ABSTRACT
This unit is intended to help you look at children – the general patterns of their development, but also how and why they may develop in different ways, and why it is important that you, as a teacher, know about child development as well as being knowledgeable about curriculum subjects and teaching strategies. We will also explore the current legislative context and how this impinges on your role as a teacher. Additionally, the unit will draw your attention to the influence of children’s home lives and family relationships on their learning. You will be asked to observe and listen to children; to reflect on your own childhood – it may have predisposed you to think in certain ways; to explore how the ecological niche you inhabited was similar to and different from those of the children you meet in your training and work; and to remember that each child is a unique person.
