When I Think of Child Development...

"Never help a child with a task at which he feels he can succeed"
Maria Montessori 

Testing for Intelligence

            Assessing school-age children is very challenging because children need to be in an environment where they feel at ease in order to be assessed accurately.  I believe that children should be assessed at home and at school; that’s why there should be running records in the two different environments.  These records should include notes on physical, cognitive and psychosocial development.  Observers can assess language use and communication, motor skills, social and emotional behavior.  Another useful behavior to assess is the child's ability to adapt to a situation and solve a problem by himself. 

            In Finland, a child's academic and social skills are assessed before being enrolled in a school.  Health tests are also conducted to measure the maturity of a child, particularly at age seven when most children enter primary school.  This test also checks if a child has any learning difficulties.  Children are assessed at school by teachers, a psychologist, a nurse and a social worker; this team work provides the support the students need. 

References

             Marcy Guddemi, Ph.D. Betsy J. Case, Ph. D. , Assessing young children, Assessment Report, Pearson, 2004. Retrieved from http://www.pearsonassessments.com/NR/rdonlyres/FD21F054-A5AD-42AE-9A00-43878827FD76/0/AssessingYoungChildren_Final.pdf

            Eric Clearinghouse, Assessments for Young Children, Assessment and Evaluation, LD Online, 1999. Retrieved from http://www.ldonline.org/article/6040/

            Innovative assessment tools and methods – Finland, European Agency for Development in Special Needs Education, 2009. Retrieved from http://www.european-agency.org/agency-projects/assessment-in-inclusive-settings/assessment-database-of-key-topics/finland/innovative-assessment-tools-and-methods

Racism and Child Development

         Racism has a negative impact on child development; actually, children are aware of their ethnic identity when they are as young as three years old.  Racial discrimination can affect a child's self-esteem, cause depression and even affect brain development.  A study directed on the African American population in the U.S. showed that parents who are exposed to discrimination are less sensitive to their children's needs, cannot provide emotional support, do not discuss ethnic identity with their children and use harsh discipline.  Children need their parents' support to have self-esteem and be able to cope with discrimination.  Nurturing ethnic identity also helps children protect themselves from the negative health consequences of discrimination (About Kids Health, 2012). 

          Another study shows that parents who report racial discrimination have a lower risk of depression and other mental health problems (American Journal of Public Health, 2004).  Parents who take action when exposed to discrimination can cope better and help their children acquire ethnic pride; therefore their children also have a lower risk of mental health problems.

References

Caughy M, O'Campo PJ, & Muntaner C. 2004. Experiences of racism among African American parents and the mental health of their preschool-aged children. American Journal of Public Health, 94, 2118-2124.

Margaret O'Brien Caughy, Patricia J. O'Campo, and Carles Muntaner December 2004.  Experiences of Racism Among African American Parents and the Mental Health of Their Preschool-Aged Children. American Journal of Public Health: Vol. 94, No. 12, pp. 2118-2124.