Module 2:

UNDERSTANDING
CHILDREN
(THEIR NEEDS AND DEVELOPMENT)
National Trainers Training on Child Protection
August 25-29, 2013
 Our Identity

Plan is an international child-

centered, development, NGO
without religious, political or
governmental affiliation.
 Our Identity

Plan works in 70 countries around

the world and united around the
rights and needs of children.
Founded in Spain in 1937 and
established in the Philippines in
1961…

Child sponsorship is the basic

foundation of Plan.
Where we work
49 program countries – 1.5M Sponsored Children
22 Donor Countries (National Organizations
 Where we
operate Country North
Office Samar

Occ. East
Mindoro •Luzon Samar

West
Samar
Masbate

•Visayas
Southern
Leyte

77Provinces
Provinces
32 •N •Mindanao
32municipalities
municipalities Special Program
427
427villages
villages DRR
•W •E

•S
•0•0 •0 •1•0•0 •2•0•0 •3•0•0 •4•0•0 •M
••il•e•s
 IMPAC
T
PROG
RAMS

Economic security

Participate as citizens
Healthy start
protection

education Water and improved sanitation

Sexual and reproductive health

Protection & assistance in emergencies
Module 2:
UNDERSTANDING
CHILDREN
(THEIR NEEDS AND DEVELOPMENT)
 Methodology:
• Group Activities (Big group/small Group)
• Group Games
• Input/Discussion
• Short clips/film

Module Duration:
2 hours – including SLE
 A famous perceptual illusion in which the brain switches between seeing a young girl and an old woman (or "wife" and "mother in
law").

An anonymous German postcard from A rendition on an advertisement for W. E. Hill, who published it in 1915.
1888 (left figure) depicts the image in its the Anchor Buggy Company from Adapted from the original concept
earliest form 1890 that was popular throughout the world.
Are we Ready?

Let’s Get Busy:)

 Ready? Let’s Get
Busy

Sino ba ako?

(define the behavior

and characteristics
Ang sagot ng
of the child)
Parents/
caregiver ko!
“Kiddie Kit” (what are common
responses of adults to
(identify their these needs –)
needs)
• In our culture, children are highly valued
and seen as gifts from God.

• However, this is coupled with the view

that children are “walang-malay” and
“walang alam” and therefore should be
seen but not heard.
• the words associated with children and
childhood also illustrate an ideal –
a child who is:

e h aved
Well b Kind
Innocent Dependent
Notions about Children
 Notions about Children
• Children are passive and weak
• They are mini versions of adults
• “Kung ano ang puno, sya rin ang bunga”
• Children are their parent’s property
• They are born “empty “; “tabularasa”,
and therefore parents/adults can dictate
what they can and cannot do.
Note that...
• Children are not mere sponges or repositories of
information and values.
• They are intelligent, yet vulnerable but have the ability
to bounce back from stresses.
• A child is primarily concerned with the present and
does not worry so much about the future like adults do.
• He is creative and imaginative, eager more about his
world.
• They have emotions too and can be hurt. Children have
talents. They are active beings and are able to move
despite restraints on their freedom, They are
adventurous and parents must make sure they do not
hurt themselves.
Would you agree with me if I say...

• No parent in their sane mind would want bad

things happen to their children? Of course!
Why would you wish for such a thing for your
children?

• Sadly, there are parents in almost all of the

countries in the world who do otherwise.

• Parents who in their desire to develop their

children into a well rounded individual are
subjecting them to harmful and counter-
productive means of rearing and disciplining.
 Let us change the word Parents with Teachers and
let us see if it is also applicable...
Would you agree with me if I say that no Teacher
in their sane mind would want bad things happen
to their student? Of course! Why would you wish
for such a thing for those children?

Sadly, there are teachers in almost all of the

countries in the world who do otherwise.

Teachers who in their desire to develop their

students into a well rounded individual are
subjecting them to harmful and counter-
productive means of teaching and disciplining.
• If parents or teachers for that matter, are with
clear understanding of the characteristics of
children and on the basic principles on how they
develop and learn, do you think instituting age
appropriate discipline and managing their
behavior will be more facilitating than
challenging?

