PEPSI Screening 1

PEPSI Screening
Jaquila Lewis
EDU 220-1002
Dr.Hooks
March 22, 2020
PEPSI Screening 2

Skyler Dixson
Skyler aka Sky is 7 years old; she was born August 16, 2013 in Baton
Rouge Louisiana. Skyler is the only child of her mother Shawdae
Richardson and Father Stanley Dixson. The family lives in Zachary
Louisiana, along with Skyler’s nana(grandmother) who recently died
Thursday evening. Nana was Skyler’s mother mom. They also have a pet
dog (Bella).
Skyler has two aunts on her mothers’ side and 4 cousins from Aunt Terry.
Aunt Terry lives in Monroe and Aunt Jay lives in Las Vegas. Skyler has lots
of other family members that live closer to her in Louisiana, she has a very
close family.
Skyler attends Zachary Elementary, she is 2nd grade. Sky loves to play with
her best friend Ava anytime at school and on the bus. Skyler doesn’t care
to write much but loves to read at school, she is also on the honor roll.
Skyler is very outspoken and outgoing, at times when she is tired, she gets
very irritable and emotional. She loves attention and traveling with her
mother. Skyler is a lot like her mom, she is a girly girl meaning she loves
getting her nails painted and shopping, her all-time favorite thing to do is
bake and make chocolate covered strawberries.
Skyler favorite(s): food is pizza, color is pink and purple, character is any
kind of unicorns, and she has so many favorite snacks in her words “I
shouldn’t even name them” because there is so many.
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Physical Development
Skyler is 44 pounds and 50.5” tall, which is average for her age. Skyler has
a hard time sitting still for long periods of time which is normal according to
our text, “Primary grade children are still extremely active. Because they
are frequently required to participate in sedentary pursuits, energy is often
released in the form of nervous habits for example, pencil chewing,
fingernail biting, and general fidgeting” (Snowman, J., & McCown, R.R.,
2015.p.84). When eating Skyler chew and maybe tap the table, if she is
watching something on the ipad she will stand and turn around, and most
of the time if she is standing, having a conversation with someone she taps
her foot. When watching tv Skyler ends up flipping on the sofa or jumping
down off the kitchen chair after eating, she often runs when she gets a
chance and walk on the back of her hills. “Children tend to be extreme in
their physical activities. They have excellent control of their bodies and
develop considerable confidence in their skills. As a result, they often
underestimate the danger involved in their more daring exploits”
(Snowman, J., & McCown, R.R., 2015.p.84). Skyler fine motor skills are on
track for her age: she has pencil control when writing, can cut neatly
around shapes, and uses a fork and knife during mealtimes appropriate,
which are shown on the Fine Motor Development checklist (Kid Sense
Child Development Corporation Pty Ltd, 2019). Overall Skyler physical
development is on track she can: run, skip, hop, balance on one foot for
countless seconds, throw balls and catch using her large motor skills and
she doesn’t have a problem using those skills at every moment she can.
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Emotional Development
Skyler has several emotional challenges; she is the only child and she
seeks a lot of attention sometimes because her mother worship her! Which
is a good thing, “Students are sensitive to criticism and ridicule and may
have difficulty adjusting to failure. Young children need frequent praise and
recognition. Because they tend to admire or even worship their teachers,
they may be crushed by criticism” (Snowman, J., & McCown, R.R.,
2015.p.86). Skyler mother is a RN, that works overnight, and her father
really doesn’t know how to deal with Skyler’s emotions. On top of all these
things Skyler nana/grandmother died suddenly during my observation days.
Skyler’s nana took care of her when her mother was working. Skyler
doesn’t fully understand what death is at this age. Some morning Skyler
wake up and call on nana and her mother must remind her that nana is no
longer here, she doesn’t get upset she just move on to the next thing.
“Most 7-year-olds are better able to handle transitions and last-minute
changes. While they may not yet be able to exercise the self-control, they
will at age 10 or 12, they can usually tolerate going with the flow or
unexpected situations” (Morin, 2019). The last week Skyler has been out of
school, staying up late with her cousins and when she gets tired, she gets
emotional. Skyler is use to being home alone so when she has company
she caters to them, she has no problem with sharing toys and things but
she is sometime overbearing because she just wants to be where ever the
other children are, even in their space. Her mother reminds her to give
them space most of the time when the others need a break/time alone.
“Children are becoming sensitive to the feelings of others” (Snowman, J., &
McCown, R.R., 2015.p.87). Skyler understands because she sometime
tells her mom she needs rest time when she is tired of doing an activity.
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Philosophical Development
As you know Skyler is the only child and has had cousins over for about a
week now. Skyler and her cousins look at her mother as the parent that is
going to fuss and make sure everyone is following the guidelines. Skyler
aunt Terry is the parent that just let everything slide so when the guidelines
are broken while her cousin are at her home, she has a hard time just
letting it go. Morality of Constraint (Typical of Six-Year-Olds) states “Holds
single, absolute moral perspective (behavior is right or wrong). Believes
rules are unchangeable. Determines extent of guilt by amount of damage.
Defines moral wrongness in terms of what is forbidden or punished”
(Snowman, J., & McCown, R.R., 2015.p.60). Which also explains why
Skyler doesn’t understand that different things/situations cause for different
punishments/ consequences. Skyler knows there is no eating in the
bedrooms but her and her cousin ate chips in her bedroom then hide the
wrappers under the bed. Skyler mother found them and asked what she
think she should do Skyler said “throw the wrapper in the trash” her mother
agreed but she also said that they could only have one snack at dinner time
for the next two days. Skyler didn’t understand why throwing the wrappers
away wasn’t enough and her mother explained by finding the wrappers
made the situation worst because she knew eating in the room was the
wrong thing to do but instead of admitting to it she hide the wrappers.
Encyclopedia of Children’s Health defined Moral development as “the
process through which children develop proper attitudes and behaviors
toward other people in society, based on social and cultural norms, rules,
and laws” (Advameg, Inc, 2020). I feel that Skyler mother has shown her a
great way to deal with life as she faces different challenges, she has given
Skyler the tools she needs by modeling the behavior she expects from
Skyler. Skyler watches her mother pray every morning and night now
Skyler join in prayer or sometimes suggest it during times she feel it’s
needed. Skyler is very polite and respectful to people and their feelings
which sometimes cause he feelings to get hurt easily but then she talks it
out and come up with a reasonable solution. Which all these things tie in
with Kohlberg’s Stages of Moral Reasoning, “Stage 6: Universal ethical
principle orientation. Moral decisions should be made in terms of self-
chosen ethical principles. Once principles are chosen, they should be
applied in consistent ways” (Snowman, J., & McCown, R.R., 2015.p.60).
PEPSI Screening 6

