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Who Is Bronfenbrenner's Theories Of Child Development?

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Among the many different theories in the field of Child Development, one stands out as the most thorough approach to looking at the whole child and all the factors that go into their development. A child’s development, builds upon itself, like those of a Russian nesting doll. (Bronfenbrenner 2009) This theory looks at the child as a unique individual with their own ‘hard-wiring”, who is physically and emotionally connected to their environment, impacted by their individual cultural and social information from their family and society, as well as influenced by external connections - teachers, coaches, friends, etc.., which builds a strong picture of who they are as an individual. (Baltes et al. as cited in Child Development And Education, …show more content…

A teacher or parent must remember that his development is based on human behavior and patterns which is not always predictable. We need to consider the ideas of Richard M. Lerner and Celia B. Fisher that states when Bronfenbrenner’s ideas are tested, the variables of human behavior may modify his system, morph it into a modified system - “...Plasticity (the potential for systematic change)...” Fisher & Lerner, 1994; Lerner, 2002. Given all the variables that must be considered when using this theory - “racial/ethnic, cultural, and developmental diversity and the nature and variation that exists within and across tie in human behavior and development.” (Lerner & Fisher …show more content…

A child is literally bombarded by a multitude of information as they develop during early childhood. Are physiological factors, such as genetics playing a role in their development? Are their emotional and physical needs being met with proper nutrition and and supportive family connections? Have they been set up to compete or compliment their peers and siblings? What are the various systems set in place by generations of family traditions? Given all these variables, children will benefit from educators that are willing to take pieces from all the different theories to get a true, authentic understanding of where a child is developmentally so they grow and continue to develop into healthy, confident

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