Abstract:
This paper focuses on the teaching project that the writer conducted on some 5-7 year old kindergartens who are in their preoperational stage. It will go over the characteristics of preoperational stage, and some theories related to it. Lastly, it will compare and contrast the preoperational stage with the middle childhood or those in the fourth grade who are from 9 to 10 years of age, who were the center of the previous activity. In the end, it will be evident that the preoperational stage is a very significant stage when it comes to growth and development, as this stage is one of the most sensitive periods in child development. Thus, a kindergarten at the preoperational stage should be trained and educated effectively, since what they learn at this stage stays in their brain for the rest of their days.
Child development and growth occurs in a stage-by-stage occurrence, starting from infancy until it reaches late adulthood. Each person is unique and different from the rest, and although growth and development is predictable and orderly, each of them has their own personality, skills and characteristics depending on the degree and rate of maturation. Thus, children who are in kindergarten differ in terms of physical, cognitive, and psychosocial characteristics, as each of them progressed to different levels of developmental area. Much of these have something to do with their environment while they grow up in their early years, especially in early childhood when they appear to be sensitive to their surroundings. Development is said to be very complex, mainly because there are many factors that influence who the child will be in the coming days. In child development, both time and change work hand in hand to create the characteristics of a person during prenatal, infancy, toddlerhood, early and middle childhood, adolescence, and adulthood stages.
This paper focuses on the teaching project that the writer conducted on some 5-7 year old kindergartens who are in their preoperational stage. It will go over the characteristics of preoperational stage, and some theories related to it. Lastly, it will compare and contrast the preoperational stage with the middle childhood or those in the fourth grade who are from 9 to 10 years of age, who were the center of the previous activity. In the end, it will be evident that the preoperational stage is a very significant stage when it comes to growth and development, as this stage is one of the most sensitive periods in child development.
The Teaching Project
The Class
For this project, I observed 5- to 7-year-old kindergarteners, a class of 21 children that is 10 girls and 11 boys. Some kids were tall while others were short. Some had both upper and lower front teeth removed and growing, while others only had their upper teeth removed. Others, on the other hand, had no baby teeth out. Others interact well with other children, while others are shy and inert. Others are more advanced in terms of reading and writing, while others are better at playing computer games. There are those who join the discussion more often whenever the class reads a picture book, while there are others who are more focused on playing and would not join the discussion with the class. Others weigh normally while others are either thin or obese. Those who are more active appear to have a normal weight than those who loved to do activities while sitting down; and those who are active tend to be more adventurous and would love to mingle with other children.
The activity
In this project, I will conduct a demonstration in front of the class on how we spread germs. I will use glitter and put them in my hands, and then start shaking the children’s hands to emphasize how germs are spread between people. I will also use a spray bottle with water to demonstrate what happens when someone sneezes without covering their mouth. I will also show them the proper way of washing their hands, and would have one or two students demonstrate in front of the class the proper way of washing their hands.
The objectives
After doing the project, there are a number of things that the children should be able to do, as reflected in the following objectives:
The Preoperational Stage
Physical characteristics
Children who are 5-7 years old grow at different speeds, in which others grow much faster than the others. However, it is at this stage when the children grow out of having chubby cheeks, as their bodies begin to stretch longer and become taller. They begin to lose fat while gaining muscle, and become more active with their play. They also begin losing their baby teeth, which will then be replaced soon by permanent teeth or about 6 year molars. Their physical growth is rapid, and then becoming slow and steady. They start developing large muscles within their arms and legs, and begin to use their smaller muscles as well. Others may appear to have gawky awkward looks as an effect of having long arms and legs.
Psychological characteristics
Children who are 5-7 years old may be filled with emotional extremes as well as contradictions, as they are straddling the preschool years and the phase of becoming a big kid. Although others may still be childish, others may exhibit more self-control and be able to sit still in front of the class, for example, or stay quiet whenever the teacher is telling them something important. However, this age may still be prone to crying and meltdowns over small things, such as whenever they spilled their milk or whenever their toys are broken. It is at this stage that the child begins to articulate their feelings and become more expressive. They may feel empathy over a friend who is in distress and begins to say clearly what they feel. If they are upset over something, they are more likely to say, “I’m so mad at you, Mommy.” When they are highly pleased, they are more likely to say, “I love you so much, Daddy”. They are more likely to say what they believe is right or wrong. Moreover, they can be too hard on themselves if ever they made a mistake or was not able to do a good job.
