Yeney Armenteros Essays - Human Development, Childhood,

Yeney Armenteros Professor Cox EDUN 101 22 October 2014 Advocacy Project Reflection After writing this Advocacy Project , I have learned that there are many different influences that can play a role in how a child grows and the person they eventually become. The culture that a child lives in adds yet another element to this already complex mix. For example, while Western cultures tend to focus more on individualism, Eastern cultures are known for having a greater collectivist focus, meaning that the culture stresses the needs of the community as a whole over the needs of each individual. Such cultural differences can lead to dramatic variations in how children are raised. Parents from Western cultures might stress the importance of their child developing a strong sense of self-esteem and independence, while parents from Eastern cultures might focus more on how their child can contribute to the family unit and to society as a whole. Nevertheless, it does n o t matter what the child's surrounding culture might be, the parental strategies used are designed to produce children who can meet the goals and expectations of the culture in which they live. Let's look at two hypothetical examples of how culture can influence development. Child A is born in an agricultural community in a poor country where resources are scarce, while Child B is born to an urban couple in an affluent nation. Clearly, the first child is going to grow up with different expectations than the child raised in an upper-class, urban environment. The child from the rural setting might be expected to learn how to help on the family farm and eventually contribute to the management of the family's source of food and income. During the early years, this child's parents might focus on basic protection and survival needs such as providing warmth and food. As the child grows older, teaching practical skills and helping the child gain hands-on experience might become more important. Because of the cultural emphasis on ensuring the child's survival, the goal of childhood in this situation is to survive to adulthood in order to become a provider for the family. For the child raised in the urban environment in the affluent country, early life might be considerably different. Because this child's parents worry less about basic needs, their focus will be more on lifestyle. During the early years, ensuring that the child has the best toys and participates in the best play group might be of the utmost concern. As the child grows older, the parents might shift their focus to making sure their child is enrolled in the most respected schools and attains the best possible grades. In this case, the child's culture suggests that the ultimate goal of childhood is to go to college and one day get a prestigious job. This newly found knowledge would support me in my teaching role in several ways. For example I would now remain more open to observe and learn from children, parents and the ir living community and include their culture in my teaching strategies . I would also try to develop cultural competency by continuing my education on the topic of culture and child development and attend multicultural workshops and/ or educational trainings.