Every individual must undergone different process of progressive series of changes orderly, coherent type toward the goals of maturity by undergoing stages and cycles from childhood to adulthood. There are three aspects of development, the anatomic, physiologic and behavioral aspects.
Our necessary physical and mental development must be present before new skills or abilities can be built upon the foundation. Gradually, we had discovered our weaknesses and strength, potentialities and capabilities as we became more matured physically, intellectually, morally and emotionally.
Our growth influences behavior and our culture, family, peers and the environment that we have, are the factors to consider why we are influenced. Our learning that we had been acquired depends upon the maturity.
Development refers to change or growth that occurs in a child during the life span from birth to adolescence. This change occurs in orderly sequence, involving physical, cognitive, and emotional development. These three main areas of child development involve developmental changes which take place in a predictable pattern (age pattern), orderly, but with differences in the rate or timing of the changes from one person to another.
The first five years of life are a time of incredible growth and learning. An understanding of the rapid changes in child’s developmental status prepares parents and caregivers to give active and purposeful attention to the preschool years and to guide and promote early learning that will serve as the foundation for later leaning. Understanding child development is an important part of teaching young children. Developmental change is a basic fact of human existence and each person is developmentally unique. Although there are universally accepted assumptions or principles of human development, no two children are alike. Children differ in physical, cognitive, social, and emotional growth patterns. They also differ in the ways they interact with and respond to their environment as well as play, affection, and other factors. Some children may appear to be happy and energetic all the time while others children may not seem as pleasant in personality. Some children are active while others are typically quiet. You may even find that some children are easier to manage and like than others. Having an understanding of the sequence of development prepares us to help and give attention to all of these children.
