Human development

Introduction

           Human beings have different life experiences depending on the stage of human development they are in. The different stages are influenced by the pursuit of education that leads up to a career and also the actions that people engage in to develop and maintain a social life. Such is the case for Mr. X, a retired 72-year-old professor from Boston whose lifelong passion was always to be a teacher. The desire to pursue a career in teaching was influenced by his mother who was a teacher and also his role model. After losing his father and brother to a road accident, Mr. X’s mother applied for a job as a school teacher and enrolled Mr. X in the same school as she could not afford a nanny. Mr. X would therefore spend most of his free time in a classroom surrounded by books or listening to stories narrated by her mother on their drive home from work. The exposure to books and spending time around teachers exposed the young boy to the mysterious life of books and his desire to learn was born. 

 

Changes according to life events

           Mr. X’s life has greatly revolved around education and learning. Other than the influence from his mother, his passion for learning extended to schoolwork and he found it satisfying to help colleagues with topics they found challenging in school. Mr. X grew up knowing the importance of education and strived to attain academic excellence. His ability to grasp concepts and gain knowledge made him a favorite among teachers, most of which would select him to explain concepts in class and even manage entire lessons when the teacher was away. Mr. X viewed the exposure as an opportunity to not only test his knowledge but also identify areas that proved difficult for other children. Assisting others with topics they found challenging helped Mr. X to come up with different strategies to approach problems as well as innovative ways to help different students depending on their unique characteristics. While in school every moment was an opportunity to learn as Mr. X would spend most of his time in the library or with other students discussing topics and brainstorming ideas of how to approach difficult topics in the curriculum. His attitude towards learning not only improved his academic skills but also how people skills and ability to get along with people from diverse backgrounds.

 

Historical event that changed his life

           The major historical event that changed Mr. X’s life was the loss of his father and brother. The experience exposed him to a different side of human empathy and selflessness that he was yet to experience. Friend and family members all joined together to support his mother before she could secure a better job. Support came in form of food, money, and assistance with house chores. After his mother got a job as a teacher, her colleagues would take turns looking after Mr. X while she performed her duties. The exposure taught Mr. X the importance of family and having close relations with people that you associate with regularly. It also allowed him to experience how teachers function as a family, looking after each other’s interests while still ensuring that students are taught and given the skills and knowledge needed to land promising careers. It was at this point that Mr. X decided to become a teacher. He viewed the profession as a way to belong to a big family and also be in a position to help others by teaching them the skills they need to make it in life. 

 

Personal Life events

           Life events have also heavily influenced the direction Mr. X’s life has taken. Meeting his wife for example has positively influenced his career and enabled him to build a reputation at the institution he works in. Marrying a career woman and the birth of his two children motivated Mr. X to pursue a master’s in education and this spearheaded his career growth from a high school teacher to a professor in one of the renowned institutions in the United States. Although the push was greatly influenced by the desire to make more income, the position helped Mr. X to reach more students and also influence policies and curriculum in favor of the students. Mr. X’s mode of teaching was inspired by how he saw his mother relate to students when he was young. Although he got tough when strictness was required, Mr. X treated his students as sons and daughters all eager to learn and deserving of the right kind of environment and content needed to increase the chances of the students having promising futures.

 

Adaptations to aging

           The life changes that Mr. X has made indicate that he has somewhat successfully adapted to aging. Despite his commitment to the teaching profession, he always ensured that he maintained a balance between his work and family life. The close relationship he has maintained with his family has proved of great help especially when transitioning into a life after retirement. His children for example moved closer to Mr. X’s home as they both wanted to take care of their parents during old age. The couple has also opened a daycare where children can learn and start their academic journey while their parents go to work. Mr. X had also saved up enough money to support the high cost of medical bills and a different lifestyle that people have to adopt as they grow old. This combined with the support from the school and his children ensures that his family has a comfortable life even after retirement. 

 

Issues resulting from aging

The aging process has however introduced great challenges that interfere with Mr. X’s way of life. Forgetfulness associated with old age has made it difficult for Mr. X to learn new things. Difficulty in movement associated with old age has also forced Mr. X to settle for a calmer mode of teaching as opposed to the active and lively lessons that his students had grown accustomed to. Lastly, old age has deprived Mr. X of privileges such as driving. His inability to operate heavy machinery has forced him to settle for books in his home and the few occasions he visits his daycare.

 

Conclusion

Although life has been challenging in old age, the relationships Mr. X and his family built with each other and friends have made it easier for Mr. X to lead a productive life even in old age. Although some of the changes have taken away some elements that he worked to improve his entire life, the impact Mr. X had on people has made life more comfortable and satisfying even in his old stage of development.