Characteristics and Needs

This post is based on my field study that I did conduct last three months of the year 2014. You may seem not to approve some of this idea, but please correct me if I am wrong. Most of the things contain here are based on my own opinion. I am very welcome to some ideas that you may share on this subject matter. Thank you and hope it will be a help for those people in search for the same studies.

Differentiating the characteristics and needs of learners from different developmental levels:

Step 3Validate your observation by interviewing the learners.

Step 2Describe each of the learners based on your observations.

Step 4Compare them in terms of their interests and needs.

Step 1Observe 3 groups from different levels (preschools, elementary, and high school).

Physical

1. Observe their gross motor skills. How they carry themselves. How they more, walk, run, go up the stairs. Etc.
2. Are gross movements clumsy or deliberate/smooth?
3. How about their fine motor skills? Writing, drawing, etc.

Social

1. Describe how they interact with teachers and other adults.
2. Note how they also interact with peers. What do they talk about? What are their concerns?

Emotional

1. Describe the emotional disposition or temperament of the learners (happy, sad, easily cries, mood-shifts)
2. How do they express their wants/needs? Can they wait?
3. How do they handle frustrations?
4. Describe their level of confidence as shown in their behaviour. Are they self-concious?

Cognitive

1. Describe their ability to use words to communicate their ideas. Note their language proficiency.
2. Describe how they figure out things. Do they comprehend easily? Look for evidence of their thinking skills.
3. Were there opportunities for problem solving? Describe how did they show problem solving abilities.

Learners’ Development Matrix

 

DevelopmentDomain	PreschoolerIndicate age range of children observed:5-6 years of age	ElementaryIndicate age range of children observed:11-12 years of age	High SchoolIndicate age range of children observed:15-16 years of age
Physical Gross-motor skills    Fine-motor skills           Self-help skills       Others	The learners already knew how to balance their self.The coordination of the muscles is still developing, but mostly able to control it.    They still need assistance from the adult.	In the elementary level, they already have a refine control on their body parts.Their coordination was very fine due to some reason that most of them are in good health.  They have the idea how to do things on their own.	Adolescent children has a refine control on their body parts, and already aware the significant of the othersFrom Head to Foot were functioning well. Most of the students were healthy on the time of observation.They already can help themselves physical and act independently.
SocialInteraction with Teachers  Interaction with Classmates/friends           Interests   Others	The learners were very attached with their teacher.They enjoying the company of their others, yet always playing without thinking either it will harm their classmates or not.       They like colorful things, and small things can already give them contentment.	Some of the learner’s can already voice out their ideas to their teacher.They interact will enough to their peers, and know their limits.        They are still interested in playing. Start as a mode of motivation is already not applicable to them.	They are very expressive with their teacher, and easily conveyed their wants.They already in the level of the so called “infatuation” , and most likely loved to tease their friends.    They are interested in more activities and with new gadgets.
EmotionalMoods and temperament, expression of feelings        Emotional Independence                 Others	They are an expressive learner. If they want to cry they will. If they want to show attachment to their teacher, they won’t hesitate.They are not dependent; they are still on the first level of learning this factor.	They already know how to control their feelings, and they are already comprehended the meaning of shyness and where to put their self.  They are in the stage of learning this emotional independence, but still they need to be guided carefully on this aspect.	Unlike the elementary, they already knew how to put their emotions in, but to some other child, they are boosting with moods that sometimes cause them to be talkative.They are closely to be more emotional independent, but it is restricted and should teaches them this part in a far more detail since they are in the height of wider curiosity about their environment.
CognitiveCommunications Skills              Thinking Skills             Problem-Solving           Others	The learners were starting to convey their feelings in a more basic way.      Their thinking skills are still on side of molding them since they are questionable about their environment.     In terms of this area, they are not capable of solving this around them.	They are being talkative, that even in class they sometimes over do it, and not listen to their teacher.      Their thinking skill is way improved than that of a preschooler, which they can give out their idea on a certain subject matter.   Problem-solving become easier with them in giving out an answer that they understood.	The learners were well controlled on their communications skills, and way better than those in the lower level. They can express their self even with the adults.Their thinking skills were better, that they could already hand down the critical analysis in a certain subject.   In this aspect, they have the higher abilities to decide and think of a certain solution and even give an alternative.

SUMMARY OF OBSERVATION

Write the most salient developmental characteristics of the learners you observed. Based on these characteristics, think of implications for the teacher.

