Introduction:

The discussion forum topic is an assignment to be submitted for a grade.  This is the sixth of ten discussion forum topics to be submitted during the semester.  This is a two part assignment.  Part 1 is to submit a response worth up to 4 points, and Part 2 is to reply to at least two of your classmates’ responses worth up to 1 point, for a total of up to 5 points for the assignment.  Read the directions carefully and read the grading rubric, then compose your response and submit your response by clicking Reply.     

Directions: 

Part 1:

Imagine that you are at the park sitting on a bench, and you meet a parent who sits down and starts talking to you about his or her child, who is in middle childhood.  Given what you have learned from the material in chapter 10, discuss what you would say to the parent in response to what the parent said.  Include statements about Erik Erikson’s fourth stage of psychosocial development, the family structure of the child, peer relationships of the child, and mental illness.

Tasks: 

1. Discuss the child’s psychosocial development in terms of Erik Erikson’s fourth stage of psychosocial development.

2. Discuss how the family structure of the child might affect his or her psychosocial development.

3. Discuss the peer relationships of the child.

4. Discuss mental illness or lack of mental illness in the child.

5. Reply to two classmates’ responses.

Sample of Good Work: 

If the parent of a child in middle childhood sat next to me on a bench and started talking about her son, then thoughts of what stage he was in, according to Erik Erikson, would come to mind.  If she described her son as being industrious at home and at school, I would tell her that it sounded like her son was in the fourth stage of psychosocial development and had resolved the psychosocial crisis with a positive outcome.  If she went on to tell me that she and her husband had a warm relationship with their son, then I might tell her that it sounded like her family structure was contributing to the positive outcomes of her son.  If she said that her son was popular and had joined the bully prevention team at school, then I would probably say that it sounded like her son had good peer relationships.  If she said that her son was a happy, confident, child, who bounced back from set-backs, even though a particular mental illness ran in her family, then I would probably tell her that it sounded like her child was resilient, despite the genetic component of mental illness in her family. 

The purpose of the discussion forum topic is to apply the course material to the real world and to your own life by giving examples that are meaningful to you.  This is due by Sunday night at 11:59 p.m.  Please see the Grading Rubric for Discussion Forum Topic.

This discussion forum topic ties into Student Learning Outcome (SLO) 1:

Student Learning Outcomes 1.  Students will be able to demonstrate an understanding of the theoretical constructs among the 4 main areas of human development (Physical, Cognitive, Social, and Emotional) throughout the lifespan.

This discussion forum topic ties into Course Objectives 1, 6, and 14:

Course Objective 1.  Discuss the classical theoretical approaches to understanding human development across the lifespan. 

Course Objective 6.  Explain and discuss the 8 stages of psychosocial development proposed by Erik Erikson. 

Course Objective 14.  Examine how child and adolescent development are effected by environmental factors, such as working parents, siblings, friendships, divorce, adoption, education, and abuse. 

This discussion forum topic ties into Learning Objectives 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5: 

Learning Objective 1.  Explain Erik Erikson’s fourth stage of psychosocial development.

Learning Objective 2.  Discuss Erik Erikson’s fourth stage of psychosocial development.

Learning Objective 3.  Identify family structures that affect the development of children.

Learning Objective 4.  Examine the peer relationships of children.

Learning Objective 5:  Identify mental disorders that can occur in childhood.

Part 2:  

After submitting a response to the discussion forum topic, view your classmates’ responses and reply to at least two classmates’ response by asking a question, answering a question, offering a suggestion, giving praise, agreeing, politely disagreeing, providing encouragement, sharing a story, or offering a comment.  This is due by Sunday night at 11:59 p.m.  Please see the Grading Rubric for the Discussion Forum Topic.