child is a unique individual who needs a safe, creative, organized, fun and caring atmosphere. The purpose of this type of environment is to help my students grow emotionally, intellectually, and socially. Teaching young minds is a job that can’t be taken slightly. I am aware that teaching young minds will require long hours of planning and a lot of patience but I also know that those same children will bring a lot of joy into my life and in my eyes and heart, there is no other profession as rewarding as a teacher.

The first 5 years are pivotal in a child’s life. What a child learns during this fundamental period will forever mold and shape them. It is a tremendous benefit that they have exposure to an excellent teaching staff. It would be desirable that all children could avail this resource. However, though that is idealistic, I hope my entry into the field improves the lives of the children I serve. It is my aim to meet this standard of excellence in guiding children to learn developmentally appropriate skills which will help them achieve a successful academic future.

Personal Development refers to accomplishments that improve self-knowledge and foster talents and potential, form employability, boost quality of life and contribute to the fulfillment of desires and dreams. Personal development is not limited to self-development but also embraces actions for developing others. As personal development takes place in the context of societies, it refers to the tools, techniques, and assessment methods that support human development at the individual level in organizations. Reflective leadership is a way of approaching the work of being a leader by leading one 's life with presence and personal mastery. Without self-awareness, I cannot understand my strengths and weakness. Sometimes, leaders greatest strengths may become their greatest liabilities. Their personal characteristics and behavior forms may adversely influence how others perceive them. Reflective Leaders are sometimes considered reserved or even indifferent which results in feeling undervalued, misunderstood, ignored, and not acknowledged for their contributions.

This assignment identifies and discusses the relevant theory and theorists and discusses the influences possible on lifespan development from the time of conception to 20 years of age. I will analyse my own life story in relation to theories of lifespan development participating my understanding of the domains of development and the age old argument of nature versus nurture concerning the Biological and Environmental influences on one 's development and whether they may or may not have influenced my development during that stage of my life.

Children have the opportunity to grow, but they all need to start somewhere. Choosing a career in teaching means being a part of a child’s growth, no matter what age. The reasons to why I want to become a teacher are to leave an impact on my students, have every day be a new experience, and because I understand the importance of education. Every year, every day, and every second leaves a chance to influence a child’s life.

After watching video clips from module 1406 where the practitioners observe the children during the whole day I have become more confident when completing this task. The further studying also supported this matter as The Teaching Company (2008) promotes a range of observations and influences practitioners to step back and watch children, as it helps to notice stages of their development and their developmental needs. In comparison to my previous beliefs, the biggest change is the way I look at the learning process now. I appreciate that we should not put too much stress on what we teach, but rather on how we teach as learning is a process and the learning journey is more important for children than the final outcome.