• Note however that there are views about our

children that oftentimes affects/influence our
own views.
 Definition of terms
Child Development –refers to the biological and
psychological and emotional changes that occur in
human beings between birth and the end of
adolescence, as the individual progresses from
dependency to increasing autonomy.
Developmental Domains

PHYSICAL SOCIAL

Language EMOTIONA
L

COGNITIVE
Developmental Domains
Cognitive or Intellectual
Development refers to the
child’s way of learning
information. The aspect of
development are on language
and speech; learning; thinking;
imagining; creating; problem
solving and memory.
Developmental Domains

Physical
Development –refers
to this as the gross and
fine motor
development but just
the same it refers to
the body structure
(bones, muscles, organ
and systems); senses;
motor activity (large
and small muscles).
Developmental Domains

Language
understand
words spoken
to him or her
and the ability
to speak words
to convey his
or her thoughts
and feelings
 Developmental Domains

Cognitive
• Refers to the
abilities of the
child to think,
reason,
understand
Paper, concepts and
pencil, apple solve problems.
• It also includes
literacy and
numeracy
skills.
Developmental Domains

Social
• Refers to the
child’s ability to
respond in an age
and culturally
appropriate
manner to social
situations and
interpersonal
relationships.
Developmental Domains

Emotional
• Refer expressions of
emotions and self-concept.
Emotions are an important
force in human behavior.
They form a person’s
personality.

• Changes in a child’s
emotional development takes
place with his expectations
and demands and at times
children find it hard to control
their emotions and turns to
tantrums.
 Note that...

• Every child is a unique person with an individual

temperament, learning style, family background,
and pattern and timing of growth.

• As children develop, they need different types of

stimulation and interaction to exercise their evolving
skills and to develop new ones.
 Principles Of Child Development
1.Development is holistic;
it consists of interdependent dimensions.

2. Development begins pre-natally and

learning begins at birth.

3. Development proceeds in predictable steps and

occurs in recognized sequences, but the rate,
character and quality of development vary in every child.

(+) directions of development are from center to extremities,

from top to bottom, gross to fine and towards greater coordination
Principles Of Child Development

4. Development is multi-determined and

varies as a function of the child’s nutritional and biomedical status,
genetic make-up and social and cultural context. (nature-
nurture)

5. Children’s development is cumulative in nature,

and not necessarily progressive.

6. Children are active participants in their

own development and learning.
 Principles Of Child Development

7. Development and learning occur as a result

of the child interacting with people and
objects in his environment.

8. Children live within a context –

family, community, culture—and their needs are
most effectively addressed in relation to that
context.
SOCIETY
Stephen Covey – The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

“When it comes to
developing character
strength, inner security
and unique personal and
interpersonal talents and
skills in a child, no
institution can or ever will
compare with, or
effectively substitute for,
the home's potential for
positive influence.”
 Build Bridges... Peter Tan Chi. CCF
• Connect
• Communicate
• Comprehend

Be Intentional!
Essence of Holistic Development

7 K’s RO
LA
G KA KAALAMAN
GA N
K AIBI
KASAMA

SAP KALU
KAU SUGA
N
KOMUNIDAD
KALINGA
 Key Message
• Development in children takes place in stages from simple to
complex.

• Each child exhibits the characteristics of a stage in his own way

and at his own time such that development in one child may be
a little different from another child.
 Key Message

• if parents or caregivers are with clear understanding of

these basic principles, instituting age appropriate
discipline to children will be more facilitating than
challenging.

• Children thrive best in an atmosphere of genuine love,

undergirded by reasonable, consistent discipline.
 In closing....
• let us watch this short clip produced by Mary and
Craig Reynolds and see what a teacher did... And how
she made a difference in the life of a young boy
named Teddy.
 Remember... Build relationships

• Connect
• Communicate
• Comprehend

Be Intentional!
 Thank You!

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