Cognitive development and Social class

The influences of preschool centers and play on children social class and cognitive development

 

Introduction

The problem addressed here is the influences of play to children and how their social class is influenced by cognitive developed. Play is important in development and growth of children socially, physically, emotionally and mentally. Play is important in helping a child discover their problems and learning new things. Play is important as it enables socialization and interaction among children as they share new ideas and problems affecting them. Play enhances cognitive development in terms of interpreting and learning new ideas. Cognitive development is accompanied by a number of elements. One of the elements is capability to solve problems experienced by children. The next element is planning governed by the mind. The child is able to realize what they want to become in future. The next is self motivation which includes the power of a child to admit that they can do everything possible to achieve the set goals and objectives. The final element is evaluation which includes the capability of the child to identify and learn from the past mistakes.

Statement of the preschool and social class problem

Preschool centers and other early childhood school programs interfere with the children’s development and growth process. This is a major problem as it affects children to develop well physically and mentally. It happens at schools where some teachers cause negative impacts on a child’s growth (Advances in child development and behavior: Volume 32, 2004). Many teachers do not involve children in activities that are valuable and of interest to children especially those children from poor backgrounds. They false young kids to perform tasks that affect them mentally since they are not yet fully developed both physically and mentally especially in those low class schools with inadequate number of teachers. Early childhood development should not be encouraged especially in institutions which do not give much play opportunities to the kids and those that discriminate the low class children (Phillips, 2008). Cognitive development should be enhanced in children by providing them play opportunities and involving them in activities that will boost their morale and thinking process. Teachers should not cause frustrations to small kids as it influences their cognitive development process. The kids should be taught the right language in schools in order ton enhance their interaction and socialization processes (Phillips, 2008). Social discrimination affects a child’s development and thus institutions should discourage discrimination in terms of color and the social class.

The emergence of cognitive development

The oral language at times differs with the written language. A child may read something from a book but when it comes to writing the child is unable to write the words she speaks orally (Goswami, 2011). The child should be well taught on skills of language where the child should differentiate reading from writing skills. The preschool system may influence a child’s language skills. The teachers should ensure that the child is able to develop all aspects in terms of reading and writing since this will shape the learning process (Goswami, 2011). The language learnt from preschools is determined by ethnic and social class of the kids. There exists a wide gap between children from rich and poor backgrounds. Cognitive development is therefore influenced by the social status of the children. The language of whites is more fluent than that of blacks since the whites enjoy good education system which enhances their cognitive development process positively. The blacks on the other hand learn slowly and this causes a negative impact to the cognitive development since they cannot afford the expensive and reliable institutions (Singe et al, 2006).

Children who are termed as low class students are seen to lag behind their high class kids which cause a negative impact on their development. There exists a wide gap between children from the low class and high class which is eventually seen when the child finishes schooling ahead of the poor children. The kind of schools a child attends at young age determines the kind of development the child possesses (Warner & Lynch, 2004). Children who attend the best schools and kindergartens are sharp mentally unlike the poor one who attend schools without facilities and play opportunities. The research shows that poor children are currently enrolled in center programs as a way of boosting their cognitive development and growth process. The research emphasizes that parents who enroll their children earlier bring benefits to growth of the kids which promotes cognitive development positively.

Research question regarding the social class problem and cognitive development

What are effects of center attendance on children? The amount of duration spent by children in preschool is of concern to parents. The education systems policies and rules have neglected the issue of hours spent in schools by the small kids aged between 2 to 6 years. The issue of time is delicate where children should not school for lengthy hours as this affects them mentally and hence development is affected as a long term effect (Weisz & Kazdin, 2010). The research shows that children from poor backgrounds are affected by the issue of time since they study for more hours and perform other house hold chores. They are left with no time to play which causes negative impacts on their cognitive development process. Children should not overwork and should instead play a lot as this boost their mental ability and their physical development. Preschools are not the best since children are separated from their parents who are the key factors to success of the child’s development (MacDonald, 1993). Children are affected mentally when they are separated from their parents in order to attend the preschool curriculum. The separation causes negative impacts on the cognitive development of children. The center program which has been introduced currently boosts the development of poor children who cannot afford the best schools. The center program is the key to success in poor kid since it boosts their reading, writing and mathematical skills. The child’s social behavior is affected by the kind of school a child attends (MacDonald, 1993). The child may learn and adopt some behaviors they see in other children for example aggressiveness and harassments. The child may learn that racial discrimination is a normal way of life depending on the school the child is attending.

Are the children exposed to center programs more experienced than those ones not exposed? The research shows that those children exposed to center based programs benefit more than those who are not exposed before they start the primary school based programs. The poor children who are referred to as low social class kids are the most beneficiaries of this program since it boosts their cognitive development process. The social outcome of most kids is influenced by institutions attended and thus parents’ should take their kids to schools which will contribute positively to their moral behavior (Straus & Brown, 1978). The middle class kids also benefit from these center based care programs. The programs are important in boosting writing and reading skills in kids especially those ones that cannot afford the best institutions. Play is also an important factor to enhance cognitive development which is provided in the center programs.

