Blog 8

We can apply lifespan development theory in our everyday lives. I’ve learned all the stages from the ages 0-death. While reading and learning all the different theories, I was able to connect and reflect on my life.  I also learned that the changes had to happen in order to move on.  As Erikson states, each stage experiences a crisis, which must be conquered in order to reach the next stage, (Fiore pg. 32). The knowledge I received from lifespan will help me understand my future students and help me see where I am heading.

In lifespan developments, we are all stakeholders of all ages. From the moment we are born until the day we die, we are always changing and developing. Some of the changes that we experience might be due to the surroundings around us. For some, there might be some late developments that affect them throughout their lives. Lifespan development is designed to provide us a better understanding of how the human is programmed. We tend to forget or not really think of the changes that we go through because they become part of our everyday lives. What I will take with me from this course is to learn to slow down and enjoy the stage that I am in and enjoy my children’s stages. I need to continue to teach my children to make good choices in this life so that they can become productive adults. I will continue to watch my children as they pass each stage because now I can comprehend what they are going through. I never really looked at life as specific stages until I took this course. Also, I will use my new-found knowledge at work. This knowledge will help me understand exactly what is going on at each grade level (Fiore, 2011, pp. 32-33).

My Reasons for Becoming a Teacher comes from the experience that I’ve gained from being a paraprofessional.  I’ve been a paraprofessional for three years and I find it very rewarding.  It’s fulfilling because you get to see the children succeed.  The efforts that you put into the work throughout the school year, from the beginning till the end are noticeable. It’s a joyful to see the students smile when they finally comprehend what was being taught to them and see them succeed. It’s like you see the light bulb turn on in their brain.  Teaching students to become better individuals through education can have a domino effect.  The hope for each of my students is that they are able to graduate from high school and continue to higher education by going to college.  Also, I hope that one day they become successful, positive leaders and be able to create a more peaceful world.  My expectation for my sons are high as well as they would be for my students no matter what race, gender or class.  

In conclusion, I enjoyed the class. I will be able to pass this experiences onto my students, family, and friends.  Learning about lifespan helped have a better understanding on where I’ve been and where I’m heading.

Blog 7

Chapter 12 talks about death and spirituality. While reading this chapter it brought me sadness because I lost a person that meant so much to me, my grandmother. According to LifeSmart, there are four different types of deaths. The four types are clinical death, brain death, biological death and social death. In modern times, death comes mostly to the elderly because of the newer advanced technology in medicine. People are now able to live longer. “In the United States, the mortality rate has declined from 17 per 1,000 people in 1900 to 8 per 1,000 in 2004,” and “the average life expectancy has been reported at an all-time high of nearly 78 by years” Pg. 280.  My grandmother was 87 years old. The cause of her death was accidental. One afternoon, I got a phone call from one of my uncles letting me know that my other uncle had just put my grandmother in a nursing home. I immediately went to visit her because I knew this wasn’t what she wanted.  I asked her if she knew where she was at and she said, “at the hospital,” but she knew exactly where she was.  Even though my grandmother was 87 years old, she did not suffer from any of the aging diseases. That day we had just had a normal 3-hour long conversation in the morning and four hours after leaving my grandmother, I received a call to inform me that she was at the hospital because she had fallen and broken her hip.  Everything went downhill for her from that moment on. I’m still grieving.

“Grief is an emotional response to the loss of another person.” Pg. 284.  I still think about my grandmother. I’m blessed to know that I was able to say “good-bye.”  Grief can perceive the death of a loved one. There is anticipatory grief and it has four phases to it. The anticipatory grief is an anticipation of someone’s death. The stages are depression, high concern to the ill person, a rehearsal of death, and an attempt to adjust to what is likely to occur after death. Pg. 284. Most grieving gives closure. However, in some instances, there is unresolved grief. There are three types of unresolved grief. There is delayed grief, distorted reaction, and complicated grief. Delayed grief is grief that is postponed for an uncertain amount of time. Distorted grief is when a person feels the illness of the ill. For example, my mother in law died from diabetes and therefore, my husband was worried that he might have diabetes because he was feeling diabetic symptoms. Finally, there is complicated grief.  This type of grieving is when the process takes a while and is intense. Pg. 285-286. Most experts agree that grieving is the healthy part of death. Death is one thing that we all have to face and learn to accept. That’s why we should always give thanks to God for allowing us to live another day.