Cognitive characteristics
Children who are in kindergarten enters an exciting development phase. This is the time when they begin entering the school and practices writing their names. It is the time when they begin memorizing the alphabet and the numbers, the days of the week and the months of the year. They begin entering the world of school and begin learning the rules of the classroom, knowing they had to do their home works because it is what the teacher tells them. They begin to understand the world and gain skills with other children in their class. At this stage, children would want to become independent, so they begin choosing their clothes and their shoes, as well as their toys and their food. Still, they would want their parents to cuddle them occasionally, in times when they grow tired of being independent. Kindergarteners already understand the concepts of time or what yesterday, today, and tomorrow means; and words like above, below, before, after, more, and less.
Verbal/ Skills characteristics
Children who are 5-7 years old are in the process of learning how to read picture books, and may be capable of remembering the details that transpire within the short story. At this stage, children already understand that stories have a beginning, a middle, and an end. They begin counting and differentiating the various shapes that they can see, as well as the different colors around them. Although the skills and abilities would usually vary between children, most of them are already capable of reading short three-letter words and four-letter words. The world of the imagination grows at this preoperational stage, when children begin to play make-believe and envision themselves to be like their teacher, the doctor, the firemen, or whoever they choose to be. It is at this stage also when children begin to enjoy singing and dancing, and the excitement they feel in repeating dance steps and movements, as well as lines of the songs. They also gain skills in playing board games with other children, although they may still not be able to control their emotion whenever they lose the game.
Theories on the Preoperational Stage
Piaget’s theory
It was Piaget who formed the constructivist theory to insist that “people interpret their environments and experiences in light of the knowledge and experiences they already have” (Cook & Cook, 2005, p.5-6). According to Piaget, it is not true that people simply take in an external reality without changing it. Instead, they build or construct their own understanding of what they have witnessed or learned. Piaget insists that the essential building block for cognition is the scheme, which is defined as “an organized pattern of action or thought” (Cook & Cook, 2005, p.5-6), which can either be a physical action or a mental action. As a child interacts with the environment, the individual schemes become much more modified, and they become reorganized to build and construct more complex cognitive structures. As the child matures, these reorganized structures allow for a more complex, sophisticated ways of thinking, until they are able to form different ways of interacting with their environment. With this, cognitive structures do not just organize existing structures but can serve as filters for the building of new knowledge (Cook & Cook, 2005, p.5-6). New experiences, thus, are interpreted according to the existing cognitive structures that were constructed in the past.
Erikson’s theory
In the theory of Eric Erikson, he insisted that it is psychosocial development that occurs throughout the life span of a person. He emphasized that in the formation of a healthy personality, what is important are the social and emotional aspects of growth (Herr, 2008, p.76). Unlike Piaget, Erikson emphasizes that child development is the effect of social environment, in which they grow to learn skills based on social interaction. For Erikson, there are eight stages of child development, and each of these has its own social conflict or crisis, which the child experiences according to his/her stage. It is at this point that the role of parents and teachers become significant, as they provide social support and opportunity for the child to grow and develop. Based on the theory of Erikson, a 5- to 7-year-old child is under the stage of industry vs. inferiority, in which they enjoy the process of planning and carrying out projects (Herr, 2008, p.78). They begin to learn the rules of the society and what people expected of them. They gain approval whenever they develop intellectual skills, and this encourages them to continue developing their mental, physical, and psychosocial capacities. They begin to form realistic goals and begin creating their sense of self.
