Physical Development Essay Example for Free

Physical Development EssayPrimary check children, aged six to twelve years old, result undergo a variety of knowledgeal changes, two corporeal and mental, and as teachers it is imperative that we both(prenominal) understand and befit the physical needs of students in the information environment. To fully comprehend these changes, one must consider the actual physical changes that occur, in particular the teaching of motor skills, as well as how to restrain the physical needs and development of students during their primary cultivate years.Supplementary to these broader topics be the benefits of physical activity as well as the consequences of prolonged inactivity, and how a students physical development bottom of the inning either facilitate or restrict development in another(prenominal) areas. Children between the ages of 6 and 10 (referred to as middle childhood) will experience a plethora of physical developments. Firstly, they will steadily gain weight and hei ght, though their basic organic structure social structure will remain unchanged.Children will also lose their 20 primary or baby teeth, which will be replaced by permanent teeth. Some of the most significant skills children of this age will develop are motor skills. Motor skills refer to a learned sequence of feats that combine to create an efficient movement in secern to turn over proficient at a certain activity. These can be split up into two subcategories gross motor skills and pretty motor skills.Gross motor skills are large movements of the body that permit locomotion through and within the environment (McDevitt Ormrod, 2010) and includes such skills as walking and swimming, while fine motor skills are Small, precise movements of particular parts of the body, especially the hands (McDevitt Ormrod, 2010), and include such skills as writing and drawing. In early childhood, humans rely largely on reflexive (that is, unlearned and in automatic) movement patterns, and th us are lacking fine motor skills.As they reach middle childhood, children develop voluntary movement patterns, and begin refining both their gross and fine motor skills, gaining proficiency in a variety of actions. Children increase the speed and coordination of their running, kicking and throwing, and become able to integrate these movements into sports and other structured twist activities. They also correct advances in their handwriting, becoming smaller and more than consistent, and their drawings, supported by save cognitive development, become more detailed.Finally, the functions of the mastermind are enhanced in a number of ways. The two hemispheres of the brain develop into more unique sectors, and gatherings of regularly used neurons are cultivated. The process of myelination, the growth of a superfatted sheath around neurons that allows them to transmit messages more quickly (McDevitt Ormrod, 2010), continues, permitting swift and sustained skill.In order to accom modate and encourage students physical needs and developments, teachers should first and foremost always ensure that the information area is safe. The classroom should constantly be checked for hazards, such as sharp edges on desks, untie flooring, or potentially dangerous substances, and teachers should ensure that Rooms, bathrooms, and hallways are cleaned daily (Wilford, 2006). Children should also be educated on how to recognise situations or objects that could harm them, and how to deal with them effectively.As unseasoned children are especially vulnerable to illness, it is oddly important to do everything possible to prevent it, by keeping the area clean and sanitizing surfaces, and teaching children healthful practices, such as washing their hands after toileting. This is a vital area of education should a child suffer from a serious illness for a long limit of conviction, their physical development may be permanently mired, having serious consequences on their entire lives. It is also important that students have ingress to healthy and nutritious food at school, and learn about sound eating habits.Certain foods or lack thereof, have varying effects on students physical development, and should children be malnourished for an extended period of time, their development may be permanently stunted. A child who is malnourished is more prone to infections (Brewster and White, 2002) which further impair (their) nutritional state by depressing (their) appetite and increasing the demand on his reserves of protein and energy (Brewster and White, 2002), leading to further diminished rates of physical development.For these reasons, it is imperative that primary school students learning environment be kept as safe and healthy as possible, through the teachers ensuring that the classroom is hazard free and sanitized, and that the children have access to nutritious and healthy food, as well as educating the children so that they may implement such skills thems elves. By doing this, educators can accommodate the physical needs and developments of their children, and exploit the effectiveness of their schooling, both physical and donnish.During primary school, students are at an optimal age in wrong of motor skill learning (Anshel, 1990), and thus motor skills develop rapidly, allowing them to perform skilled tasks. In order to help students develop these motor skills, it is important for teachers to incorporate physical activity into their curriculum. This attends in the development of both fine and gross motor skills. Firstly, they should provide frequent opportunities for students to participate in physical activity end-to-end the day these activities would ideally allow the participation of children, regardless of their respective skill levels.For example, when guiding children through skipping rope, the teacher could at first have them use a long rope and simply step all over the rope children who find this easy could then try a ctual skipping. Should this prove relatively easy, they could skip at a faster pace, and children who showed proficiency at this higher level could try crossing the rope over while skipping. Educators can also integrate physical activity into academic lessons, which will not exclusively shorten the length of time between physical activities, but also keep the students more engage in the lesson.Conversely, it is also important to give students adequate time to rest. If they spend too much time exercising and overexert themselves, this will only lead to decreased concentration during the rest of their lessons, causing their cognitive operation to suffer. Additionally, children progressing through middle childhood still have relatively soft bones, so additional vigilance should be taken if they perform any high impact exercises, such as lifting heavy weights.To reiterate, young students physical development can be accommodated through the utilisation of physical activity at school, even this must be done in moderation, otherwise it may be detrimental to the childs education and general wellbeing. Finally, educators should be aware of how a childs physical development can assist with or hinder their development in other areas. For example, a child who has developed at a faster rate than their peers will likely be more proficient at sports, and the beef up neuron pathways will increase the rate at which they learn and become proficient at academic subjects.The self-confidence this gives them may then be expressed through the childs interest and occupation in school, which in turn will make their entire learning experience both easier and more pleasurable. Increased participation in both sport and academic activities will in turn make meeting and befriending other students easier, allowing the student to expand socially, again giving them a more positive watch on school and further increasing their focus and determination to succeed physically and academical ly.On the other hand, students who have not physically developed as quickly as others in their year group may not perform as well in either academic or physical activities, and subsequently suffer from learned helplessness, a situation in which a childs experience leads them to believe they will always fail, and thus they do not try, acting as though they (are) helpless to do better (U. S. Dep Education, 1992). This lack of confidence and learned helplessness can cause students to become listless and inattentive and sometimes disruptive (U. S.Dep Education, 1992), and may be prevent (students) from fulfilling (their) potential (Seligman, 1990). This is why it is indwelling to implement scaffolding into the learning environment, to support less physically developed students and assist them in succeeding, construct their confidence. Therefore, it is important that teachers carefully monitor the progress of students individually, and provide support and encouragement appropriate to t heir developmental coiffe to facilitate the learning experience for them. Children completing their primary education will experience many overbold things socially, mentally and physically.It is the role of teachers to make this experience as beneficial as possible, and a key element of doing so is the understanding of the physical developments they undergo during this time. To fully appreciate these developments, educators should consider the benefit of physical activity, as well as the consequences of prolonged inactivity, how a students physical development can assist with or hinder their development in other areas, motor development in children and how this is influenced, and finally how to accommodate and support the developments and needs of their students.