Category Archives: Recommened reading

Physical and Motor Development TDT

A teacher’s aptitude for identifying additional support needs to ensure healthy development in children is to understand the sequence of development, milestones and when they are expected to be reached and recognise disabilities.

Motor skills evolve sequentially but do vary greatly from child to child.  Motor development proceeds in a cephalocaudal direction meaning the nerves and muscles mature in a downward direction.  This is evident in all infants who first learn use their head and neck then move on to developing more complicated movements such as rolling, crawling then walking. The other pattern of development and maturation is proximodistal direction meaning skills develop in the middle of the body then radiate outwards. For example infants first learn to use their hands then acquire fine motor skills such as the pincer grip.

Basic trends in locomotive skill development include a maturation viewpoint.  This is a genetic programme sequence of events, where nerves and muscles mature in a downward and outward direction. Advocates of the experiential or practice hypothesis believe that opportunities to practice motor skills are also important.  Theorist, Kolb (1984) is someone I have been researching for another module and his four stage cycle adequately fits with this hypothesis: experience, reflection, conceptualisation, experimentation.  Dynamical systems theorists view motor skills as active improvements of previously mastered abilities that are undertaken to find more efficient ways of exploring the surroundings or other objectives.

There are factors that affect growth and development that educators will need to be aware of. Poverty, environment, family structure and disability can hinder or affect a child’s development. Fine motor skills are evident in some form at every age and usually by age 6 or 7 children have confidence to use fine motor skills such as hopping, skipping and balancing.  If this is not the case, we as educations, need to look at how to develop the child holistically as progress in one area affects progress in another.

Study skills and time management

Reading the first chapter of the Study Skills book assigned for us I found some parts interesting but I do think some parts are not relevant to me e.g. Student accommodation, freshers week, financial issues, fitting in part time jobs. However having a browse through the book it will be definitely be a useful tool throughout my university career.

Some conclusions from the goal setting exercise were that I want be a positive influence in my daughters life and be a good mum. My career path is of course to be a primary teacher but I would aim to one day be a PT, DHT or HT. MA Education is a specific professional course and I would frankly be terrified going to university to do a a generalised degree. The certainty of knowing I am working toward a vocational degree personally gives me security as a mature student. Having met all of the lecturers over the last few weeks and find out most have a background in teaching is interesting because I know there are other opportunities for me in the future.

The general expectations are realistic and I know that I and I alone have the responsibility to get my work completed. Time management is one thing that will be a major factor in my university experience. I have to manage my time so well due to child commitments and I know nothing can be left last minute in case of unexpected illness or emergencies. Throughout my academic career I have always said ‘Right this it. This is the time I will be organised’ and end up writing essay into the wee hours of the morning. Or writing to do lists and losing them!! Now though in the past two weeks I am the most organised I have ever been. This smug satisfaction of knowing I’m getting my tasks done is such a nice (and new) feeling and I know I will continue.

One main area I’ve identified that I have always lacked confidence is writing, as in essay writing, putting thoughts on paper etc. This is something I know I can develop but it will come with practice and perhaps blogging might help!?