Discussion Question #2

Since the 1960’s early childhood educators have learned about Piaget’s theory of children’s cognitive development, and have been able to recite the four stages of development: sensoriomotor, preoperational, operational, and formal operations. As discussed in your textbook, children in the preoperational stage of development have egocentric perspectives, demonstrate transductive reasoning, and are unable to conserve number, mass, and liquids. Piaget also said that thought precedes language.

Piaget formulated these theories through observation, interviews with children, and using simple experiences that are now referred to as “Piagetian tasks.” Were all of Piaget’s conclusions correct? What evidence supports and which evidence contradicts Piaget’s characterizations of the three-year-old preoperational child? And was Piaget’s concept of cognition accurate in light of Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences and Vygotsky’s ideas about the function of language?

Answer the question, was Piaget right? Remember to back up your conclusions with evidence from your readings.

Discussion Question #1

Sara, an extremely wealthy philanthropist (imagine a female Bill Gates), has made a commitment to helping all children born in Vermont get a good and healthy start in life. Sara has identified you as a child development expert in your region and arranges a meeting with you to discuss what to invest in so that families in your region will be better able to give their prospective babies a better start. What will you say are the best investments Sara can make? What are the limitations? How will the various cultures of the families in your community (think racial, ethnic, as well as socioeconomic) influence your recommendations?

Be certain to consider what you have learned from your readings on families, prenatal development, and childbirth when answering these questions and making your recommendations.

Running Record

Please paste your draft running record as a "comment" so that you can share it with the other class members. I will email you my feedback.

Thanks!

Practicum & Target Child

Describe where you are completing your practicum.
Provide a brief description of your target child such as the child's age, gender, and familybackground. Why did you select this child as your target child?

Welcome to the Advanced Child Development blog!

Welcome to the HEC-EC/ECSE course, Advanced Child Development, blog.

This is a place where you can discuss responses to questions about our readings, and share insights about what you are learning.

This is my first blog, so be please be patient while I learn how to use it at the same time that you may be learning as well.