Level	Salient Characteristics Observed	Implications to the Teaching-Learning Process
PreschoolAge range of learners observed 4-5 years of age	Preschoolers like to babied and a way sensitive about the feeling of their teacher, which they showed more affection when they already closed with the teacher.	The teacher should be more compassionate with their preschoolers and be keen enough on their needs and tactics on how to handle small children.
ElementaryAge range of learners observed 11-12 years of age	Elementary learners have the possibility to be way talkative and move around and ask lots of question.	Therefore the teacher should know how to keep her/his children tame in keeping their mouth in silence during the lesson session.The teacher should also have the ability to know the possible question of these children, since their questions are far more active.
High SchoolAge range of learners observed 15-16 years of age	High school learners like activities.They like to explore a lot and some of them could express their thoughts to teachers with confidence.	Therefore, the teachers are now complied to facilitate the learning of their students, and ready for some alternatives ways for them not to be bored with the class.

 

PERSONAL REFLECTIONS:

1. While you were observing the learners, did you recall your own experiences when you were their age? What similarities or differences do you have with the learners you observed?

• Yes, I did. The commonality that I saw from the learners during my time was somewhat eerie, since I can see myself in them during my younger years. I am the silent type the whole year round of my school days.

The assistant teacher from the preschooler suddenly mentioned about the first day of those kids. There were those some that wouldn’t like to go to school, teacher were complied to do something for them to go to school at those crucial time. This typical feeling was something that I did feel back then as well when I started going to school. Afraid of the new things and changes, and don’t want to be away from their parents. Yet somehow, as preschoolers get too used in schooling that feeling were slowly fading. During my elementary days, I like playing games more than studying, and these kinds of thing were very common even with the learners I did observed. They love to get involved with their friends, play with them, and explore new things within their own hands. Furthermore, like those high school learners, I am also fun of getting involving myself in a report, but I only got the chance when we were required too, because I don’t have the guts to volunteer during those days. I like activities that are within my reach, yet the learners from that school were different in some way or another. However, the difference that I could possibly detect from this today’s learner was that, they are far more into activities, and very involved with technology now a days. They were exceeding the skills from those kids back then. They are totally enhancing that themselves are trying variety of experience that they can try on.

2. Think of a teacher you cannot forget for the positive or negative reasons. How did she/he help you with your needs? How did it affect you?

• There are so many teachers that change something about my perspective from how I see life. There were those certain whom I admire the most; and one of them was named Ms. Gabuyo. I forgot her whole name, but what I always remember was her last name. She was our physic teacher. She was a strict teacher who gives punishments when her students do wrong, and got low grades. She usually uses something like a meter stick as a paddle to punish someone from getting a low score. Her judgment was so strict that every one of us was complied to do the best as we can to survive her subject. During her lesson, everyone were not at ease, because most of us was afraid that she might give some oral quiz or else an examination that will comply us to discuss in front of our classmates. However, the way she does this isn’t bad at all because her subject gives an opportunity to sink some of her ideals about physic in us, and from the way she handled her class is something I admire the most. The thing that affects me was to be at my best as I can.

3. Which is your favorite theory of development? How can this guide you as a future teacher?

• I am not sure of what kind of theory development that is being mean on this part of the question, but for me, I find high school to be an interesting one. I did go throw with this kind of development, and as I perceive it, this something deals with the most crucial stage in one’s life as a person, because this is the stage where everything is at question. A very vulnerable one that could possibly lead the student to turn their way going to a direction that they didn’t imagine it. As far as being an educator, I want to learn more about this stage through complying myself. I want to give an input in them the goodness of life to be thankful for, and give a full meaning about life by integrating it within my lesson.

4. What are your other significant insights on the learner’s characteristics and needs?

• The learner’s characteristics and needs come in a variety of aspect. Learners are not all the same, based on my observation; I see different kinds of kids. There were those learners who were talkative, silent, very naughty, active, loner, happy and so many things. Different side of which help me understand more that God create human in a very unique. Each has their own unique way that makes them as an individual. Their needs also differ, each kids has their own. There are those kids who are lack of skills than the others. There are those fast and slow learners, goes as well with those learners are who are far and near sighted. Student who are well able and who are not. These are those few things that should be addressed by the curriculum maker since the students are the life blood of school. There interest and giving their needs in terms of education is their rights that must met by the educator.