Social Development

Skyler has a best friend name Ava, that go to school with her. “Develop
friendships, usually with other children of the same gender”
(Healthwell,2018) is typical at this age .The girls fuss sometimes, and Sky
tell her mom all about it and at the end of each story she says but we
agreed, or we are still friends. “Although friends disagree with each other
more often than with nonfriends, their conflicts are shorter, less heated, and
less likely to lead to a dissolving of the relationship (Laursen & Pursell,
2009; Ross & Spielmacher, 2005).) (Snowman, J., & McCown, R. R.,
2015.p.85). Being that school is out right now, Skyler has cousins over and
all the children have their own personality and are raised two different
ways. Skyler is used to being right and so are her cousins so during play
the children would run out and tell on one another. The parents would give
guidelines to follow, sometimes the children practice those guidelines. “But
when you can, give children a chance to work out their own solutions to
disagreements; social conflict is effective in spurring cognitive growth
(Howe, Rinaldi, Jennings, & Petrakos, 2002; Murphy & Eisenberg, 2002;
Tudge & Rogoff, 1989) (Snowman, J., & McCown, R. R., 2015.p.86). Skyler
is good at trying to please anyone that she has around to play with even if
they are in the wrong. Skyler doesn’t like to disappoint her mother or upset
her friends. Skyler has a weird relationship with her father and interacting
with him. Her father treats her in the mother words “like a little boy” he does
the things he like to do with Skyler leaving her to just go with the follow and
when she ask question he sometimes get aggravated and don’t really
answer. Example Skyler father love fixing up old cars. Skyler may ask why
he fix up old cars and not new cars, her father may not answer then she
would go on and give her explanation, her father may respond with a
simple head shake or one-word answer. Skyler then finds her mother and
talk to her about the situation, as usual her mother has a conversation
about but it leaves her and her mother uneased about the fact that Skyler
feels like her father doesn’t connect with her like they feel like he should.
PEPSI Screening 7

