Discussion 1

 

Gender Development

Gender roles are the combination of attitudes, behaviors, and personality characteristics that a culture considers appropriate for an individual’s anatomical sex.  Psychologists have proposed a number of theories to explain gender typing (LeFrancois, 2012).

For this discussion, you will choose and analyze two of the four scenarios in the videos below, and explain how each scenario relates to the theories that explain gender typing.

a.     Boy Meets Girl

b.     Free to Be, You and Me – Ladies First

c.     Free to Be You and Me – Princess Atalantis

d.     Free to Be You and Me – William Wants a Doll

What do you think influenced the children in each video?  Next, explain how your own gender identity may have been influenced by gender stereotypes.  Finally, what are some strategies you can use in an early childhood educational setting to avoid gender stereotyping?

 

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Discussion 2

 

Brain Development

Brain-based education suggests that physical exercise is important for brain development.  Research has shown that in addition to physical exercise, other activities focus on stimulating the social development and intellectual development of young children.

Gerry, who is still incapable of jumping with both feet, may not be invited to join in a game of jump rope.  This is an example of how a child’s individual characteristics (motor skills in this case) can affect context (social environment) and influence development (LeFrancois, 2012).

Reflect back on your own development as a child, or on the development of a child you know, and provide an example of how individual characteristics affected development.  Using the text and other scholarly resources, provide some suggested activities or strategies that would provide the necessary support to enhance the affected development.  For example, Gerry’s teacher notices she is being excluded from the game of jump rope and intervenes by showing Gerry how to twirl the rope.  Gerry is now included socially, despite her delayed motor development.

Guided Response: Review your classmates’ posts and respond to at least two classmates.  Analyze their suggestions and compare their personal experiences with your own.  Discuss the outcome of your experiences, and whether their suggestions have worked or failed for you in the past.  Suggest additional activities and/or strategies that they might find helpful.

 

Learning Outcomes This week students will:

1. Synthesize the impact parents, teachers and caregivers have on gender development.

2. Analyze infant temperament.

3. Critically reflect on your learning so far.

 

Introduction

We have learned in the past weeks how those who care for children influence their development.  But, how do infants influence us as parents, teachers and caregivers?  This week’s course content will continue our discussion on the infant/toddler stages of development, but will now focus on the social and emotional realm of that development.  You will examine how notions of gender develop, as well as the role of gender differences and stereotypes in a child’s development.  You will discuss the difference between an infant’s personality and temperament, and explore the implications the various temperaments may have for an infant and toddlers social and emotional development.  Lastly, you will be asked to reflect on your own learning.

 

Required Resources Required Text

1. Children’s Journeys: Exploring Early Childhood :

 

a. Chapter 6: Social and Emotional Development in Infancy: Little Forays

 

b. Chapter 7: Physical and Cognitive Development in Early Childhood: Side Expeditions

· This chapter discusses how young children grow physically and how their minds change and affect their learning.

Multimedia

1. Ftbfoundation.  (2010, May 18).   Boy Meets Girl  [Video file].  Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUpLiJfV4_A

2. Marlothomas.  (2010, August 4).   Free to Be, You and Me – Ladies First  [Video file].  Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0NkYlelUUck

3. Marlothomas.  (2010, August 4).   Free to Be You and Me – Princess Atalantis  [Video file].  Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FuyRi2yWWSQ

4. Marlothomas.  (2010, August 4).   Free to Be You and Me – William Wants a Doll  [Video file].  Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lshobg1Wt2M

· These short video clips portray a number of scenarios that examine gender roles and identity.

 

Recommended Resources Multimedia

1. Studio Miramar (Producer).  (2000).   Fighting Gender Stereotypes, Digital Divide: Teachers, Technology, and the Classroom  [Video file].  Available on Films on Demand.

· This short 3 minute video clip demonstrates how gender bias in the classroom occurs

Impression management is something that we all employ from time to time to achieve certain goals in our life. Sometimes we want to appear likable, other times we want to appear competent, and yet other times we desire to gain control or power over a situation, all of which can yield positive outcomes. Yet at other times we self-handicap in order to appear like we have not been incompetent or failed, which we often perceive as a positive outcome because we have protected the way others see us (or at least we feel we have).

·         In what situation are you most likely to use impression management? What situation are you most likely not going to work to use impression management? What is the typical difference between these two situations?

·         Provide an example of when you used impression management successfully. What was the outcome and why?

·         Now provide an example in which you attempted to use impression management and it failed. Why did it fail, and what was that outcome?

·         In this last situation would the outcome have felt better if you had used a self-handicapping strategy? What type of self-handicapping strategy could you have used? Finally, what are the dangers of turning to this kind of strategy on a regular basis?