learning and development and apply them to early childhood practices”.  And our reading this week included a review of theories of child development that have been influential in the field of early childhood education.  This discussion will allow is to explore some theories in greater detail and apply the concepts to our own experiences with children.

Part 1: 

Select one of the key theorists presented in the Week 2 Reading (Erikson, Maslow, Piaget, Vygotsky, Bronfenbrenner, Skinner, Bandura or Gardner) and do some additional research (either online or from your previous ECE textbooks).  Describe a few key components of the theory. (Don’t try to explain every aspect of the theory; instead, summarize in a long paragraph the components of the theory that are most interesting and meaningful to you.) Provide a reference to where you did the additional research — i.e., include the title of book or article and page number, or the name and URL of website where you found your information.

Part 2: 

For the theory you selected, reflect on your experiences with young children (in or out of the classroom).  What evidence of the theory have you seen in children’s development or in early childhood programs?  How can early childhood programs apply this theory to promote children’s development and learning?  Provide specific examples from your experiences!