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Middle Childhood Key Concepts

In: Social Issues

Submitted By tiggeristo
Words 676
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Week 5
Key Concepts and Take-Aways

What struck me in particular about the readings for this week is how children in the middle childhood stage begin to venture away from parents and family as they seek to establish an identity. The family system remains an extremely important influence on development—emotional, cognitive, physical and social.
Physical development is a function of genetic and environmental influences, as well as interaction. It needs to be noted that some theorists assert the idea that the age of onset of puberty has changed to an earlier age. As these changes occur, an implication for practice is evaluating the timing of educational programs related to social-emotional development. These interventions need to focus on self-protection and individual rights and responsibilities. We also need to support children wherever they fall on the developmental spectrum—early, late or right on time—and reassure them that all development is normal.
Cognitive development is very unique at this time as children move from concrete thinking to more abstract ways of viewing the world. According to Bergen and Cocsia (2001), during middle childhood there are rapid gains in intellectual processes and memory which enables new learning in a variety of settings. As practitioners, we need to recognize and respond sensitively to these changes and support the expanding abilities.
Brain development in middle childhood is greatly shaped by the nature of earlier experiences. Brain plasticity continues in this stage, as it will throughout life. Applegate and Shapiro (2005) propose the theory of complexity or chaos. In this theory, it is suggested that change in one aspect of a neurological system can stimulate or interact with other neurological or physiological systems. Especially interesting is the idea of synaptogenesis where the brain creates synapses and then fine

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