Erikson's Human Development Theory

Paper Summary:

The paper explains Erikson's theory that the biggest challenge for children in early childhood is the development of initiative. The paper outlines what the goal of teachers should be in the classroom and what methods there are for a teacher to achieve these goals. The paper therefore shows how an understanding of development stages can help teachers to assist children in reaching their potential.

From the Paper:

"Although no individual develops in exactly the same manner as another, researchers in the fields of biology, psychology and sociology have outlined rough guidelines for human development. The most common theories of human development include stages that an individual passes through, in which a new skill or ability is acquired in each stage. Skills and abilities may take the form of physical skills, mental and cognitive skill, or emotional skills. The difference between stages is most pronounced in the early years of development, or in other words, in children. What a seven year old is able to logically reason through is likely to be very different from the logical reasoning of a 5 year old or an 11 year old. Thus, it is very important that individuals working with young children, especially teachers, have an adequate understanding of human development. Without such an understanding, a teacher may run into numerous problems within the educational environment and may fail to best serve his or her students."

Sample of Sources Used:

• About.com. (2004). Psychology: Erikson's Eight Stages of Human Development. http://psychology.about.com/library/weekly/aa091500a.htm
• Child Development Institute. (2004). General Developmental Sequence Toddler through Preschool. http://www.childdevelopmentinfo.com/development/devsequence.shtml
• Child Development Institute. (2004). Normal Stages of Human Development (Birth to 5 years). http://www.childdevelopmentinfo.com/development/normaldevelopment.shtml
• Wood, S.E. & Wood, E.G. (1998). The World of Psychology, 2nd Edition. New York: Allyn & Bacon.

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