My Development

Purpose: The aim of this assignment is to give students an understanding of their own growth and development through the help of their parents, and in the process of introspection. The ultimate goal is for students to analyze the complexity, responsibility, and sacrifices involved in parenting, and the importance of developmental milestones.

Objectives: Students will use and apply psychological concepts and terms to their development and parenting. Students will assess child development and parenting, then articulate what they think are the integral milestones/factors involved in both. They will support their opinions. In their evaluationthe students will hypothesize the potential effects of reaching these milestones and failing to reach these milestones.

Grade: The assignment will be scored as a project grade(X3)

Assignment Guidelines:

  • All assignments must be typed, 12 pt, Times New Roman font and double spaced.
  • Each Section must have a title. You may be creative or use the ones I have provided. You must skip two lines between sections.
  • In text citations and References Page must be in APA format Purdue Owl
  • You may bind this, or staple the assignment
  • You must interview both parents/primary caregivers. If you have only one parent/primary care giver please make note of this in the “parent” section. If you were adopted please see Section IIfor Part IV and Part V
  • You will be assessed on content, clarity, grammar, addressing all questions, and going beyond the requirements
  • If any part of this assignment is uncomfortable for you to address, please see me for an alternative assignment/alternative sections

Part I: Childhood memories (300 word maximum)

What is your fondest childhood memory? How old were you? Describe as much as you can. What toys did you play with growing up and how did they affect your mental, social, and/or physical development? Who was your first non-family friend? What was he/she like? What did you play together?

Part II: My Parents’ Parenting style (250 word maximum)

Analyze your parents’ parenting style based upon the permissive, authoritarian, and authoritative style. Does one parent have one style and the other have another style? Are your parents’ parenting styles different depending on the child they are dealing with? Have they changed styles as you have aged? How has their parenting style affected who you’ve become and how you deal with choices and people? What will the bottom line rules be if you were raising your own children? What, if anything, will you do differently?

Part III The Joys and Trials of Parenting (150 word Maximum…basically just write out each question and the answers)

Ask both parents five questions about parenting. I have provided three questions for you: you may use them or create original questions. Write up in format modeled below. Follow up each question by asking your parents for clarification or more information.

Question # 1: What has been the most difficult aspect of being a parent?

Mom’s answer:

Dad’s Answer

Question # 2: What have been the most joyous aspects of being a parent?

Mom’s answer:

Dad’s Answer

Question # 3: How has parenting changed him/her?

Mom’s answer:

Dad’s Answer

Question # 4: You make a question.

Mom’s answer:

Dad’s Answer

Question # 5: You make a question.

Mom’s answer:

Dad’s Answer

Part IV: Prenatal Development (150 word maximum…ask your parents as much as you can) (have your mom share what she is comfortable with. If your primary caregiver is not your biological parent refer to Section II)

What was your prenatal development like? Did you mother have a specific diet? Did she have any unusual cravings? What were they? Did she have nausea? Vomiting? Did she take vitamins during pregnancy? Did you move around or kick a lot during any particular time? Does she remember the first time she felt you move?

Part V: Birth (150 word maximum)

Were you carried full term? What hospital were you born in? What city? Was your father in the labor room? Who else was present when you were born? Was your mother sedated? What time of day were you born? What was the weather like that day?

Part VI: Analysis (500 word maximum)

Assess childhood development and parenting. What do you think are the most important milestones of child development (think cognitive, social, attachments)? In your judgment what do you think are the most important aspects of parenting (think parenting style, attachment)? Please list both and explain your reasoning behind your choices. Also, hypothesize possible scenarios in development ifthese milestones and aspects were not met. Support your points and go into details. You can give hypothetical scenarios in this section.

You must use at least two of the following theoretical concepts from the course: Piaget’s Theory of Cognitive Development, Erikson’s stages of Psychosocial Development, Bowlby/Ainsworth attachment theory and Harlow’s study with attachment.

If you were adopted, do these two sections in place of Prenatal Development and Birth

My Adoption: What brought your mother and father to the conclusion that they wanted to adopt? How did they proceed to find out about adoption? What procedures did they have to go through during the entire process? How long did they have to wait for you? How did they prepare for you? How were they told about you? Who did they tell?

The day they met me: How old were you and where were they when they first saw you? What emotions did they have? Who did they first introduce you to? Have them explain the whole first day.

Overall points: 24

Development Project Rubric

Content

0--2 points
Student does not fulfill the most of the requirements of the assignment. / 5 points
Student fulfills requirements of the assignment. Student relates some of the material in some sections to concepts/ideas from the textbook. In the analysis section, one or less than one development theory is used. If two are used, student’s statements may be unsupported, or inaccurate with regards to incorporating the theories. / 7 points
Student fulfills requirements of the assignment and relates the material in all sections to concepts/ideas from the textbook. In the analysis section, At least 2 development theories are used. The student analyzes the material in depth and makes inferences regarding the material. The student articulates original thought and expands appropriately on issues and talking points.

Clarity

1 points
Writing is ambiguous often times and sentences are not complete / 2--3 points
Writing is ambiguous in parts / 4 points
Writing is very clear and flows well

Spelling and Grammar

1 points
Write-up contains many errors / 2
Write-up contains a noticeable number of errors / 3 points
Write-up contains very little to no errors

Appearance Does Count

0-1point
student does not go beyond the content requirements or minimally goes beyond the requirements / 2 points
Student goes beyond the content requirements in some ways, e.g. including photos, a cover page, etc. / 3 points
Student goes beyond the content requirements in most or all sections: cover page, photos, added stories and/or analysis. Creative touches such as binding the project, including drawings, etc.

Source Citing

Sources are cited in text and reference page is present. All in APA format.
3 / Sources are cited in text and reference page is present. However, APA format is not followed accurately/citations
2 / Source citing, Reference page, and in text citations are not very present and not in APA format/or not present at all
0---1