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My belief in child guidance is who would impact a child positively mentally and emotionally. Someone who shows them healthy ways to express themselves and feel safe around them. Someone such as my aunt, who made me want to become a child guide who would listen to their stories at 3 in the morning and someone to trust and go to whenever they have trouble. I never want anyone to go through stress or worry. I want to be exactly like my aunt. A mother figure not only to their children but to everyone. She has given me more than enough examples of how to become patient, focused, stern, and most of all, a mother figure with all those characteristics to all. To also add to my philosophy of child guidance would be understanding children's development and that every child has their own needs and advice since every child is different. We make the most impact as well as parents so that is why we need to do the most we can to help achieve children’s goals and to help them learn about how to improve their social and emotional development.

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An example that I can show is how I can support these children by applying information that I have learned, such as the “ripple effect” Examples can be not knowing how to share or being patient. I can teach them that it is important for them to wait their turn and to treat others how to are treated. I can also ask them how they are feeling or if something has made them feel angry or hurt. Usually, they have aggression or throw fits because they do not know how to control it. It is important to be aware of a child’s actions and praise them when they are needed, not for every occasion. It is also important to be continuous with our actions and words when dealing with children's behaviors. If not, this can create a “rippling effect” from the beginning.

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Every child is different and has different needs, which is why I also believe that we should take much consideration how we treat them all with certain care and respect. We can use developmental theories, expert advice, and scientific insights to compare progress in each child that shows child development, whether it is social or emotional. It is known that every child moves at their own pace, and we as caregivers have the responsibility and power to help them move forward. I want to bring peace and I believe that children deserve so much and more when it comes to learning who they are and who they can be. We as caregivers, adults, parents, and such are always being looked upon for children. We are their role model, so why not give them the best one they can have?

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Marion (2019) states, "Understanding the theories focusing on systems can help teachers guide children more effectively. Acknowledging the influence systems (families, peers, or neighborhood) on children is a good starting point" (p. 32). It's also important to know that these theories provide a framework for understanding the physical, cognitive, social, and emotional changes as children grow and develop. Here are some examples of how understanding supports effective and positive guidance of children.

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Having an individualized approach to each child helps to understand better the developmental theory and child development that supports the effective and positive guidance of children. According to Ages and Stages of Development (2023), developmental theories emphasize that each child is unique and develops at their own pace. It is no surprise that each child has their own personality and responds to caregivers or experiences differently. "Just like adults, children may have outgoing, shy, or even-tempered natures" (Ages and stages of development, 2023). We as caregivers should be in tune with our child’s special personality and treat the child in a positive and caring manner that agrees with his special personality. This is crucial to nurturing his healthy emotional growth.  By understanding the child’s personality, caregivers can also help him succeed by offering care, activities, and discipline that best fit his needs. To add on, this understanding can also help caregivers and educators tailor their guidance strategies to the specific needs, abilities, and interests of each child.

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Another good example is promoting positive behavior. According to Marion, "Praise is an intangible form of reinforcement, it is not a thing that we can see" (p. 52). It's important to note that praise can be used effectively and ineffectively. So that is why we should use encouragement rather than praise. A perfect example of how we can promote positive behavior, or encouragement, is by "being specific, descriptive, and appreciative but not," in Marion word's, "gushy or mushy" (Marion, 2019). Understanding how to use encouragement effectively helps enable caregivers to anticipate and respond to children's needs. It also allows them to create environments that support positive behavior by providing appropriate challenges, opportunities for exploration, and the right level of support for children.

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In children, it's important to know the diverse and cultural needs of children and specifically how we as caregivers can support those needs. We can show consideration for children's culture and backgrounds by not only asking parents about their children or their family culture but also being willing and open to hear from them and their beliefs. According to Gartrell, "Parents from backgrounds different from the teacher's have legitimate points of pride and values that their children share. Remaining open to learning about the customs and lifestyles new to the teachers conveys respect for the family and child," (Gartrell, 2004). This is how we can show the importance of diversity and cultural needs for children and for families as well.

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We as educators should also develop an environment where parents feel comfortable enough to trust and share with you. According to Comer (1997), many of the parents had experienced failure back during their school days and are now reluctant to set foot inside their children's schools, and teachers only commute to work and often know very little about the neighborhood outside the school. "Before they can develop effective partnerships, educators, and families in these communities first have to learn to trust and respect one another," (Comer, 1997). That is why experiencing their point of view, for example going to their town and restaurant or store is helpful to be able to immerse into someone else's culture. Taking the time to see the differences and see the special things that make the child who she or he is. The point is to find the balance between the expectations in the household and what are the greater expectations within the school and in our society. We do not want to try to change our students to have them belittle their own culture but value both of them at the same time.

