Developmental Principles and Meeting Students Where They Are

The concept of meeting students where they are is so incredibly important as future educators. When working to meet students where they are, developmental principles play a large role. As we have discussed in class, the ages of students greatly affects the different ways in which they learn and understand information. Their developmental stage also affects their emotions and social experiences. Whether it’s kindergarten students who are leaving their parents for the first time, or middle schoolers who are hitting puberty, each child faces different challenges at different points of their lives. The idea of meeting students where they are is one that embraces the concept that each student has individual needs based on where they are in their lives. This can mean developmentally, but also emotionally or socially. The biggest piece of this concept is understanding that it is ok for each student to be in a different place, something highly connected to development as well. By using the developmental principles we have learned in class, I will be able to support my students best based on the challenges and new obstacles they are facing. When having a classroom full of kids, it is easy for some students to slip through the cracks. It is also easy for students to be apprehensive on sharing what they are experiencing or possibly even be unsure themselves of the situation they are in. With understanding of developmental principles though, I can begin with a frame of reference to help better understand and identify these struggles. It can also give me the knowledge decide what is the best course of action to help aid students who may need help. I believe that understanding and using developmental principles is the responsibility of the teacher; how can a teacher best support their students if they do not even understand the area of development they fall into. Understanding their developmental stage is essential to meeting students where they are.