Benjamin Essay, Research Paper

Benjamin is a very bright 4 year-old with a wonderful personality and a positive outlook on learning experiences. He has adjusted well to the Cougars Preschool environment and is a positive role model for the children. His ability to brighten the day with a smile is a gift he will keep with him throughout his lifetime. Benjamin had a lot of mistrust in the beginning of the year. He would cry when he came into school and didn t really interact with his peers. Benjamin did not call out during news events or raise his hand to offer a story. During activity he was quiet and refrained from asking questions from his peers and his TR. Now in the middle of his school year he is an outspoken individual who raises his hand, calls out, offers wonderful stories, and interacts with many of his peers. When he comes into school he literally runs to his cubby and always has a smile on his face. I suspect that he will grow academically towards the end of the year. When Benjamin is in freeplay he associates with the other children and uses his imagination to call his mother on the phone, or cook a peer lunch in the kitchen. On one-to-one he speaks enthusiastically and pays attention to what the TR is saying. He is able to stay focused on the activity at hand and asks questions during activity. Benjamin participates with eagerness in group activities and interacts with his peers. If he does not have a skill he works hard to learn it (i.e. Dreidle spinning). Benjamin plays well with Sebastian and Alex. During freeplay Sebastian will be found in the kitchen, usually with Benjamin by his side. When a soon-to-be new student came to observe the classroom Benjamin was anything but hesitant to make a new friend. His speech does not seem to be discouraging for him or his peers, which will only build his trust and confidence. To help develop Benjamin s personality I would advise the parent to encourage his right to be an individual, and to reassure him that they are proud of his accomplishments throughout life. In referring to Eriksons personality theory I would say that Benjamin is just entering stage 3, Initiative vs. Guilt. He is actively exploring his surroundings and peers, and uses imaginary play during freetime. His desire to push on is strong and he is beginning to feel what it s like to have a conscience. I haven t witnessed Benjamin putting himself down or feeling discouraged with an activity.

I would describe Benjamin as very well disciplined because he is able to follow directions the first time they are given without defying authority. He is able to follow routine and take notice when he is spoken to. When Benjamin was asked to stop speaking to Mikayla during story time, he turned around and focused. He didn t seem upset that he was reprimanded and still, he had a smile on his face. Another situation when Benjamin acted in a positive manner was when he was asked to push in his chair after snack. Benjamin had already sat down on the rug but he stood up and pushed in his chair without saying a word. Then he sat down on the rug again and started a conversation with Daniel. Again it didn t seem to discourage him when he was asked to correct a mistake. One situation where Benjamin acted negatively was when he was asked to help clean the kitchen after freeplay. Benjamin chose to ignore the TR and continue to sit on the rug. Perhaps he didn t feel the need to clean it because he had not played in it. He was not asked a second time, although I am certain that if told to do so again he would have helped. I believe that he should have been asked a second time to enforce the TR s decision. Benjamin was asked to be silent during a lesson, but after a few minutes he continued his conversation which pertained to the lesson. Benjamin was not reprimanded again because his behavior was exceptional; in other words it was neither positive nor negative to the effect of praise or discipline. I believe that Benjamin has been reprimanded but not disciplined in school. He has been told to correct a mistake or be silent and listen to a TR, but a direct consequence has never been necessary. Benjamin is able to share with other students his stories and material objects. When he brings in a show n tell he is more than willing to share it with a peer. He does not show any irritation when another peer wants to help him clean up or wipe off the table. When he was student of the week he didn t mind that David wanted to bring the garbage can closer to the table, although it was one of Benjamin s responsibilities. Benjamin has learned to share and follow directions since our first encounter. He is willing to follow the rules and doesn t tattle if someone else doesn t.

Emotions are strong feelings regarding people, things, and situations. Some emotions include happiness, anger, guilt, sadness, joy, frustration, excitement, and confusion. When observing Benjamin s interaction with other peers a few words came to mind. When he plays he is joyful, comical, friendly, playful, and active. When he engages in a conversation he is confident, outspoken, open minded, and honest. When Benjamin is led around the high school he is tense, shy, uncertain, and quiet. When Benjamin experienced aggression from another student, such as Justin taking something out of his hands, he shyed away and didn t say anything, instead he just picked something else to play with. When Benjamin experienced excitement, such as the arrival of Santa, he grew joyful and excited himself. He was eager to receive his gift and talk to Santa. Benjamin does not acknowledge anger by staring at a peer who is angry, such as Orion when he is asked to sit elsewhere, he glances and then moves on with what is being taught. When a peer is frustrated with an activity, Benjamin is quick to figure his out. He holds it up and shows a TR or asks someone to look at it. When Benjamin is experiencing joy he lets others know. His favorite line is, You know what? and of course we have to ask, What? . The most common emotions witnessed in Benjamin are joy, confidence (i.e. I can do that ), and excitement. When Benjamin was presented with his first attempt to use the green scissors he was nervous. In a previous activity I had witnessed him leave the activity early when cutting was involved. Because of his frustration I planned his IEP to teach him how to use scissors. Benjamin was first asked to cut small straight lines. When he did he smiled and showed pride in himself. We then fringed a Christmas tree, and after two days he finished. He was very proud of himself and I was too. I praised him for his hard work and it was a good feeling to see him grinning from ear to ear! It is vital for a parent to understand how they can help, or hinder, their child s emotional development. A child needs to be praised for an accomplishment or positive action, and disciplined effectively when they show negative behavior. A parent needs to let the child know that they are safe, loved, and wanted. Secure environments are important to a child s emotional development. I was a little shocked when Benjamin expressed empathy for Amanda when she couldn t find her show n tell. Usually one would think a child the age of four would only think about themselves. Amanda expressed gratitude when Benjamin offered to help her look and was thankful for his concern. Self-concept is very important to a child s emotional development because it affects the way a child reacts to others. A child needs to have confidence in him or herself and needs to see themselves as an individual. They need to understand that individuality is a positive thing and that having a positive self-concept is an essential key to happiness and well being.