Intellectual Development
Skyler can hold a conversation with mostly anyone, she loves to ask why,
it’s the way she learn and process things. According to the text “Children
understand that there are different ways to know things and that some
ways are better than others. When an observation can be explained with
either a possible (that is, a theoretical) explanation or an evidence-based
explanation, preschoolers fail to see one as more compelling than the
other, but primary grade children usually prefer the explanation based on
evidence. This is the beginning of scientific thinking (Kuhn, 2011).
(Snowman, J., & McCown, R. R., 2015.p.87). This explains why she need a
explanation, it helps her to think logically with personal experience and she
could also include two-way thinking meaning she can explain her point of
view and understand others, stated in Jean Piaget- Cognitive Theorist
(Bohlin, L., Durwin, C.C., Reese-Weber, M., 2012). As I look at Erikson’s
Psychosocial Theory, I noticed a lot of things that stared to make sense to
me about Skyler. Skyler is very intelligent and even though she ask a lot of
questions and like to be praised it is normal at this age and all the praises
are giving her the tools she need to be so confident and bold to ask
questions to learn. “If children at this stage are encouraged to make and do
things well, helped to persevere, allowed to finish tasks, and praised for
trying, industry results. If the children’s efforts are unsuccessful or if they
are derided or treated as bothersome, feelings of inferiority result. Children
who feel inferior may never learn to enjoy intellectual work and take pride in
doing at least one kind of thing well. At worst, they may believe they will
never excel at anything.” (Snowman, J., & McCown, R. R., 2015.p.30).
Skyler mother plays a major part in this because she always gives her
explanation behind any comment, demand, etc. They also talk things out
sometimes is get heated because her mother sometimes wants her to just
do as she says without questioning her but at the end of the situation they
come together and talk about what happened.
PEPSI Screening 8

PEPSI Screening Bar Graph

Intellectual

Social

Philosophical

Emotional

Physical

6.4 6.6 6.8 7 7.2 7.4 7.6 7.8 8 8.2

Skyler Age 7
PEPSI Screening 9

Recommendations for parents and teachers

Physical Development- Don’t have child sitting for long periods of time.
While doing assignments/activities allow brain breaks and/or add in some
moving. Examples: Allow child to read a book or do assignment while
walking around. Dedicate a time during the day for Skyler to use her gross
motor skill and model for her the correct way to do things such as flips,
balancing, and twirls on her hills. Everyday you can say after you finish
your homework, we will take 15 minutes to dance/get active.
Emotional Development- I would encourage Skyler mother to continue to
praise her like she does throughout situations when Skyler gets emotional
and help her find the words that’s needed to express her feelings during
difficult times. Example: When Skyler gets moody, ask her questions like
what’s is wrong? How could she help her solve the problem? What do
Skyler think would help solve her problem? Family should also work on dad
learning to deal with Skyler emotional development as well by teaching him
the things to do and say to Sky in the time of need.
Philosophical Development- Skyler’s mother does a great job in this area. I
would recommend she continue to model positive behavior for Skyler and
give explanations for the reasons she maybe redirecting her. Also, I would
suggest that mom teach dad these things as well so he could create these
bonds with Skyler as well. Example: When redirecting Skyler and she ask
why, explain to her “I’m asking you to walk because I want you to stay safe
without falling” then have dad try it, ask him to explain why you all are
telling Skyler to walk.
Social Development- Skyler may need help understanding that rules can
change based on different situations so I would recommend parents to just
explain things when they change. Example: If the rule is Skyler has to clean
her room every Friday but today is Tuesday and her room is a mess and
you ask her to clean it and she ask why you explain that even though it’s
not Friday her room is a mess and she couldn’t find her shoes so know she
has to do it today. Parent should also let Skyler know that sometimes
everything may not workout in her favor meaning everyone may not want to
be her friend and that is okay.
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Intellectual Development- Skyler mother does a great job in this area only
recommendation I have is to continue praising Skyler in everything she
does and building her confidence by explaining to her when she may not
know something or may not that the right answer, continue helping her
figure things out by explaining and making her think about certain answers
and outcomes.
PEPSI Screening 11

References
Kid Sense Child Development Corporation Pty Ltd, 2019.
https://childdevelopment.com.au/resources/child-development-
charts/fine-motor-developmental-checklist/.
Morin, 2019.
https://www.verywellfamily.com/7-year-old-developmental-
milestones-620704.
Advameg, Inc, 2020.
http://www.healthofchildren.com/M/Moral-Development.html.
Healthwell, 2018.
https://www.healthlinkbc.ca/health-topics/ue5719.
Bohlin, L., Durwin, C.C., Reese-Weber, M., 2012.
https://www.worldcat.org/title/edpsych-modules/oclc/214322613.
Snowman, J., & McCown, R. R., 2015. Psychology Applied to Teaching,
14e