Blog 6

Chapter 9 starts with the initiation into early adulthood. Most cultures have their own ways of initiating or announcing early adulthood.  For instance, in my culture when a girl turns 15 years old, a traditional announcement is made known as a Quinceanera. A Quinceanera is a formal introduction to womanhood. In other words, it’s a way of letting the community know that she is ready to get married and ready to have children. I had a Quinceanera when I was 15 and it was a wedding like party. The cost was around $5000.00. Now that I am older, I would have preferred a new car. Other forms of initiations are bat mitzvah, Confirmations, and Sweet Sixteens. Physical developments are also part of coming into early adulthood. Both males and females reach their peak during early adulthood. Females reach their growing peak by the age of 18. Males reach their growing peak by the age of 20.  The brain still continues to grow during this stage. Early adulthood is a stage where you are in your prime physically. The lifestyle that one has can have an impact negatively or positively. “Good health is clearly related to influences such as genetics, a factor that is beyond a person’s control.” P.211.  Diet and nutrition are one of the positive ways to maintain a healthy lifestyle. I try to main a healthy lifestyle by working out and eating right. I like to do the stairs at Swallow Cliff. I try to go at least 3 times a week. I’ve been going off and on for 2 years. Every time I return, I have to start over.  Some negatives of young adulthood are that people start drinking alcohol and smoking tobacco. “Despite education efforts showing the association of alcohol use and driving fatalities, violent crimes, birth defects, and health problems, binge drinking (defined as 5 or more drinks in a row for men and 4 or more women) among young adults remains at a high level.” P.213.

    Chapter 10 talks about middle adulthood. I am currently living that stage. “Changes in physical appearance are usually visible in a person 30’s and 40’s and become more apparent in the 50’s.” p.233. I’m noticing the physical changes because when I do the stairs, I feel slower and am finding it harder to lose weight.  This is a period in which concern for one’s health starts to increase. The future is more health related due to more firsthand experiences with illness and deaths.  I believe this to be true because some of my conversations with my fellow friends are about doctor appointments, funerals or of someone we know that has been diagnosed with some type of disease.      

Levinson’s middle adulthood is explained in 5 stages. The first stage is the settling down a stage and it starts at the age of 33.  Next is the mid-life transition and it begins at the age of 40.  Some might interpret this stage as the mid-life crisis. Levinson describes this period as the bridge between the early and middle adulthood. “During this mid-life transition, people question their past life decision and accomplishments and reevaluate where they are going.” P. 243-244. The third stage is entering middle adulthood and it's between 45-50. The fourth stage is known as the age 50 transition and it’s between 50-55 years old. The final stage is culmination of middle adulthood and it’s between 55-60. These are the stages that  I currently have to look forward to.  

5th Blog

 Chapter 8 defines, the various development of adolescence. Adolescence is the process of growing and changing. It usually explained as the start of puberty.  For girls’ it’s around the age 11 when they begin to menstruate and for boy’s it’s around 12 when they have their first ejaculation. These are times when boys begin to grow pubic hairs, begin to think about dating and begin to have an interest in sex. P.186 Parents usually noticed this change because of the child’s mood swings. I noticed when my 15-year-old son was 13, I dealt with mood swings from him. I feel that because he’s involved in all sports it helps balanced his mood changes.  I am currently experiencing the same with my 12-year-old.  He’s been moody and going through major physical changes. He's involved in sports so, I’m hoping that it balances him out.   Adolescence is a time when adolescents are worried about their image.  This can lead to eating disorder. Eating disorder is the third most common chronic condition among adolescents. P. 190 The two main types of eating disorders are anorexia and bulimia My sons do not suffer from eating disorder. Although, I’ve noticed that my 15-year-old wants to be buff and like to spend his time at the school gym.

Cognitive growth is also an important part of adolescence. The parietal and the frontal lobes of the brain and subcortical region allow for great growth in a teenager’s process of thinking. Adolescence is a stage which Piaget categories as the formal operational stages. According to Fiore, L. B., Ramkissoonsingh, R., & Hotham, L. (2014), “Jean Piaget proposed that the ability to think develops in four stages; the sensorimotor stage (birth to 2 years old); the preoperational stage (2 to 7 years old); the concrete operational stage (7 to 11 years old); and the formal operational stage (11 years old and up).” p.191 Erickson categorizes adolescence as his fifth stage.  He saw adolescence as a time of exploration and analyzing oneself. Erickson identifies this stage as an identity crisis.

Everyone goes through adolescence and it has both negatives and positives.  One the positive of going through puberty is that we improve mental abilities to get a more realistic view of ourselves. The negatives are teen pregnancy, mental health issues, substance abuse and criminal behavior. I have 3 sons and two of them fall within the age range of adolescence. My oldest son is 15 years old and I find myself talking about respecting your body. Also, respecting others even if they don’t respect their own. Another topic I’m always talking about is for him to think before posting or sending because we live in an era where nothing gets deleted. With my 12-year-old, our conversation is different. I think it’s because he’s not in high school yet and my oldest is. I felt that I needed to inform my 15-year old because he was entering high school. I feel that high school is different than junior high. After reading chapter 8, I feel that I may need to start talking more about girls and sex (ouch). I’ve talked to my 12-year-old son about puberty and the major physical changes but not sex or girls.