The Great Educator

The Great Educator

Urie Bronfenbrenner addresses the deterioration of family values and how it affected child development.  Because families are continuously faced with stressors while rearing children, Urie Bronfenbrenner’s bio-ecological perspective helps to offer support and strategies.  Homelessness, violence, and chemical dependence are factors tearing at the very core of families.  His model gives insight to positive development through communicative and progressive process.  Bronfenbrenner is quoted as saying, “It is critical that as professionals, we reach out to help families and to base this help on understandings that are research based and of value to enhance families.”  (Swick, 2001, p.292).

In brief, Bronfenbrenner’s theory defines the construct of development and the multi-system layers of the environment that influence child development. Bronfenbrenner’s bio-ecological theory provides a framework for identifying the multi-system factors that influence development.  It considers an individual’s topology or setting.  The context of a child is understood by knowing factors affecting the child.  “Human development is nurtured by the various environmental systems, building upon the layers surrounding the environment of the child.” (Bronfenbrenner, 1992, p.124).  The development of the child depends on its core family, relatives and friends, and community. 

Additional theorists focused on finding more factors or paths influencing the development of thinking in individuals.  Humans possess few innate abilities.  Dependent on a number of factors such as internal events, expectations, self-perception, goals, intentions, sensory and neural systems, and the external environment, the development of individuals is a daily learning exploration (Bandura, 1992).

Often, we are affected by events in history and society.   For example, entire generations were affected by the Great Depression, the Holocaust during World War II, and the civil rights movement.  Comparing children from poor families from the Great Depression, it was found that they placed a greater value on their elders and family members and less on formal education (Kohn, 1976). 

As our society becomes more complex, the division of labor allows for other adults to come in contact with children.  Bronfenbrenner urges establishing schools to teach skills, values, and attitudes.  Children need to be exposed to cooperation, conformity, innovation, rewards, respect for authority, personal hygiene, and organizational skills.  Peers teach sharing, teamwork, and acceptable behavior.  Peer groups also praise, give attention, and provide social rewards for conforming. 

Because great teachers continue to teach their students long after graduation, it is imperative that they instill values, goal setting, and prepare their students to become problem-solvers.  In addition to world events, teachers must reach the families of their students.  This new relationship method can be through incorporating cultural curricula, embracing diversity through peer interaction and intervention exercises, being an example of tolerance, and encouraging students to own their differences.  Teachers need to be partners.  Their communication with parents should reflect a genuine concern.  Because the family values are so influential in a child’s development, more policies regarding home environment should be mandated.  I am still surprised at how easily I checked out of the hospital with two tiny newborns.  No one offered advice, expressed a desire to find out where the girls were going, or gave me a guide to their first few months.  I remember thinking then about all of the babies who are discharged from the hospital only to have to survive and figure things out on their own. 

My dream is to one day see hospitals and schools forming a relationship.  Teachers and hospital staff work together from day one and become instrumental in the lives of children from birth. 

References

Bandura, A. (1992). Social Cognitive Theory. In R. Vasta (Ed.), Six theories of child

development (pp. 1-60). Philadelphia: Jessica Kingsley Publishers.

Bronfenbrenner, U. (1992). Ecological Systems Theory. In R. Vasta (Ed.), Six theories of child

development (pp. 187-250). Philadelphia: Jessica Kingsley Publishers.

Hueter, C. (2012).  Urie Bronfenbrenner:  An Advocate for Children.  Scholarly paper for the

requirements of Texas A&M University at Commerce.  (entered as a visual for personal goal)

Kohn, Melvin L. (1976). “Social Class and Parental Values: Another Confirmation of the

Relationship.” American Sociological Review 41: 538-45.

Swick, K. (2001).  Nurturing decency through caring and serving during the early childhood

years.  Early Childhood Education Journal, 29(2), 131-138.