All children are different. Not everyone is the same. Some are more intellectual than others. Some need more time to learn. Some might have disabilities or problems at home. Or some might have come from a different country. We have to assess each child accordingly.
They need to be developed from birth till they go into university. This includes physically, communicating with others, socially and also how to behave with all types of people, whether they are older or young. A child needs to crawl before they can walk. And needs to learn how to walk before they can run. As a toddler, they will learn how to go up the staircase, or hold a cup of water. Before they start school they will attain physical skills like throwing or cathing a ball or using a fork and spoon. And whilst they are in school, they will learn how to do things in detail and use their eye co-ordination even more. This learning happens at home with parents and family members and in schools. We need to teach them of how important it is to stay active. This is by taking them out for exercise like playing football or swimming. Gradually the more a child eats, drinks etc. the stronger they will become and overcome obstacles. For e.g. when a child, who is nursery, falls over in the playground, the first thing he/she will do is cry. But when they get older, they learn to just dust it off and move on.
A very important skill that everyone needs to learn is how to communicate with people. Communication is a way where we can exchange information between individuals or as a group. Some children are shy, whereas some love to talk. Everyone is different. As babies, you try to keep eye contact with them and by their smile you will know they are happy. As they get older, playing games and talking to them will be a good way to communicate with them. And also join in with them in their favourite hobbies. Each child develops differently.
We should keep an eye out if a child lags a little in an area such as intellectual development. If the lag becomes significant, you should seek professional help. For e.g. When a child is 2-3 years old, they will be able to avoid some hazards to keep themselves safe. By the age of 5, they will start developing a feeling for time, such as how long something takes.
It’s very important to keep everyone happy. It’s a challenging task but very significant. Children tend to get upset very quickly. By praising them, this will encourage them further to repeat the good things they are doing. They deserve to see their own achievements which will make them recognise how well they are doing. Furthermore, it will give them motivation to progress even further. The more time we spend with them as teachers, parents, siblings, friends etc. the more valued they will become. They will also gain a positive mindset whereas if there was no praise, they will always remain downhearted and downbeat. Children fall every now and then, but it’s our reasonability as teachers to make them stand up again and try again and try harder. The more effort we put behind them, the more valued they will become.
There are many examples that can describe how different aspects of development can affect one another. For example, if a child has a language barrier, this can stop other children from playing or talking to this child. This will make feel as an outsider, which could affect their social and behavioural development. Another example may be if a child is overweight and struggles to do PE. The other children may make fun of him, so this would leave the child feeling embarrassed which can lead to a loss of confidence and then it will affect his physical, emotional and social development. Also, if a child has disability, this can affect his physical, social and intellectual development. For example if a child is not able to walk, he may spend more time learning and that will positively affect his intellectual development. It may also leave him confused, not being able to understand why he is different than others, which will affect his emotional, social and behavioural development.