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One children's book that could be used with children to explore the topic of diverse cultures is a book called Same Same But Different by Jenny Sue Kostecki-Shaw. The book is about a pen-pal relationship that formed between two students, Elliot and Kailash, who both live in two very different countries across the ocean. Throughout the book, they share their similarities and differences such as family styles, pets, and even how they get to school. The main idea in Same, Same but Different introduces the idea that although it seems we are all different around the world, we are the same, same but different. It also highlights diversity through a positive approach to differences which is why this book is a perfect example of how children can use this book to explore the topic of diverse cultures.

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It's important to discuss the social and emotional needs of children and specifically how we as caregivers can support those needs that they have. Ways we can support those needs is for example promoting emotional expression. Encouraging children to express their emotions healthily can provide opportunities for them to talk about their feelings, and validate their emotions to help them understand and manage their emotional responses. According to Marion (2019), "Children need to learn about feelings, and their emotions, which they feel and express but do not yet understand" (p. 192). Because they don't understand their emotions, this can lead to them not being able to "regulate or control emotions such as anger, anxiety, agitation, disappointment, or even joy on their own" (Marion, 2019). That is why it is our jobs as caregivers and educators to help them learn how to handle all these emotions healthily.

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Another way we can support the needs of children who experience social and emotional development is by encouraging play and social interactions with other children. Play is a natural way for children to learn and practice social and emotional skills, including cooperation, negotiation, and communication. According to Marion (2019), "Children who can regulate their emotions well are better equipped to make and keep friends and to work and play for extended periods with peers," (p. 203). That is why emotional competence goes well together with social competence, which both can help children to develop essential school success skills in the long run.

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A children's book that could be used with children to explore the topic of social-emotional awareness is called Big Feelings by Alexandra Penfold. In the book, the children in the story experience feeling sad, angry, frustrated, happy, and more but throughout the book they learn to identify their feelings, talk about them, and empathize with other children's feelings too. They work together to come up with solutions through their play. In summary, this teaches children how to handle the big feelings they experience daily and helps walk children through various emotions like frustration, overwhelm, and disappointment and how to positively navigate each of these feelings which is perfect for children who need help naming their emotions and how to express them positively.

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The effects of trauma on children can have profound and lasting effects on their physical, emotional, and psychological well-being. Whether caused by abuse, neglect, loss, or exposure to violence, trauma can significantly impact a child's ability to form healthy relationships, regulate emotions, and engage in typical developmental tasks. Supporting a child who has experienced trauma requires a sensitive and informed approach. Ways I can support the needs of a child who has experienced trauma is firstly understanding them and their needs since each child and trauma is different from one another.

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To be more in-depth, the effects of trauma on children are very hurtful for them in many ways. One instance can be shown through behavioral changes, such as their trauma can manifest in behavioral changes such as aggression, withdrawal, impulsivity, or regressive behaviors. Some children may exhibit hypervigilance or avoidance of situations that remind them of the traumatic event. According to Marion (2019), "The psychological distress that children feel, for example, when abused, when they move, or when they are rejected very often shows up in behavior," (p. 231). So when a child reacts to stress, it's either through passive behavior, whereas others display it through a more active approach. Even some children react to stress as they play or work with specific objects, for example, excessive squeezing or tapping pencils, markers, or crayons, or even showing clumsy or fumbling behavior.

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A children's book that could be used with children to explore the topic of social-emotional awareness is the book called The Boy with Big, Big Feelings by Britney Winn Lee. In this book, it's about a boy who tries to hide his feelings from the other kids at school. But then when he meets a girl with big feelings too, he discovers that his emotions are nothing to be ashamed of because big feelings happen to everyone and it is normal to express them. What I like about this book is that when his loved ones are having a hard day, he feels their emotions as if they were his own, which leads the boy to try to cope with this by stuffing down his feelings, but with a little help and artistic inspiration, the boy realizes his feelings are something to be celebrated and can be the key to making friends, which is great for children to read about that having big normals is indeed, normal for everyone.

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 Intentional Interactions Calming Strategies

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 Intentional Interactions Calming Strategies

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A guidance strategy that has been discussed in the course is how to support the emotional needs of a child. It's important to be able to see signs of stress in children. Some visible reactions of stress can be shown in different ways. According to Marion (2017), "stress can be shown passively, can be more active with behaviors that involve only the child, can be when children interact with each other and can be when children work with objects" (p. 231). A good example of this can be used with older children as well. It's important to build trust with all ages so that they can feel safe telling their caregiver or teacher about what they are stressing about. That is why I believe it is important to earn the trust of students.

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I can use this strategy in a classroom by using a practice that I would implement for a child who is experiencing stress. A good way to help the child is using the Swim, fish. Swim! strategy on page??? . I believe this is a great way to teach children to watch how slowly and steadily fish swim around calmly. That way I can ask them how a fish swims and what face the fish makes. This works for older children as well because they can also sketch the fish that they find interesting. Even watercolor painting is a great way to relieve stress. I know that this strategy can help children who experience stress because I remember that last semester my class and I had done water coloring as an activity together. I had a very stressful week and I found myself putting my emotions and visions into water coloring. So in summary, I believe it would help older children as well. For younger children, however, there can be the same effect but with colorful playdough, seeing what they can make and what they feel. They can squish the playdough and roll the playdough smoothly. I also would like to add that playing classical music can relieve stress for children of all ages.

