Running head: DEVELOPMENTALLY-APPROPRIATE INSTRUCTION 1

Developmentally-Appropriate Instruction

Micayla Chapman

Regent University

In partial fulfillment of UED 496 Field Experience ePortfolio, Spring 2019

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Developmentally-Appropriate Instruction

Introduction

Secondary education students are vastly different developmentally from elementary

education students because of the onset of puberty which signifies the start of adolescence.

Adolescence is known for its turbulence due to children starting to question their identity and

understand the world separate from parental guidance. It is important to note that there are three

stages of adolescence known as early, middle, and late adolescence. Early and middle

adolescence are the most relevant to secondary education because early is typically from age

twelve to fourteen and middle is usually from age fifteen to seventeen. Understanding the

characteristics for these stages of development are important for the educator because it will

shape the classroom environment, lesson planning, and activities. Adolescence is a difficult time

for young people, so teachers should be equipped with the ability to help their students navigate

those difficulties. Navigating means fostering a classroom environment that allows for discussion

about real-world issues and self-reflection. Adolescence is a time when children want to develop

a greater understanding of their identity while also connecting and identifying with their peers

instead of their parents. This is important for teachers to remember when they are in the

classroom.

Rationale for Selection of Artifacts

The artifacts I chose signify an understanding of the developmental characteristics of

early adolescence. My first student teaching placement was in a seventh-grade classroom where

most students are between the ages of twelve and thirteen. This is a pivotal time for children

because most of them are starting puberty and embarking on their journey into adolescence and

beyond. My first artifact includes photos, a worksheet, and set of flashcards for review stations. I
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developed these stations to help students study for a unit test on their class novel, A Long Walk to

Water. The review stations included a literary devices book hunt, review with flashcards, and a

beach-ball game with an adult at each station. My cooperating teacher led the book hunt, the

SPED teacher or a librarian supervised the review with flashcards, and I facilitated the beach-ball

game. Each station allowed for students to collaborate and work in either pairs or teams which

fostered healthy group dynamics and peer approval. It also incorporated movement which is

necessary for early adolescents because it helps to keep them engaged. A large aspect of early

adolescence is learning to navigate peer relationships, so teachers should create opportunities for

active learning and peer interactions. The students enjoyed doing the stations and based on

verbal student feedback, they wanted to keep doing the stations even after the timer ran out. This

was encouraging because it meant I could use this format with either similar or different

activities in my future classroom.

The second artifact I chose includes photos from an inside outside circles activity to help

the seventh-grade classes discuss their class novel. This facilitation of discussion directly

preceded the unit test, so that the students could mentally prepare a bit before taking their test.

The inside outside circles helped to facilitate healthy peer dynamics and active learning, which

are important for early adolescents as previously mentioned, but also, they encouraged real-life

applications of content. Each discussion question utilized the book’s content to help encourage

self-reflection and contemplation with their peers. The students reflected on the importance of

the main characters’ stories, the relevance of the novel’s themes to seventh-graders, the

encouragement of doing good for the world despite its turmoil, and self-reflection on the topic of

persistence. Most of the discussions that took place were meaningful and I was able to hear about

what they learned about themselves after reading the novel. A good approach to classroom
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learning during early adolescence is personal relevancy and real-world applications, so having

that time for self-reflection and application is vital for their greater understanding. Early

adolescents desire to feel connected to their peers and world outside of their parents, so helping

to ground them to stories that teach good values and morals while also encouraging independent

thought will be beneficial for them.

Reflection on Theory and Practice

The artifacts I chose came from the seventh-graders’ study of the class novel, A Long

Walk to Water. The activities showcase developmentally appropriate instruction; however, it also

shows cultural awareness. This novel is about The Lost Boys of Sudan and it predominantly

discusses the chaos of war and the life of young refugees. By studying this novel, I was able to

share with my students a real-world perspective that helped them self-reflect and understand

their privileges living in America. It also encouraged the students to discuss wanting to get

involved with Water for South Sudan and raising money to help build wells in South Sudan.

Throughout this entire process, I encouraged my students to be open-minded and learn from their

classmates when talking about their personal experiences. According to Booker (2018), “In the

middle grades classroom, teachers have a unique opportunity to meet adolescents’ needs for

relatedness, competence, and autonomy by encouraging positive interactions that bolster

students’ confidence in being a valued member of the school community” (p. 12). By having

these group conversations about real-world situations, they can go beyond their own perspective

and help others. When students are all joining together to help others, they feel like a part of their

community and feeling included is a major desire for early adolescents.

In terms of development, an important aspect of early adolescence is their desire for

independence while also knowing they can reach out to an adult if needed. Bergin and Bergin
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(2015) describe attachment styles for early adolescents and according to them, “the attachment

figure’s availability – physical presence, willingness to talk, and awareness of the child’s needs –

remains very important” (p. 236). During the stations and inside outside circles, the students had

independence because they had to be accountable for their work. However, there was an option

for them to reach out to an adult if they needed help because there was an adult at each station

just observing. The adult did not interrupt discussion unless necessary. This shows the student

that the teacher trusts their maturity and ability to discuss and complete work and respect others

and the classroom. Finally, when it comes to development, there should be an emphasis on

helping to form students who are well-rounded, and this can be done through collaborative and

peer-centered activities, like the ones in my artifacts. According to Cook, Faulkner, and Howell

(2016), “the middle grades community must place more emphasis on the importance of the

development of the whole child and help support all schools to consider various ways to

maintain tenets of the middle school concept within middle grades schools” (p. 12). Creating a

well-rounded student means encouraging those conversations that go beyond the classroom and

self-reflection elements to look inward. These conversations foster a greater sense of self which

is particularly valuable for middle school students because they are on a journey to greater

understand their identity and define themselves.

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References

Bergin, C. C., & Bergin, D. A. (2015). Child and adolescent development in your classroom

(2nd ed.). Stamford, CT: Cengage Learning.

Booker, K. (2018). The High Tide Raises All Ships: Middle Grades Teachers’ Perspectives on

School Belonging in Early Adolescence. Research in Middle Level Education Online, 41(8),

1–15. https://doi-org.ezproxy.regent.edu/10.1080/19404476.2018.1505402

Cook, C. M., Faulkner, S. A., & Howell, P. B. (2016). The developmentally responsive middle

school: Meeting the needs of all students. Middle School Journal, 47(5), 3-13. Retrieved

from http://eres.regent.edu:2048/login?url=https://search-proquest-

com.ezproxy.regent.edu/docview/1833260009?accountid=13479