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My Personal Paradigm

Samantha Singer

Department of Home and Family, Brigham Young University - Idaho

CHILD 325: Professional Development

J. Kelly McCoy

Jan. 30, 2021

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My Personal Paradigm

I believe my personal paradigm, or understanding of the world and how it works, is

constantly changing. I am always learning new information and similar to Piaget’s theory of

assimilation and accommodation (Lerner, 1976, p 373), my brain will absorb new information

and thus, add it to an existing paradigm or create a new paradigm all together with the new

information. However, there are several theories that have seriously impacted my view of

parenting and child development. They have made me investigate my own development and I

have deduced that the following theories are the ones that best help me to help children learn and

become the best versions of themselves. This paper will look at four theories and their role in

helping me to understand children’s development. The first theory is Maria Montessori’s theory

of the child’s “absorbent mind”. The second theory that has impacted me is Diana Baumrind’s

parenting styles and the importance of good parenting. The third theory I will dissect in this

paper is Bowlby and Ainsworth attachment theory. Finally, we will delve into Piaget’s stage

dependent theory (although his stage independent theory is also a part of my paradigm, that is

not something we will be looking at in depth).

Montessori’s “Absorbent Mind”

Maria Montessori was one of the first female doctors in Italy, and after that huge

accomplishment, she turned to creating a school for those children in the poor districts of Rome

(American Montessori Foundation). She created a curriculum that was centered on the child’s

ability to absorb necessary information from their environment in order to understand the culture

(Age of Montessori, 2019). Having worked in a Montessori Preschool for over a year, I’ve seen

first-hand how Montessori’s absorbent mind theory impacts child development. Maria

Montessori believed that children were able to absorb language, how to eat, and how to behave
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all through their environment (Age of Montessori, 2019). Children in a Montessori classroom

can be seen watering plants, doing dishes, preparing meals, and sweeping, all things that they

have seen done at home. Children are allowed to choose what to work on and this sense of

independence and the “absorbent mind” essentially meant that children taught themselves. In my

time working with children, I have seen how children soak things up like a sponge. They love to

learn and are fascinated by the world. This theory helps me to remember that children are not

only shaped by their environment, but they are also actively learning from what some would call

ordinary things in their environment ever single day. Something I absolutely love about the

Montessori method, is that children are given agency to choose what they do throughout the day.

Children can be independent in their learning when we allow them to be. Some of the most

important things they are learning come from being in a supportive environment.

Baumrind’s Parenting Styles

Diana Baumrind deduced through research and observation in the 1960s, that there were

three different parenting styles and even though it has been over 60 years since she completed

her study, we still use her findings today. Baumrind found that the three main parenting styles

were authoritarian, permissive, and authoritative and a fourth parenting style, uninvolved, was

later added by Maccoby and Martin (Cherry, 2020). Parents that parent with more of an

authoritative parenting style, create an environment with high expectations and high levels of

warmth or responsiveness. Research has repeatedly found that authoritative parenting styles lead

to the best outcomes in child development, with children being happier, more capable, and more

successful (Cherry, 2020). What we learned from Baumrind’s research is that parenting impacts

every aspect of child development and it is so important to educate parents on appropriate and

successful parenting practices. In my home and in my future classroom, I plan on taking an

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authoritative approach to guiding and teaching children. Children need an environment where

they have high expectations and simultaneously feel loved and respected. This means that

discipline’s purpose is to help the child learn and not to punish or ridicule the child in any way.

Bowlby and Ainsworth’s Attachment Theory

Modern day attachment theory is based on the work of John Bowlby and Mary

Ainsworth. Bowlby was the first to recognize that children need to develop a secure relationship

with their primary caregiver during childhood (Lumen Learning Boundless Psychology). He also

learned that children have an innate need to form attachments for their own survival and they

manifest that need by staying physically close to their caregiver (Cherry, 2020). Mary Ainsworth

was a student of Bowlby’s who discovered different types of attachment that infants and young

children form. The types of attachment are related to the amount and type of care the child

receives from their parents. This theory is crucial to help me to be able to recognize and

understand the relationships young children have with their parents. As I currently plan to work

in a preschool, observation at the drop off and pick-up times will help me to better understand if

that child has a secure relationship to their caregiver and with that information, I better anticipate

the child’s needs and work to help the parents to build trust with their child.

Piaget’s Stages of Cognitive Development

Arguably, the most well-known cognitive theory is Jean Piaget’s stage dependent

cognitive theory of development. Jean Piaget discovered four stages of cognitive awareness as

follows: sensorimotor (0-2 years), preoperational (2-6 years), concrete operational (7-12 years),

and formal operational (12 years-adult) (Cherry, 2020). The sensorimotor and preoperational

stages are the two that will be most applicable to the children I will be working with. In the

sensorimotor stage, infants manipulate the world with their five senses (Cherry, 2020). They are
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intrigued by the sound that a rattle makes and put objects in their mouth to better explore the

object. Infants learn that when they cry, someone will (or should) come to their aid. The first two

years of their life are spent exploring to understand how they affect their environment. In the

preoperational stage, children learn to use symbols which leads to pretend play (Cherry, 2020).

Children in this stage have a small concept of logic and focus on their own feelings and

perspective. They are not likely to understand that others feel feelings different from their own

until they move onto the concrete operational stage. In my future classroom, the knowledge I

have from this theory will help me to give the children I work with time to explore their

environment and time to play. Children are not at a cognitive level that is capable of learning

anything from doing worksheets. According to Piaget, children learn by doing and having hands

on experiences. When working with children, I will encourage play and hands-on exploration. I

love Piaget’s term “little scientists” because it so accurately describes children’s curiosity.

Conclusion

Throughout my education, I have learned a lot about child development, and it has shifted

my whole view of myself and the children I work with. I know that I can play a large role in

helping children succeed in life by creating an environment that allows them to absorb helpful

information. My classroom will have a culture of high expectations, respect, and love. I

recognize that children need opportunities to practice autonomy. I will be sensitive to a child’s

attachment and work with parents to create a healthy and secure attachment for their child. And

being aware of children’s cognitive limitations, I know that children need to play and interact

with their environment in order to learn.

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References

The Absorbent Mind. Age of Montessori. (2019, April 15). http://ageofmontessori.org/the-

absorbent-mind/.

American Montessori Society. Who Was Maria Montessori? American Montessori Society.

https://amshq.org/About-Montessori/History-of-Montessori/Who-Was-Maria-Montessori. 

Cherry, K. (2020, April 14). How Different Styles of Parenting Impact Children.

https://www.verywellmind.com/parenting-styles-2795072. 

Cherry, K. (2020, June 23). Influential Theories About How Children Grow and Develop.

https://www.verywellmind.com/child-development-theories-2795068. 

Lerner, R. M. (1976). Concepts and theories of human development (Third). Routledge, Taylor

& Francis group. 

Theories of Human Development. Lumen Learning Boundless Psychology.

https://courses.lumenlearning.com/boundless-psychology/chapter/theories-of-human-

development/.