Physical Attributes: At the age of seven students are growing quite a bit every year. However, they still have their young children bodies. They will not begin to experience bodily changes for another couple of years.
Madison has grown a few inches this past year. However, she still is a young girl and her body won't begin to change for another couple of years.
Emotional Attributes: At age seven students are in the Latency Stage. Erikson says at this stage children can begin to feel "inadequate and inferior". (Crain, 290) The ego begins to grow a great deal in this stage.
Cognitive Attributes: At age 7 children "are entering the stage of concrete operations" and can use identity, compensation, and inversion arguments. (Crain, 130) Madison can make decisions and has firm reasons behind that decision. Students should now be able to take others into account when making decisions. For example, they could buy a present for someone and it would be something that interests them. Students are currently transitioning between playing in an egocentric way to "following the rules and winning according to them". (Crain, 135) Piaget also says that at age 7 "children usually complete their discoveries" of dreams. (Crain, 137)
Madison fits this model for the most part. She makes very clear decisions and is always taking others into account. Madison has already left the egocentric play stage though. She follows the rules and wants others too as well.
Psychological Attributes: Frued's theory would place Madison at the Latency Stage. "As the name suggests, sexual and aggressive fantasies are now largely latent; they are kept firmly down in the unconscious."(Crain, 266)Frued says that in the latency stage the "child possesses a new composure and self-control" (Crain, 267)
Madison has great self control, but doens't always retained good composure. She is young and can still get upset over little things. For the most part, however, she is always happy and bubbly.
Moral Attributes: In Kholberg's Stages of Moral Development Madison would be at stage two: Individualism and Exchange. Kholberg says at this stage "children recognize there is not just one right view". (Crain 160) Madison understands that everyone has there own point of view and that its okay for it to be that way.
Social Attributes: Vygotsky says that "at the age of 6 or 7 years, children begin to carry out dialogues more inwardly and silently". (Crain, 229) He also says that students at the age of seven ignore memory aids. They will rush into a task without taking time to really hear whats being asked of them. Piaget says that "between ages 4 and 7 years about 25% of all speech is egocentric". (Crain, 234)
Madison has become more quite and does more inward thinking. She also rushes into tasks. However, she will stop and ask for help when she needs it.
Wonderful job on this task! You have clearly identified each stage and developmental attribute. Also you made strong connections from the theory to evidence of understanding!
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