Valuable Apprenticeship

After reading through the article “High School Child Development Courses Provide a Valuable Apprenticeship” written by Sally M. McCombie on January 1, 2009, I came to the realization of the enormous effects socialization can have on teachers, parents, students and children.

In this article, it was clear from the beginning that the primary element in preparing for an effective child development program was to get the parents involved. The State of Pennsylvania came to the conclusion that parents should take a more initial role in the educational curricula. By involving the parents, it was their intention that teachers would have strong partners which extended beyond the classroom in the child development process. This ideology proved valuable because parents became more knowledgeable on the topics of intervention, and the importance of rearing their child.

After further analyzes, I was also amazed at Pennsylvania’s interest in instituting classes for high school students in the area of Child Development. Whether intentional or not, being aware that the majority of high school students are sexually active, which constitutes for more than fifty percent of babies being born out of wedlock, gave the state of Pennsylvania an advantage. These bold actions lead to the development of what is called the “learning labs”. With well prepared teachers in the area of childhood care and development, high schools students were now trained in the area of observation, interaction, guiding, planning, preparing, and evaluating classroom activities. Exposing them to these daily activities, methods and processes was significant in their future success as teachers and parents.

In contrast, teachers were not only parental partners but intellectual mentors who guided the parents and students through a learning process which should be envied. Teachers worked with students individually or in small groups in order to plan, schedule and practice nutritional presentations. After completing their tasks, both student and teacher would reflect on methods practiced in order to make changes to their next session. This “hands on training” proved effective because it gave students insight as to how to manage their own classroom, for those interested in becoming future teachers.

Finally, from a “Vygotskian” perspective, this form of socialization is vital when developing cognition. He states “the potential for cognitive development depends upon the zone of proximal development”. By having the student, teacher, and child interact and socialize, exposed the student to information, knowledge, and skills necessary to succeed in the field of child development which cannot be attained otherwise or alone. It is clear that even in the process of child development socialization, enculturation, interaction, and inclusion is vital for an effective program.