Paper instructions:
For this project, include:
a. Summarize Piaget’s Stage Theory in your own words.
b. Identify and describe the developmental characteristics of the selected age group.
c. Design and describe the physical layout of facility or classroom that aligns with Piaget’s Stage Theory. Use evidence from the text or other scholarly resources when describing your layout. (You may use a software application that provides graphic layouts like Classroom Architect (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site., or create your layout in a word document.)
d. Create one activity for each developmental domain. Make sure to include a detailed description with a step-by-step procedure that includes required materials (i.e. clay, puzzles, etc.). Discuss how each of these activities maximizes development and align to Piaget’s Stage Theory.
Writing the Final Project
This Final Project must be eight to ten double-spaced pages in length, in addition to the title and reference pages. Your project should be written in APA format as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center, and include at least three scholarly resources in addition to the course text.
The Final Project:
a. Must include a title page with the following:
Title of paper
Student’s name
Course name and number
Instructor’s name
Date submitted
b. Must begin with an introductory paragraph that has a succinct thesis
iaget’s Theory
Preoperational Stage in Childcare facilities
Most of the children who attend childcare facilities fall within the preoperational stage. These children experience a novel psychological attribute where they learn to speak. At this stage, the children cannot grasp and process information, moreover, they cannot comprehend logic (Mensah & Somuah, 2014). This stage is characterized by symbolic thinking whereby the infants can make out some words and recognize a few objects. Symbolism is when the children make out a different meaning for an object, other than that the true meaning, and it is mostly exhibited in language. The development of language is dependent on the proper cognitive development.
As the children immerse themselves in their private worlds, they talk to themselves to support their egocentrism, which serves to convey their thoughts, rather than coherently communicate with other people. The children are usually unable to understand and apply the social rules, language, and etiquette. In the preoperational stage, children can hardly perform sufficient mental operations; however, they can still create concepts (Mensah & Somuah, 2014). The children are usually egocentric because they have a hard time understanding others’ concepts, they still view the world and perceive issues through their own lenses. The children also exhibit centrism where they are only able to concentrate on one facet of an object or situation. At this stage, kids cannot yet decenter their thoughts, whether in social or non-social situations.
Toddlers in the preoperational stage often engage in make-believe where they assume the roles of other people that interest them. The kids utilize their cognitions regarding people and objects, as well as actions to construe complex depictions of their realities. Children can engross themselves in play and fail to recognize their peers in the room. They can share space and play adjacent to other people, but not with them. With time, the preoperational stage develops and the child becomes less egocentric and enjoys playing with and the company of others. They may engage other children in constructing their imaginary worlds.
The children also have an innate belief in animism, they believe that objects like toys have feelings that are similar to those of humans, and they can be hurt. At this stage, the world is alive to them and everything around them is conscious and has a role in their lives, for example, they may believe that a teddy bear is meant to keep them company, as well as for comfort. Finally, kids in this stage believe that everything is artificial and is manufactured by human beings. For instance, they may not understand that plants grow, and they may think that the trees in forests are manufactured elsewhere and moved to their current locations by human beings.
Childcare Facility Design
Childcare facility layout for preoperational stage children.
The physical environment of a childcare center is very instrumental in stimulating a child’s mental development. The interior design, as well as the choice of equipment has a profound effect on children’s development. Moreover, a proper design ensures teachers’ effectiveness by allowing them to efficiently supervise the young students. The attached childcare center design allows teachers to employ digital learning strategies such as tablets in the execution of their duties. Kazakoff and Sullivan (2012) recognize the pervasiveness of digital technology in the contemporary world, and they assert that the use of digital technologies is imperative for the proper mental development of children. The classroom design has several round rugs on which children can sit and use their tablets to explore digital content under the supervision of the two teachers who are placed at the corners. The presentation of a digital environment goes hand in hand with Piaget’s notion of constructivism which holds that the interactions with one’s surrounding and the resultant perception of the environment augments the individual’s knowledge pool (Kazakoff & Sullivan, 2012).
The teachers’ desks have been placed at the far corners to facilitate easy supervision, rather than impart knowledge in the children. Mensah and Somuah (2014) state that the role of teachers is to offer an appropriate learning environment where children are encouraged to conceive ideas, unearth concepts, and employ independent thinking. The circular rugs are also meant to facilitate mental development by offering an appropriate environment for engaging in monologues. Because the children do not actively interact with their fellow students, they can sit individually on the rugs and play with their toys which are strategically placed at opposite corners to ensure ease of access.
Although the preoperational children in childcare centers may not yet grasp the concept of writing, the class design incorporates a pair of easels. The easels are meant for mounting whiteboards which are properly placed at a height that can be reached by the children. The whiteboards may be used by the children to scribble, and this helps in developing their psychologies.
Classroom Activities
1. Taking Photos
Sahimi and Said (2016) recognize the ubiquity of digital technology in today’s world. An excellent classroom activity to augment the concept of egocentrism is to distribute digital cameras to the children and request them to take photos of the items that interest them the most. The activity is initiated by first engaging the preoperational children in a conversation regarding photographs and how they are taken. They are then introduced to cameras and then asked to talk about what they like most in the room or in the care center. The children are then allowed to use the cameras to take interesting photos, among which some may be photos of fellow children, the teachers, and physical objects like their toys. Sahimi and Said (2016) found out that children typically enjoyed taking photographs of places and spaces that they enjoyed themselves in when asked to take photos of their surroundings.
2. Playing with Plasticine
Preoperational children have an innate belief in the artificialism of different objects. The teachers at the childcare center can distribute equal amounts of plasticine and ask them to make objects out of them. This will also help them dispel the logic of animism as they will strive to mold items that mean the most to them. In this activity, the children will attempt to…
3. Pouring Water into Containers
At the preoperational phase, children base their reasoning on one dimension to evaluate objects and occurrences. Piaget assessed the notion of conservation by pouring the same amount of liquid into containers of the same size and then transferred the liquid into a wider container to spur children to use different judgements to make decisions (Ojose, 2008). The teacher can replicate this experiment by pouring water into two identical containers and then emptying the contents of one container into another wider container where the level of the water is noticeably lower than in the original container that still has some water. The kids should then be asked to point out the container with more water. The teacher should converse with the children as they participate in this activity and assess their questions and responses. This interaction should stimulate the kids to employ multiple dimensions in their reasoning and perception of objects.
4. Arranging Shapes
Here, the children are given several items that are in the shape of a square, star, triangle, and circle. They are also given a board with slots where each of the shapes fits precisely. The teacher should then demonstrate the exercise by matching one of the shapes while talking to the children.
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