Preschool – Moral Development

Kohlberg – Moral Development

• __T__ 1. A preschooler is beginning to understand that it is important to base their behavior on their feelings and beliefs of right and wrong. This is the concept of Kohlberg’s theory of Moral Development.

• __T__ 2. Preschoolers are beginning to understand the reasons behind the rules and develop a conscience (inner sense of right and wrong), which guides their behavior and helps them make proper judgments.

• __F__ 3. Toddler’s learn the rules their parents and caregivers set, but they do not understand the reason behind the rules. – They do understand that some actions make a

caregiver unhappy and others make a caregiver smile.

– They choose to make a caregiver smile so they do not lose the approval of their caregiver.

• __F__ 4. The best way to teach moral behavior is to model it in everyday actions. Children are influenced by caregivers, peers, TV, movie, and other media.

5. Other ways a caregiver can teach moral behavior:• Set clear standards of behavior• Respond to and discuss inappropriate behavior• Continue to show love despite misbehavior

Cognitive Development

Video Clip

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=amfjWWMg9c0

• (Ooblek – on the Ellen Show)

1. Cognitive Milestones

Four-Year Old• Learns colors and shapes• Sorts and identifies

differences between objects• Has an expanded

vocabulary

Five-Year Old• Begins problem solving

2. Cognitive Development

• Children ask many questions because they are curious and want to understand the world around them

• Preschoolers learn by participation and involvement in everyday experiences

3. Jean Piaget – Cognitive Development

• Jean Piaget:– Preoperational stage (ages 2-7)• Preschoolers form attitudes about learning that can last a

lifetime• Children learn from concrete (hands-on) evidence• Egocentric – they think in terms of their OWN activities and

perceptions• Learn through make-believe play• Learn that objects and words can make a symbols

4. Reality VS Fantasy

• A 4-year old cannot separate reality from fantasy. A developing 5- and 6- year old, who has a bigger imagination and engages in make-believe play, begins to understand that there is a difference between reality and fantasy.

COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT TERMS

1. Sorting

• Placing objects into smaller groups based on how they are alike and different

• Examples Sorting cats by color, sorting blocks by size or shape, etc…

2. Classifying• Putting objects into sets based on common

traits.

• Examples: cats and dogs, toy blocks and toy trucks,

boys and girls.

3. Seriation

• Putting objects in a particular order based on size, weight, etc…

• Example Lining crayons up in order from shortest to longest

4. Reversal

• Building or doing and then undoing it

• Example Zip and unzip Build a sand castle and wreck it Block tower and wreck it Tie and untie

5. Transformation• Changing an object’s state.

• Example Popcorn kernel to popcorn Water into ice or ice into water Powder jello mix into jiggly jello and then adding hot water to the jello to turn it back into a liquid Growing older with age A seed into a plant Bread dough into bread

6. Conservation• Even though one property of an object changes, the other

properties remain the same

• Example – Liquid is the same amount even thou it is poured into different

shaped glasses– Smashing a cookie dough ball or play dough – it is still the same

even though it looks different