Growth and development are major aspects of any creature on earth. Right from birth to death, there are various stages through which an individual develops. In human beings, there is development in various fronts. This essay will focus on development in the physical realm and how the development can be enhanced through the classroom setting.
Physical Development
Motor Development
Since birth, a human being goes through various stages of development. There are various developments that occur at this tender age. Chief among these developments is physical development that entails the acquisition of the motor skills. Children in the schooling years are usually at a stage where they acquire the motor skills, both gross and fine skills. According to Lecture 2 (2012) development of the motor skills starts right from the activities that a young individual starts engaging in. this is where there is learning on how to use the various parts of the body and the organs thereof.
At this stage, there are various requirements that are needed in order to enhance the development. Food and nutrition are important as this is the stage where the young individual also increases in mass. The World Bank (2011) indicates that the physical development of the child involves three factors: these are nutrition, health and the gross and fine motor skills. As a teacher interacting with the small children, it is necessary to identify the concerns of the children at this age as this is the only way through which their development can be easily enhanced.
In looking at the child’s developmental needs, it is worth noting that there are also some environmental factors that dictate how the development occurs. Child characteristics play a major role. This is where the abilities and capacities of the child determine how the child develops. There are also family characteristics such as parenting which determine the kind of person that the child becomes. A proper upbringing environment ensures healthy kids. Lastly, there are the community characteristics where the societal issues determine what gets into the child as it develops (World Bank, 2011).
Benefits of Physical Activity
There are many positive effects associated with physical exercise that a child gets involved in (Anon. n.d). Among these benefits is the development of a strong muscle system which aids in the development of the motor skills. As such, active children tend to be fit and more attentive that the inactive children. Here, it is worth noting that the child is developing growing in mass and weight. As such, it is important that physical activity is enhanced so as to ensure balanced development. Talking of balance in development, it is worth remembering that all play and no work makes Jack a mere toy. Therefore, in order to enhance a balanced development, the teacher should plan the time well so that there is time for play and time for other activities. This also helps in reducing fatigue (Lecture 2).
Physical activity also has positive effects on the development of the finer motor skills of an individual. Lecture 2 (2012) explains that children brought up in confinement tend to have problems not only in the physical sense but also in the emotional and social perspectives. This arises because the child is not used to interacting with the environment in a comprehensive manner. It is, therefore, important for the teacher to identify the children with such problems and know the proper methods to apply in order to enhance the development of the child.
Physical exercise also helps in easy acquisition of the finer motor skills (Grissmer et al, 2010). As the child’s interacts more closely with the environment, he is likely to observe some occurrences that might of interest to him. This provokes thinking and creativity. Ultimately, this leads to a greater comprehension of the universe which helps in becoming an all rounded person.
As it can be seen from this explanation, lack of exercises can pose serious threats to the development of the young child. To curb this issue, the teacher should identify the children who show signs of lack of exposure. They can then derive ways of incorporating them into the class activities so that they can earn to interact with others. This can help to streamline their development.
Physical Activity Facilitates Development in Other Areas
As indicated above, physical exercise not only helps in physical development but also in other aspects of life. For instance, in the social realm, physical exercise helps the child to acknowledge the need for teamwork as some activities can only be done through collaboration with others (Anon., n.d). Unless the child gets involved and observes this, there is likelihood that he would remain quite withdrawn and a solitary individual.
The exercises also help in the development of fine motor skill through exposure. As the child participates in the sporting activities, he is likely to encounter some challenges. For instance, there are some games that require the use of wits. Under such conditions, the child is forced to think beyond the obvious. As such, this facilitates the learning process where the child’s mind opens up to various possibilities. The mind develops such that it can accommodate more.
Lastly, there are benefits associated with health. A young child who is involved in various physical activities is likely to be stronger and more resilient than one who does not (Lecture 2, 2012). Therefore, it is important that the children should be engaged in physical activity as this has various benefits to their bodies.
Accommodating Physical Development in the Learning Set Up
In the early years of development, a child needs to have a lot of encouragement and support so as to successfully go through the physical development stages. The support should be at all levels of interaction with the child be it at school home or within the community. At the school setting, there are various provisions that can be made in order to accommodate the child’s developmental needs.
In the first instance, there should be some time in the school time table set apart for physical exercises in presence of the teacher. This is where the teacher can regulate the kind of activities that the children engage in. the activities should be guided in an informed manner so as to develop a specific part of the individual’s body (Lecture 2, 2012).
Besides this, there are the usual breaks that arise between lessons. At such times, the children should be let free to interact with others and with the environment. Besides enhancing physical development, this can go a long way in improving the intellectual abilities of the children as well.
In conclusion, this essay has looked at physical development as n important part of a child’s life. The aim of the paper was to show that a child needs the proper environment and guidance to enhance this development as it has various benefits to the individual. These benefits have been clearly indicated and the repercussions of non-compliance with proper exercising are also indicated. One thing comes out strongly that if children are expected to grow normally; they have to be given the right environment to do so.
References
Anon. (n.d). Chapter 5: Physical Development. (pdf)
Grissmer, D., Grimm, K.J., Steele, J.S., Aiyer, S.M., & Murrah, M. (2010). Fine Motor Skills and Early Comprehension of the World: Two New School Readiness Indicators. Development Psychology, Vol. 46(5). American Psychological Association.
Lecture 2. (2012).Development and Education: Biophysical Development. (ppt presentation)
World Bank. (2011). Early Childhood Development: Needs Assessment and Indicators. Retrieved on 23rd March 2012 from http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/TOPICS/EXTCY/EXTECD/0,,contentMDK:20200666~menuPK:524390~pagePK:148956~piPK:216618~theSitePK:344939,00.html