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A guidance strategy that has been discussed in the course is the strategy of using encouragement vs praise with children. According to Gartrell (2004), "Praise tends to publicly single out achievements, implicitly making comparisons to the efforts of others. Encouragement, in contrast to praise, tends to authentically acknowledge, ongoing progress, when children most need kind words, and voids evaluative comparisons," (p.72). Using encouragement, or specific feedback can help children make connections between their actions and the results of those actions. It's important to note that intentional interactions and encouragement play pivotal roles in fostering positive relationships and promoting healthy development in children. When caregivers, educators, and significant adults engage in intentional interactions and provide encouragement, they create an environment that supports a child's social, emotional, and cognitive growth.

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I can use this strategy in a classroom by using it for someone who needs encouragement with their goal. For example, I used this strategy with a child who was in second grade and had difficulty reading. I used encouragement by playing a game of hangman where I would tell them a word and he would hear the sounds that he was familiar with. As an educator, I could tell that he wanted to learn. Sometimes however, he would get frustrated, and I would tell him, “Hey it’s okay, I can tell that you’re trying your best, and look at the progress you made so far! Before, you couldn’t spell cat, but now you can!” Then he began to smile and remembered that it was true, that he was getting better at identifying his letters and sounds! In the end, he was super proud of himself and now can help others as well who are in the same situation as he was.

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A guidance strategy that has been discussed in the course is the strategy of using an authoritative style of caregiving. The style discussed was the combination of high demandingness and high responsiveness by considering a positive approach. According to Marion (2017), "Authoritative adults believe in giving simple and clear reasons and explanations in discipline encounters," (p.13). This has a powerful and positive effect on children’s development because the authoritative style uses persuasion, and no force, which helps children to understand things better. The combination of intentional interactions and an authoritative presence is a powerful approach to fostering positive relationships and promoting healthy development in children. These concepts emphasize purposeful engagement, clear communication, and the establishment of a supportive, yet authoritative, environment.

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I can use this strategy in a classroom by using “The Authoritative Style Helps Encourages Self-Responsibility". For example, it can be used for taking tests for mostly kindergarten to 2nd graders. I had one student who surprised me as she was in kindergarten, but she wanted to do the test on her own with no help. So, I encouraged her and reminded her that if she needed help I was there. Usually, I would be the one to input their answers click on the next question, and so on. However, she had done all of this on her own. One part of the test was where I had to record her answers. This is where I explained that she had to wait patiently until after the test to be able to continue by herself. I also explained the consequences of what would happen if she were to try to respond on her own. Having an authoritative style that helps encourage self-responsibility has a powerful and positive effect it has on children's development.

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Your response to children's behavior Strategy

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Your response to children's behavior Strategy

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A guidance strategy that has been discussed in this course is intentional interactions with mistaken behavior. What I found helpful in this strategy is to first learn about yourself and what your hot buttons are, meaning what makes you stressed or gets impatient easily. According to Gartrell (2004), "If teachers experience recurrent feelings of anger or despair, these are signs of unmet in themselves. It is to teachers' lasting credit that they seek help for themselves when they need it," (p. 153). It is important to know how to monitor your feelings and reactions because children are always watching, and it is not fair for them to experience unprofessional feelings from a teacher.

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I can use this strategy in a classroom so I can know beforehand what “pushes my buttons” which would be a child being very disruptive in class and disrupting their classmates who want to learn or when I ask a child politely to follow directions, but they continue to not listen which creates the other classmates to also no listen to directions as well. This strategy can help me by finding helpful to deescalate the stress by taking deep breaths and asking my colleagues for help as well. I can respond calmly to children even when I may not feel calm inside to ask them to take a deep breath with me and to count to ten. Then I can use this time to remember that they need me more than I need them.

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Ages and stages of development. Ages and Stages of Development - Child Development (CA Dept of Education). (2023, November 9). https://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/cd/re/caqdevelopment.asp

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Comer, J. P. (1997, July 1). The home-school team: An emphasis on parent involvement. Edutopia. https://www.edutopia.org/home-school-team

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Gartrell, D. (2004). The power of guidance: Teaching social-emotional skills in early childhood classrooms. Thomson/Delmar Learning.

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Marion, M. (2019). Guidance of young children. Pearson.

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In conclusion, childhood development is a dynamic and an important process that works around physical, cognitive, social, and emotional growth from infancy through adolescence. The experiences and interactions a child has during this critical period significantly shape their future well-being, personality, and abilities. Which is why it is so important to get to know the child well, because each child is different, to understand how to respond to trauma for a child who needs help, and so much more. As educators, caregivers, even adults, its our job to help and educate these children to have a positive and good future for them. That is why childhood development is a crucial step in learning how to become a better teacher, or better yet, a better parent. I learned a lot in this class on how to make a difference in the world. How to become a hero for all children.