ECE 31 & 131 ~ Day 12 - School Age Psychosocial

4/24/19

O. García ~ Spring 2019 1

Psychosocial development during middle childhood

• School age observation project due next week,May 1 – No late papers, please!

• Plan ahead for the last research project due May 15: Adolescent Development

Today’s class

Note: Registrations for next semester begin next week.

Planning ahead for the last research project: adolescent development

Option: observation -or- interview Will explain next week … BUT

§ If interview: must obtain permission from teen’s parent (bring proposed form to class next week)

§ If observation: must select a junior high or high school and ask permission now to visit and observe no later than May 8.

§ Assignment due date: May 15 ~ No late papers accepted

Find a partner (someone new):

Thinking back to your own middle childhood

(7 to 11 years old)

Think about your friendships from the time you were 7 to the time you were 11:v What was considered important by you and your

peers?v What kinds of activities did you do with friends?

v How much adult supervision was there?

v What did you learn from friends that you could not learn from adults?

The Nature of the Child§During the middle years, what factors contribute to a positive sense of self?

§What helped you develop the positive aspects of your self-image?

During middle childhood a positive sense of self is related to: 1.Academic

competence2.Social acceptance

by peers3.Social support

from parents and teachers.

Skills and self-concept are reciprocal

Success in school fosters self-esteem and feelings of industry and productivity (opposed to a sense of inferiority)

Academic learning and achievement

ECE 31 & 131 ~ Day 12 - School Age Psychosocial

4/24/19

O. García ~ Spring 2019 2

According to Erikson... There is a “conflict” that the individual must resolve during middle childhood…

Industry vs. inferiorityis Erikson’s fourth stage of psychosocial crises, in which children see themselves as competent or incompetent.

During middle childhood, kids develop a more complex self-concept. Cognitive advances lead to more self-criticism and self-consciousness.

Positive self-concepté ê

é undertakes new

activities and tasks

ê

é learns more; gains,

more experience

é ê

undertakes more activities

Negative self-concept

é frequent failure(criticism, exclusion, or abuse)

êé feelings of

inferiorityê

é less initiative, less exploration

é êless experience,

é learns less, knows less

Between ages 6 and 11,what might be indicators of psychosocial maturation?i.e. what might you reasonably expect of a child?

Ref. 11th edition ~ p. 370

• Perform chores• Tell time and have schedules• Have homework• Try to conform to peers• Voice preferences about their activities• Have responsibilities for younger siblings or pets• Participate in family’s work• Strive for independence from parents

Thinking about your school-age observation

During your observation of school age children in an elementary school classroom:Ø What examples did you observe

of children applying themselvesto achieve mastery of specificskills and tasks?

Ø What aspects of the classroomenvironment might contribute to a positive sense of productivity, or, on the contrary, to a senseof inferiority? Be specific.

Coping with life: ResilienceWhat is resilience?Resilience is the capacity to develop optimally by adapting positively to significant adversity.◆ It is a dynamic trait, varying with time

◆ It is not the absence of pathology, but a positive adaptation to stress

◆ The stress may vary in significance✦ Children can be affected by stress that is cumulative

(e.g., “daily hassles”)✦ How the child interprets the stress is important✦ Daily routines are key in coping with stress

Example: after-school activities

ECE 31 & 131 ~ Day 12 - School Age Psychosocial

4/24/19

O. García ~ Spring 2019 3

The influence and the role of family Ø During school age

relationships change between children and parents. How?

Ø How much influence do you think that parents have on the social skills and personality of their children? Explain.

Ø Curious to know if your idea agrees with the research? (see pp. 416-417)

Research shows the various types of families among U.S. children, known as family structures.■ What are some common family

structures? (p. 420 )

■ More important than who lives with a child is family function (i.e. family dynamics), for example: ◆ the way a family works to meet the needs of a

child◆ the way people in the family care for one another

§ What are the most important things that every school-age child needs from family? 11th edition: pp.376-374 ~ 10th edition: p 418

The influence and the role of family

“Getting along with peers is especially crucial during middle childhood” (Berger, p. 395)

What do you think?

Why?

Friendships v Friendships are highly valued during middle childhood.

v Most ten-year-oldshave one “best”friend.

v Older children tend to choose friends whose interests, values, and backgrounds are similar to their own.

Around age 10, was this true for you? Reflect on your own experience.

The culture of children: a particular set of rules and rituals passed down from older to younger children

§ Appearances and social comparisons are important to school-age children. How?

§ How does one fit in with peers?Ø Adjust behaviorØ Negotiate, share and compromise Ø Rules, clothes, language, secrets

What challenges might be present for immigrant or social minority children?

Social acceptance Some children are popular, some are ignored, and some are unpopular. Why?During your own school years, what do you recall about social acceptance or rejection? ✦ What factors contributed to a

student being liked or disliked? Research shows: (11th edition: pp. 387-388; 10th: pp. 430-431)

✦ How might you guide a child who is unpopular?

✦ How might you guide a child who shuns or shows antipathy toward another child?

ECE 31 & 131 ~ Day 12 - School Age Psychosocial

4/24/19

O. García ~ Spring 2019 4

Thinking about your school-age observation During your observation of school age children in an elementary school classroom:• What did you observe

regarding peer relationships?

• Describe examples of students who appeared to enjoy social acceptance.

• Were there any whoappeared to experiencesocial rejection?

■ Bullying involves repeated, systematicefforts to inflict harm.

■ This includes physical attack, taunting, teasing, name-calling.What factors contribute to the development of a bully? Look it up –11th edition: p. 388; 10th edition: 432

Contributing factors to bullying include:Ø Inborn brain abnormalities or genetic impulsesØ Insecure attachmentØStressful home lifeØHostile siblingsØ Lack of knowledge & experience of how to control aggressive impulses

Bullying

Bullying: what needs to change? ■ What does not work?■ What works?

Look it up – 11th edition p 390+ t10th ed. p.433

■ Everyone must change, not just the bullies

■ The entire culture of the schoolneeds to be evaluated, changed, re-evaluated.

5-minute write Based on what you learned tonight:What are some specific steps that parents and teachers can take to foster positive personality development in school-age children?