A Note of Thanks

  

 

 To my fellow colleagues, thank you for your support and valuable input during this course. I have gained inspiration from you to push forward! I wish you all continued success!



Educationally,

Shelita
 

When I Think of Child Development

 





"We have a powerful potential in our youth, and we must have  the courage to change old ideas and practices so that we may direct their power toward good ends".

- Mary McLeod Bethune, Educator, Civil Rights Activist


I chose this quote because it symbolizes all that I am and understand. Our children are our future and we as adults have a responsibility to encourage them to aspire and reach beyond their dreams! The way we taught as educators in the past has changed drastically today and we cannot be timid with our thoughts about how to educate our children because our children potentially hold the answers to so many scientific and mystical unanswered questions.

      

 "There is in every child at every stage a new miracle of vigorous unfolding, which constitutes a new hope and a new responsibility for all".

 

- Erik Erikson, Developmental Psychologist

 

 

I chose this quote because as children develop from infancy and beyond before our eyes we witness human development at the speed of light and as parents, teachers and specialists each new discovery helps us understand children and their full potential. 

 

 

 

 

 

Testing for Intelligence

     Measuring the intelligence of the whole child in my opinion should be based on experience and knowledge of the child's background or culture. Learning numbers and language and developing gross motor skills is needed to communicate and to successfully function in his environment. However, culturally children are not exposed to the same experiences as the next child. Children that are exposed to museums, travel to other countries or states have a much broader understanding of what the world can offer. Children who have not been exposed to these experiences and probably never will be can only imagine what the world has to offer. So, when assessments are performed on young children exposure should be taken into consideration as well health conditions and parent participation. Parents play a big part in exposing their children to the world around them but they have to be interested in teaching their children and not wait on the school system to limit their child's intellectual ability based on an assessment test designed to test what children know. Who are we to state what a child should know. I firmly believe children know what they know through based on the involvement and teaching from the adults in their lives.

"Education system in Germany"

     In Germany children are assessed and placed in different schools based on their age and their developmental ability and time needed in this particular school to strengthen areas of concern. There are six schools of interest:

• Kindergarten - children begin school at age 3-4 where they learn to socialize, learn alphabets and numbers through play.
• Grundschule (elementary/grade school) - children attend at age 7-11 learning motor coordination for writing and the German language.
• Forder-Sonderschulen (special needs education) - Children with learning difficulties and slower learners.
• Hauptschulen (secondary school) - children that would not manage in the realschulen and are assessed continuously through (tests, exams). Reports are given annually and children work toward their certificate.
• Realschulen (secondary school) - children learn technical and commercial occupations that do not require higher education.
• Gymnasium (high school) - children who are academically capable receive an extensive curriculum and standards are very high. Assessments are carried out by frequent (tests, exams) and dictation tasks are assigned. Children have the option to leave school during klass (grade) 10 but it is highly encouraged for them to complete klass (grade) 12.

Furthermore children are relocated based on their achievements and ability.

References

 

http://www.schome.as.uk/wiki/Education_system_in_Germany