Reflective Analysis of Portfolio Artifact Rationale/Reflection NAEYC Standard:

STANDARD 1: Promoting Child Development and Learning Candidates prepared in early childhood degree programs are grounded in a child development knowledge base. They use their understanding of young childrens characteristics and needs, of multiple interacting influences on childrens development, and create environments that are healthy, respectful, supportive, and challenging for each child. (NAEYC, 2011)

Brief Description of Evidence:

During the Fall semester of 2011 in ECED 120 Child Growth and Development, I worked individually and took my evidence and knowledge from Erik Eriksons theory of psychosocial development, and took real facts and stories from my childhood to put together a self study. This study consists of things I did as a child, and allowed me to relate these childhood actions and memories to Eriksons Stages of Development theory.

Analysis of What I Learned:

Through completion of this self study, I was able to use my personal childhood experiences and relate them to a theorist and the Stages of Development theory. I now understand how important it is to be aware of children and their differences. I also know how important it is to be aware of how to connect theories to children in order to determine how they learn best. Through this artifact, I was able to understand that all children learn differently and at different developmental stages. I was able to take the information from my childhood and see the outcome of the stages of my own development. Throughout the project, I reflected and researched about my childhood and was able to determine the outcomes of each stage of development from Eriksons theo ry. This has allowed me to understand how it is important to create healthy environments for children to learn, play, and develop.

How This Artifact Demonstrates my Competence on the NAEYC Standard:

This project is just one of many projects in which I worked individually with information about children and theorists to connect learning and development to children. Through research about development and children, I feel more knowledgeable when it comes to meeting the needs of children and I feel confident that I can create an environment for all types of learners and children. During this project I reflected on the healthy, supportive environment I grew up in and how important it is that children have multiple opportunities to learn and develop in a healthy, supportive environment as well.