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Self-confidence and self-reliance are among the many attributes that we want to develop among our students, especially our young learners. We want to make sure that, at a young age, they are able to develop a “Can do” attitude! As teachers, it is our responsibility to create a learning environment that will foster and nurture these positive characteristics. One way of achieving this is to make sure that we are knowledgeable about child development. Child development is the sequence of physical, cognitive, speech, sensory, social and emotional changes that occur in a child from birth to the beginning of adulthood. These sequences of changes are characterized by developmental milestones. Developmental milestones will give us a general idea of what a child is able to do and what they are expected to be able to do at a certain stage in their development. As teachers, it is imperative that we are well versed in the milestones for each stage of development. Knowing this will help us make sure that the lessons, activities, language and assessment methods that we use in class are age-appropriate. Creating an age-appropriate learning experience is all about matching the child’s skill level in all aspects of development, identifying the readiness of a child to learn, and then employing teaching methodologies and techniques best-suited for the level of the age group that we are teaching. Constant exposure to developmentally inappropriate activities can cause the child to develop what is known to be “learned helplessness”. This is a state that occurs after a child has experienced several instances of failing to complete and/or understand the tasks given to them. If they get too frustrated too often, they can start to feel powerless. They would start to develop this idea in their minds that there is no use in trying since no matter how hard they try; they won’t succeed anyway. A child who feels this way will no longer have the desire or interest to participate in class. They would be afraid to try taking risks as they would probably fail anyway. This disinterest could result in possible disruptive behavior in class. On the other hand, a child who is able to successfully complete each task that is given to them tends to develop a sense of pride and confidence in their own abilities and skills. The more success they achieve the more confident they become in doing things independently. This continued triumph over the challenges that they were given will help them develop a “Can do” attitude; a state of mind where one believes that as long as they give it their best and tried hard enough, they can succeed. Thus, it is very important that we ensure a child’s success in class by creating activities and exercises that are doable and feasible for children their age. This does not mean that we make things easier for them. It simply means that we ensure that goals and experiences are to their capacity and challenging enough to promote progress and stimulate interest. I strongly believe that self-confidence and self-reliance are tools that can help any person to succeed in life. That is why as a teacher, it is my personal goal to be able to develop and instill these valuable attributes among my students. Thus, I will make it my absolute target to master the various stages of child development so I can effectively and efficiently achieve this goal.
