My Beliefs About Infant & Toddler Care & Development, Essay Example

A person might imagine at an adult age that one knows everything about children, but the experiences I had at the day-care center really enlightened me about the myriad facets of child development which are too subtle to be observable by gross inspection alone. One’ actual experiences with little children show how curious, intelligent and imaginative they can be, at the same time being quite gullible to the power of suggestion. The curiosity factor was the most vital one, which I feel can be extended upon to build their learning skills. Unless an animate or inanimate object within the visual range of toddlers has some peculiar quality in terms of color, shape, sound and size, it cannot attract their attention without adult intervention. Toddlers usually are focused more onto their immediate environment and the objects within reach. Unless an aural stimulus is provided in the form of an address by the caregiver or the teacher, or in the form of music, a toddler usually keeps busy with the nearest object unless he or she is hungry or needs to go to the toilet. The youngest children within a group usually imitate either the teacher or their immediate neighboring child when engrossed in a common, teacher directed activity such as singing a song or reciting a poem. This was observable in the group setting where the teacher was reciting a poem about the days of the week, with children indulging in similar gestures of raising fingers as the teacher did, or clapping their hands together. When alone, a young child is usually preoccupied with the object or toy he or she has been provided with. In case of ‘JY’, she was enraptured by the colorful pictures she saw in the book and she wanted to share the experience with her mom as she spontaneously called for her when the cat’s picture caught her attention. At such junctures, a teacher can assist the child in learning more about animals by either imitating the general characteristic of such animals such as the mewing of the cat or showing more pictures and videos if possible.  Similarly, in response to aural stimuli, such as music, young children usually respond by dancing or imitating the dancer on the screen if it is shown through audiovisual media. This was exemplified in case of ‘NC’ who kept dancing to the tune while it played, at the same time observing his own reflection in the television screen.  In a group setting, the children showed a tendency to imitate each other as well as following the cues given by the teacher while dancing in response to a song. This demonstrates their ability to socialize with each other as well as power of reciprocating to adult directions and commands.

Such young children need to be cajoled and encouraged into further learning pursuits by picking up cues from their behavior or current preoccupation as I did for a young child playing with toy cars and a garage. By stimulating and encouraging him to paint the wheels of his toy cars I opened up a new avenue for his thought process which can automatically be given a push in a direction which stimulates innovative thinking. In a collective setting, children can be engrossed in activities such as painting by providing them with raw materials and teaching them how to use each object such as brushes, papers and colors. They can be allowed a free hand at painting shapes and pictures with their own imagination which can be used to access their creative potential.

Concisely put, I feel that a teacher learns more from direct observation of children as each one of them has individual learning capabilities, skills and aptitude which can be given a proper direction by the teacher according to unique capabilities. General issues can be handled in a group setting where social interactions and group activities can be encouraged which enable the children to achieve goals which are not possible individually. The experiences gained in direct observation, interactions and class discussions will assist me in using my skills in the most appropriate way in my future profession, as I feel that I am now better equipped to handle any situation encountered while handling young toddlers and children.