Vygotsky’s theory
Like Piaget, Vygotsky also believed that the way for children to grow and develop is to build knowledge through experiences. However, if Piaget believed in the use of hands-on activities for them to development, Vygotsky believed more in using social and cultural experiences. This is the sociocultural theory of Vygotsky, wherein he believed more on the effects of peers and adults, so that children can grow effectively and learn the values, customs, beliefs, and language reflected in their culture. Vygotsky believes that for children to grow and develop effectively, they should experience plenty of interactions with their families, their teachers, and their peers. Social interaction should be constant, so there should be continuous exchange of language between the child and those around the child. By then, the child experiences self-talk until he/she reaches school age, which is their way of guiding their activity while doing them. For Vygotsky, learning is a scale, and there are certain tasks that are too difficult for them to accomplish while in a specific stage (Herr, 2008, p.81).
Preoperational Stage vs. Middle Childhood Stage
This part compares preoperational stage and the middle childhood stage, or the children in fourth grade and kindergarten, which attended the recent and the current project activity. It will discuss, observe, and document the two stages in terms of: (1) physical activity; (2) psychological activity; (3) language abilities; (4) social activities; and (5) cognitive abilities. They will be compared in as many ways as possible.
Physical activity
Many of the children were already capable of brushing their own teeth, and they can wash themselves and wash their hands all by themselves. All of them can hop, run, jump, and gallop, and they have all started playing games using balls and other play toys. Many of them, however, are not yet capable of understanding the rules of team sports, and so during break time, they just play simple run-and-play game or shoot-the-ball. More than half of them were also capable of buttoning their shirts. Except for the 6 kindergartens, the children were also capable of tying their own shoes. All of them, however, had started developing hand-eye coordination, and so were already enjoying coloring books and doing other activity books. All of them already know how to use the scissors and the pencil sharpener. This is so different from the fourth graders, who were already capable of doing almost everything. They can balance themselves well and can play and understand the rules of team sports like basketball and soccer. They can play more complex gadgets, and already have their own cellphones and ipad that they use outside the class. Fourth graders had fully developed their hand-eye coordination, so that they are able to understand and play well some computer games that take both cognitive and psychosocial skills to play them efficiently.
Psychological activity
The children usually showed signs of being sensitive to their feelings and attitudes, such as depending heavily on the reactions of adults, such as parents and teachers, for approval and their psychological needs. Almost all of them respond well to praise, except others who reacts shyly and would tend to lure away when they are being praised in class. Both boys and girls play together in small groups, and they start to get along with their friends. Most of the girls, however, tend to play alone with their dolls and other toys, especially those who do not have sisters or brothers yet in their family. Most of these children would want to be first and the winner, and they hate losing that they may even tend to exaggerate what really took place in the event. Most of them are so sensitive and are easily embarrassed in front of other children. They are almost similar to fourth graders, in terms of forming their groups and choosing their peers, although fourth graders already know how to interact well with one another, to the point that they do well in group projects. Fourth graders already know how to socially interact with other people, although others were reluctant to participate, just like most of the kindergarteners.
Language abilities
Most of the children were talkative to the point that others talk loud with their classmates even during class discussions. It seemed that at this stage, language is being used more fluently and more frequently as a way for them to express their thoughts and sentiments. Even after the class, other children would go near to me and then talk about anything that they think of like, for example, the plants and flowers that were blooming in the pots situated in the classroom. Others would talk about their small brothers or sisters and what the babies usually do every day, and what the children were thinking about the toddlers. Many of them loved to tell stories, while others would love to tease and make jokes, especially the boys who teases girls to the point of making them cry. Sometimes, they talk about what they just saw in the television, in which the teacher would have to explain to them what it meant, so that it registers good thoughts in their minds. When it comes to fourth graders, however, their skills in language are more complex, since majority of the class are well established in reading, writing, and verbal skills. Like the kindergartens, the fourth graders would also read short stories during their class, and then study some vocabulary words that are fit for their age. In the same way, the fourth graders were also trained to write more legibly in class, although only a few of them would have to practice writing more legibly, since most of them write well. As for going to the library, fourth graders choose lengthier chapter books, as compared to kindergartens who choose short picture books.
