This assignment addresses the following NAEYC Standards:

• Knowing and understanding of the multiple influences on the development and learning of children.  [NAEYC Standard 1b]
• Using developmental knowledge to create healthy, respectful, supportive, and challenging learning environments [NAEYC Standard 1c] 
• Demonstrate your professionalism, through continuous, collaborative learning to inform practice.  [NAEYC Standard 6c]
• Mastering and applying foundational concepts from general education [NAEYC Supportive Skill 2]
• Written and verbal skills [NAEYC Supportive Skill 3]
• Making connections between prior knowledgeable/experience and new learning [NAEYC Supportive Skill 4]
• Identifying and using professional resources [NAEYC Supportive Skill 5]
   

Course Competency: 1, 5, 12

For this assignment you will compose your own theory of child development. 

Your paper will be a minimum of 2 pages [less than 2 pages will not be graded] in length and include the following:

• An interesting and thoughtful Introduction:
  Name your theory of child development. Briefly describe the main concepts in three to five sentences. Provide a transition into the main body of report.

  Main Body of Report:

• Your views of the issues impacting development:
  Explain and reflect:
• Do you believe early experiences (especially in infancy) or later experiences have more of an impact on a child’s development?
• If young children experience negative circumstances early in life, can they be overcome by later, positive ones? 
• Your views of the determinants of development:
  Explain and reflect:
• How do you feel about the nature vs. nurture controversy?
• Do you think nature/genetics plays a part in development or nurture/environment or both?
• Your views of the Theories of Influence:
• Why are you influenced by certain concepts/theories and why you omitted others?
• Are there certain theorists ex. Freud, Erikson, Piaget, etc. that you agree with or disagree with and why?
• Which theory best reflects your own theory of child development and why?
   
• A Conclusion which:
• Summarizes how you would use your own theory in everyday work to support young children
• How your theory of child development relates back to your own personal experiences
• Explain your views citing at least two references from your assigned reading

Information for your paper will be based upon any of the following sources:

1. Class discussions, activities, and lectures
2. Readings from the textbook
3. Readings from research articles
4. Readings from internet research articles

Due date Monday, 18 June 2018, 11:55 PM