A Developmental Observation

Teachers and parents can both benefit from using developmental observation to better understand children at different stages of development. According to the theory of observation, subjects’ responses to various parts of their lives are based on particular cognitive qualities (“Challenging behavior: The adults’ role in observation and training,” n.d., p. 66). A university student’s life is filled with a variety of requirements and obligations that are vital to their development. In light of this, this essay will look at the various factors that educators and parents should take into account when calculating a young adult’s development index in order to ascertain how well kids are adjusting to adulthood. Key elements of this observation incorporate various dimensions, as noted by Cohen and Stern. “Children communicate with us through their eyes, the quality of their voices, their body postures, their gestures, their mannerisms, their smiles, their jumping up and down, their listlessness. They show us, by the way, they do things, as well as by what they do, what is going on inside them. When we come to see children’s behavior through the eyes of its meaning to them, from the inside out, we shall be well on our way to understanding them. Recording their ways of communicating helps us to see them as they are(Muir, Lojkasek & Cohen, 1999, p. 5). Consequently, the observation establishes a behavioral pattern while at the same time helping the teachers acquaint themselves with the students’ preferences. Additionally, they can correlate with growth in the students mastering skills and how they develop progressively.

For a university student, it is advisable to monitor these behaviors throughout their college life consistently. In part, it will help parents and teachers be responsive to the needs of these young adults they prepare to enter adult life (Jenkins & Lippitt, n.d., p.70). Notably, the university student is in their final stages of adolescence which many psychology scholars agree is a unique stage of growth due to the various body changes.

The primary cognitive characteristics in the observation are dominantly intellectual which refers to the learner’s ability to comprehend and reason. The fact that systematic observation is not shown physically calls for keenness and attention to detail. Typically, at this stage, the subject manifest metacognitive and independent thought inspired by curiosity and eagerness to discover new topics that are of interest to them (Dowker & Kaufmann, 2009, p. 41). Moreover, the dimension of passive learning from peers should be strictly observed to assess to what levels they determine their capacity to respond to life rationally. It is important to note that such characteristics reveal themselves in the degree of interest in their studies and recreational activities. The students who do not critically think about the decisions they make regarding their life require special attention. For example, a parent may observe a child choice of friends, their hobbies, their lifestyle choices and most importantly how serious they take their studies. The physical aspect is an essential element in the observation because they reflect the perception of the subject as per see their bodies. The slow body may mean health problems or diet issue to which the parent or the teacher can advise for adjustment in physical activities of the students.

At this stage of life, the emotional intelligence of a child is developing, and it is important to observe how they handle challenges. The parents are in a better position to identify this dimension because it is a non-academic aspect (Emanuel, 2011, p. 232). Emotions, especially regarding their social, are an area which the students reveal more at home setting than an institutional level

In conclusion, this paper examines just what the both parents and teachers, as the adult figure in the life of a student should observe so as to understand the students. Development observation, therefore, is an important dimension to ensure that the life of the university student progress well.

References

Challenging behavior: The adults’ role in observation and training. (n.d.). PsycEXTRA Dataset. doi:10.1037/e539532004-001

Dowker, A., & Kaufmann, L. (2009). Atypical development of numerical cognition: Characteristics of developmental dyscalculia. Cognitive Development, 24(4), 339-342. doi:10.1016/j.cogdev.2009.09.010

Emanuel, R. (2011). Nurturing natures – attachment and children’s emotional, sociocultural and brain development. Infant Observation, 14(2), 229-233. doi:10.1080/13698036.2011.583445

Jenkins, D. H., & Lippitt, R. (n.d.). Of parents and students. Interpersonal perceptions of teachers, students, and parents: An action-research project for the in-service training of teachers, 66-76. doi:10.1037/14832-005

Lintsi, M., Liivamägi, J., & Aluoja, A. (1998). Observation of physical development inhibition of children treated in psychiatric hospital. European Psychiatry, 13, 312s. doi:10.1016/s0924-9338(99)80639-7

Muir, E., Lojkasek, M., & Cohen, N. (1999). Observant parents: Intervening through observation. Infant Observation, 3(1), 11-23. doi:10.1080/13698039908400851