Based on what is written about in WA#5 when reflected back on the beginning of the semester in WA#1, what has changed for you in regard to your socio-emotional well-being? What strengths continue to support you? What challenges remain? What preferred version of yourself would like to see for the spring semester and/or 2024?

WA#1

Physical

My family and I were in a depression. We were constantly eating and being lazy. Aside from my parents ( we all live together ), we didn't see much of anyone. Birthdays and holidays were non-existent that year. This pandemic contributed to everyone's behavior. My kids, as teenagers, had developed an eating disorder; they started to overeat. We all did. We were stress eating. My daughter developed anxiety, I also developed as well as paranoia. I was always worried that my family would get sick, that to this dsy, if I hear someone is not feeling well I keep my family away.When I was a teen, when my parents were teens, none of us had ever experienced stress eating. Unfortunately, times are different now.

Cognitive

We had to transition to remote learning and teaching during the pandemic and some time afterward. This was new to everyone. Reading and writing were done online on a whiteboard through Zoom. It was challenging to teach and write out examples. It didn't look as if the children were learning. I saw it in my children and my students. There was no physical work; it was all online. Upon returning to back to in-person learning, the children struggled. They lost a year of learning. I was lost in my ability to teach with physical books because all my work was on the computer. Growing up, I never had to go through anything like this. In my time, remote learning wasn't an option. It wasn't even in existence. Times have changed. It was a bug adjustment.

Social/Personality

Before the pandemic, I was outgoing and confident. The children were learning, engaged, they were happy. Seeing their faces light up as they would see from down the hallway, running to me was a remarkable feeling. Even more, when my children would wake up and get ready to go to school, it was a feeling that unfortunately never returned. The pandemic took everything away from us, and now we are working hard to get everything back. My confidence in teaching and learning could be improved. I'm trying to rebuild what I have lost. I see how kids (including mine) struggle to socialize with friends. Many went from being social, outgoing, and confident to withdrawing from society and not knowing how to act or converse with anyone. As adults, we adapt quickly, but it was challenging for children to adjust to drastic changes.

My Childhood Development

As a child, my parents always made sure we watched what we ate. Yes, we had our usual junk food, but meals were always healthy. I was always active. During the pandemic, we gave up. All we wanted to do was eat and sleep. We kept watching the news. Listening to numbers climb and people dying was traumatic for all. Thankfully, I never experienced this as a child; unfortunately, my children had no choice.

*Relevant terms

Biological, environmental, genes, understanding, academic demands, cognitive development, continuous change, extrovert, introvert, personality, social interactions, society and self-esteem, emotional well-being, healthy diet, heart disease, diabetes.

WA#5

Since WA#1, my understanding of child development has expanded, providing new perspectives on my pandemic experience and childhood. I now appreciate the significance of emotional regulation and its impact on well-being, especially during times of stress. Concepts like emotional resilience and coping mechanisms have been instrumental in understanding my responses and those of my family during the pandemic. The SEL post-pandemic doc may have underscored the importance of emotional well-being in child development, paralleling my realization of its relevance in navigating challenging times.

Regarding childhood, I've recognized the influence of environmental factors on cognitive development. Concepts like the ecological systems theory shed light on how surroundings shape behaviors and learning. Reflecting on my childhood through this lens, I've come to appreciate the role of my environment in nurturing specific cognitive skills and social behaviors. The SEL post-pandemic content might have echoed the importance of environments in fostering learning and social development, aligning with my understanding of how childhood surroundings impact development.

My evolving knowledge of child development has provided insights into my pandemic experience and childhood dynamics, emphasizing the interplay between environmental factors, emotional well-being, and cognitive growth.

Establishing a perspective when examining thinking and behavior in child development is crucial because different perspectives offer unique lenses to understand and interpret human growth. Perspectives serve as frameworks that shape how we perceive, analyze, and comprehend developmental processes. They allow us to explore various facets of development, such as social, cognitive, or biological, and guide our understanding of how these elements influence a child's behavior and thinking. For instance, the social learning perspective emphasizes the influence of social interactions, role models, and observational learning on a child's development, showcasing how external factors impact behavior.

As I don't have direct access to the post-pandemic document, I can't evaluate the specific perspective chosen by the authors. However, a compelling perspective in such a document would likely encompass a holistic view of child development, acknowledging the multidimensional nature of growth. A persuasive perspective should consider the interconnections between emotional, social, cognitive, and environmental factors, reflecting a comprehensive understanding of how these elements shape a child's experiences and responses.

Bloom's taxonomy outlines different levels of cognitive skills, ranging from lower-order thinking skills (remembering, understanding) to higher-order thinking skills (applying, analyzing, evaluating, creating). In a student-centered learning environment like East High, students achieve higher levels of Bloom's taxonomy by engaging in activities that encourage critical thinking, problem-solving, and creativity. For instance, they might participate in collaborative projects, discussions, or real-world applications of knowledge, fostering analysis, evaluation, and creation of ideas.

In my literature review, achieving higher cognitive levels involved analyzing and synthesizing information from various academic sources. I engaged in critical analysis by comparing and contrasting the findings and methodologies of different research studies. This required evaluating the credibility and reliability of each source, identifying patterns, and synthesizing information to develop a comprehensive understanding of the topic. I aimed to reach higher cognitive levels in my review by examining multiple perspectives and integrating diverse viewpoints.

I approached this challenge by adopting a growth mindset, acknowledging that effort and perseverance are keys to success in academic tasks. This mindset encouraged me to persistently delve into complex concepts, critically analyze information, and synthesize diverse ideas to form a cohesive narrative in my literature review. I actively sought feedback, reflected on my progress, and adapted my strategies to enhance my analysis and synthesis skills, embodying the principles of continuous learning and improvement.