Course Catalog

Child & Adolescent Development is designed to offer a critical perspective and examine child and adolescent development as it is shaped and experienced in various social contexts with an emphasis upon the world of the school. We will focus on normative development of the individual personality, from childhood through adolescence. Theories and empirical literature relevant to the biological, cognitive/intellectual, emotional, social, cultural, and transcultural development of the individual personality are explored. We will explore a variety of lenses to understand child and adolescent behavior and development—models of psychosocial, interpersonal, cognitive, moral, emotional and racial identity development will be studied within the multiple contexts of family, peer group, community and school. You will be encouraged to reflect on your own developmental experiences during childhood and adolescence. The course will also help you to challenge assumptions you may unknowingly hold and gain insight on how it has shaped your perspective and behavior. As such, the course is designed to help you better understand the variety of students you will encounter, while remaining mindful of the larger familial and contextual factors in their lives and your own practices as a teacher. You will also apply your understanding of development in the context of the 4 week Sophomore Block field-based experience. Prerequisite: EDUC 101, EDUC 102 or EDUC 103 and successful completion of Arch 1 criteria. Fall semester