Abstract
Observing T.J. in the playground was an insightful experience and provided me a clear understanding of a child’s behavior and overall development. I observed him for fifteen minutes very carefully and closely. In this paper I have attempted to explain the emotional, social, physical, and cognitive development of the child and his individual needs.
The playground is a place where children feel free to act and behave however they like. T.J. came across as a very social child, who had respect and concern for others, because he apologized for running into his teacher by mistake, also let another child ride with him, and smiles at him calling him his friend. This shows his affectionate, friendly and caring nature. These instances show his social and emotional development. His cognitive development is fairly good also as he has the sense that the other boy also needs to have a turn in riding the bicycle and in this way prevents the boy from feeling bad.
I found the child to be physically very active and developed. He had a good control over the bicycle as he rode it, and went the right way to play on the slide by climbing up the stairs first and then sliding down. Some children often try to climb up on the slide upwards which can be highly unsafe for them. But T.J. understood the safety issue and used the slide in the correct manner. This showed his maturity and his not falling down or getting hurt suggests that he had strong physical motor skills.
This observation of T.J. is very helpful in determining that the child can work well with other children in the classroom and follow detailed instructions of his teachers clearly. Also that he can work independently if given a task and be willing to share with other children. As a teacher it’ll help me achieve my goals for fostering the overall development of the children and planning my lessons according to their needs and strengths.