Significance of play and social class in regard to cognitive development

The topic is a well defined topic and should be studied since it affects kids who are required to be successful. Play is an important factor in growth and development of a child. The social class should not determine the kind of school a child attends since every kid is entitled to proper education without any form of discrimination. Preschools though important to enhance cognitive development in children, are sometimes disadvantageous as it results to separation from the parents (Centre for Educational Research and Innovation, 1971). Kids are attached more to their parents so it interferes with the psychological nature of the kid. Teachers should act as parents to children as away of promoting healthy cognitive development skills. Parents should enhance growth and development in kids by taking them to center based programs for their skills to be boosted especially those kids from low and middle social classes.

Center based program is encouraged as it moulds the whole cognitive development in kids since it provides play and study skills to the kids (Feuerstein et al, 1991). The research has shown that children who undergo center based programs are ahead of children who have not been exposed to the program. Thus it is necessary for children to undergo center programs as it will boost their performance in the primary based education system thus bridging the gap between children from rich and poor backgrounds. The social behavior of majority kids is influenced by institutions attended and thus parents’ should take their kids to schools which will contribute positively to their moral behavior. This will enhance success of a child at home, school, society and the nation at all (Feuerstein et al, 1991).

Conclusions

From the above discussion and research it is correct to conclude that the problem of social class and lack of pay opportunity leads to negative impacts in cognitive growth and development in children. The research shows that poor children are currently enrolled in center programs as a way of boosting their cognitive development and growth process. This is a good way promoted by the education system as away of helping the needy and poor kids who cannot afford better schools with good opportunities to enhance their development process. Play is important as it enables socialization and interaction among children as they share new experiences and problems affecting them (Feuerstein et al, 1991). Play enhances cognitive development in terms of interpreting and learning new experiences. Play boosts the physical and mental ability in kids and thus should not be denied to kids at any time. Children should not overwork and should instead play a lot as this boost their mental capacity and skills as well as the physical development. Successful children play a lot which contributes to them being sharp. Parent and teachers should encourage kids to play as a way of improving their mental skills as well as their health status. Play maintains a child healthy and thus promoting healthy cognitive development. Teachers should not practice discrimination as it leads to negative social behavior in kids and thus teachers who involve themselves in discrimination cases should be punished.

Summary of the findings

Parents should not deny their children rights in choosing what they want to do and should be left to decide on what to and after choosing parents should support their children. This contributes to the success of a child. Children should not be forced to do things they dislike instead they should be left to choose what they do like. Forcing children do things they do not like makes them hate that activity and thus causing them psychological traumas. It is clear from the research that children should be exposed to center based program as a way of supporting their cognitive development positively. The poor children who are referred to as low social class kids are the most beneficiaries of this program since it boosts their cognitive development process. The education system should in future call for all children to undergo center based programs as a way of promoting success to kids. The government in future should fund the poor and needy kids as a way of promoting success to those kids. The government together with other organization should come up with policies in future that will punish those parents who fail to enroll their kids in center based programs. Parents’ should support their kids and provide playing facilities not only at homes but in schools too. It is true from the research that if the parents, teachers and the government cooperate in future, the problems involving play opportunities and social injustices will be solved. This will bridge the big gap between kids belonging to the Whites and Blacks.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

References

Advances in child development and behavior: Volume 32. (2004). Amsterdam: Elsevier Academic Press.

Centre for Educational Research and Innovation. (1971). Equal educational opportunity. Paris: O.E.C.D.

Feuerstein, R., Klein, P. S., Tannenbaum, A. J., & International Center for Enhancement of Learning Potential. (1991). Mediated learning experience (MLE): Theoretical, psychosocial and learning implications. London: Freund Pub. House.

Goswami, U. C. (2011). The Wiley-Blackwell handbook of childhood cognitive development. Chichester: Wiley-Blackwell.

MacDonald, K. B. (1993). The Value of parent-child play in child development. Albany, N.Y: State University of New York Press.

Phillips, K. (2008). The relationship between social class and play in early childhood: Implications for assessment.

Singer, D. G., Golinkoff, R. M., & Hirsh-Pasek, K. (2006). Play = Learning: How Play Motivates and Enhances Children's Cognitive and Social-Emotional Growth. New York: Oxford University Press.

Straus, M. A., & Brown, B. W. (1978). Family measurement techniques.

Warner, L., & Lynch, S. (2004). Preschool classroom management: 150 teacher-tested techniques. Beltsville, MD: Gryphon House.

Weisz, J. R., & Kazdin, A. E. (2010). Evidence-based psychotherapies for children and adolescents. New York: Guilford Press.