Social activities
Many of the kindergartens seemed to value their friends to the point that they agree to lend their things and toys to their friends in the class. They start to understand what the real world is, and is ready to go past the world of make-believe, as they begin to understand that there are real problems to solve, which they witness in their reading activities. Those who had siblings begin to understand that they have a responsibility over their small sisters and/or brothers, and that they should love them the way their parents love them. However, kindergartens seemed to get more interested with friends who are similar to them—girls with girls, and boys with boys; the thin with the thin, and the chubby also with the chubby. They begin to have their own best friends, while there are also others who have their enemy. Thus, kindergartens may be able to socially interact with those who are like them, but not to the point of interacting well in group activities the way fourth graders do. Most of these children are still self-centered and may have some difficulty mingling with other children, especially those who are not like them. As for the fourth graders, these boys are so accustomed to being with their group members that they even leave the classroom to be with their friends and do indoor skateboarding during recess time. As for the girls, they usually chat with their friends inside the classroom during recess time, although it still shows that children who are in this stage have already formed their social group, unlike those in kindergarten. Fourth graders are also capable of telling their stories of what took place during the past days. All of them can decipher the truth from make believe, and they can ask their classmates things they want to know about the stories being told to them, which makes class discussions so interesting.
Cognitive abilities
About 5 kindergarten students still revers the printed letters b and d, as well as p and q. For most of the time, they double their speaking and listening vocabularies, and there are times when speak and listen at the same time. At one event, for example, one student was telling the class her story of what they did during the weekend, and the others were talking and asking her about the specific place, what she brought along, and other questions. Nobody understood her much because others were talking as well, and many were speaking all at the same time. It was then that the teacher reminded the class about staying quiet while others were speaking. Many of them, however, are showing some interest in reading books, especially those with colorful pictures. Many of them have longer attention span, which is witnessed whenever the teacher tells them something, or when a classmate of them shares his/her story. However, unlike the fourth graders who all have long attention span, about half of the kindergarten class have short attention span, that they usually lose their interest when they start to become bored. For a class of kindergartens, the teacher should speak so interestingly to the class, for them to show some interest on what the teacher is saying. At one point, one of the students began to play with his pencil and ruler while the teacher was teaching them. This would not have taken place with the fourth graders, and so others showed above average intelligence and passion in others subjects like science and mathematics. Others go behind like one fourth grader who become frustrated easily, the way a kindergarten student does. Paraprofessionals help her advance in skills and knowledge.
Conclusion
Child development involves “changes in physical, social, emotional, and intellectual functioning over time, from conception through adolescence” (Martin & Fabes, 2009, p.4). This development is brought about by a variety of mechanisms, including “the unfolding of a person’s genetic code” (Martin & Fabes, 2009, p.5), which brings about a person’s maturation. Still, there are other domains in the social and intellectual changes that influence the growth and development of a child. However, the preoperational stage of a child at the age of 5 to 7 years old is one that is so sensitive, that a child who does not have sufficient exposure to language at this stage will never acquire a language in his/her lifetime (Martin & Fables, 2009, p.11). The preoperational stage is one of the sensitive periods in child development it is very important that children who are 5 to 7 years old would be trained and educated effectively, and would have sufficient influence of what they should learn. As shown in the project activity, kindergartens are capable of learning, imitating, imagining, and solving problems. They are not as matured as the fourth graders, but would eventually come to that stage once they continue advancing physically, cognitively, and psychosocially.
References:
Cook, J.L., & Cook, G. (2005). Child development: principles & perspectives. Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon. Print.
Herr, J. (2008). Chapter 4: Child development principles and theories. Working with young children (6th ed.). Tinley Park, IL: Goodheart-Willcox Publisher. Print.
Lee, K. (2015, December 30). Child development: your five-year-old child. Retrieved April 2, 2016 from http://childparenting.about.com/od/physicalemotionalgrowth/tp/Child-Development-Your-Five-Year-Old-Child.htm.
Martin, C.L., & Fabes, R. (2009). Discovering child development (2nd ed.). Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Company. Print.
