What is Child Development in the light of the theory of John Dewey?
Child development is the process by which children grow and change in ways that affect their bodies, minds, and feelings. The way children see and interact with the world around them changes because of these changes. John Dewey was a famous American philosopher and educational reformer. He came up with a theory of child development that stressed the importance of active learning and hands-on experiences. Dewey says that a child goes through three stages of growth:
1) The Sensorimotor Stage (birth to 2 years old): During this stage, babies learn about the world through their senses and motor activities. They learn about the world around them by touching, tasting, smelling, and listening to things. Infants also start to understand that things still exist even when they can't be seen. This is called object permanence. For example, a baby might get upset when a toy is out of sight because they haven't yet learned to recognize the same thing over and over again.
2) The Preoperational Stage (2–7 years old): This is when children start to learn how to use language and how to think in symbols. They also get to use their imaginations and play make-believe. But they still can't think very far ahead and have trouble making logical arguments. For example, a child might think that a tall, thin glass holds more water than a short, wide glass, even though both glasses hold the same amount of water.
3) The Concrete Operational Stage (7–12 years old): This is when kids start to think more logically and in a structured way. They can understand ideas like conservation, which is the idea that the amount of something stays the same even if its appearance changes. They also start to see how things cause other things to happen and can solve simple problems. For example, a child might be able to figure out that gravity is the reason why a ball that rolls off a table falls to the ground.
In conclusion, Dewey's theory of child development stresses the importance of hands-on experiences and active learning for a child's mental, emotional, and social growth. These activities help kids learn more about the world around them and build the skills they'll need to be successful in life.
