Theories That Help Us Work Effectively with Families
Microsystem
What are the direct influences on the child (Parents, teachers, peers)?
Large motor skills
What are skills that use large muscles such as arms and legs?
Middle childhood
What are the ages of 6 to 12 years old?
Focus on cognitive development (theorist)
Who is Jean Piaget?
What is frontal lobe development?
Mesosystem
What are interactions between microsystems (ie. Parent-teacher relationships)?
Small motor skills
What are the small muscles such as hands and fingers?
The child's brain reaches adult size.
What is the age of seven?
Industry vs. Inferiority stage—children develop pride in accomplishments or feelings of inadequacy.
Who is Erik Erikson?
Increases white matter and processing speed.
What is Myelination?
Exosystem
What are indirect environmental influences (ex. Parents’ workplaces, healthcare system)?
Social-emotional development
What is development of social skills and emotional control (Ie. mental health awareness)?
hippocampus development and hemisphere coordination
What are two brain areas that work most in collaboration during middle childhood?
Social learning theory—children model behaviors they observe in their environment.
Who is Albert Bandura?
Refines gray matter, improving efficiency.
What is Synaptic Pruning?
Macrosystem
What are larger cultural and social influences (Ie. Societal beliefs, laws, economy)?
Anecdotal observation
What is documented un-biased observation?
5-7 pounds per year, 2 inches per year
What is the growth rate of children in middle childhood?
Emphasis on social interaction and scaffolding—how social environment influences emotional regulation.
Who is Lev Vygotsky?
Thickens, improving inter-hemispheric communication
What is Corpus Callosum?
Chronosystem
What are changes over time (Ie. Shifts in family structure, historical events)?
Most critical period for brain growth.
What is the moment of birth?
+ the first 7 years of life
What are key developmental improvements in middle childhood?
A time of self-comparison with peers
What is middle childhood?
What is Hippocampus-Frontal Lobe Connections?