37 Chapter 1 Learning About Children
to do so later in life. For instance, if
children are not taught to read at age
six, they can learn a few years later,
although it may be more diffi cult. In
a few cases, once an opportunity has
passed, it might never be possible to
gain this development.
This principle can also work to
a person’s disadvantage. It suggests
that poor growth and development
are not easily reversed. For
example, consider a child with
poor health due to a lifelong poor
diet. It may take many months or
years of eating a carefully planned
diet to restore the child’s health. In
some cases, the body may never be
able to overcome these obstacles.
Consider, too, a child who lags in
mental development due to the lack
of quality experiences with adults
and with toys and books. This child
will likely need special help in early
childhood in school programs in
order to “catch-up.”
Growth and
Development Happen
in Sequenced Steps
In order for growth and
development to be continuous,
change must build on what children
have already learned. For instance,
writing comes from making random
marks. The steps in growth and
development follow one another in
a set order called sequenced steps.
Think about the changes that happen
in children in ranked stages—one
stage always occurs before the next.
A teachable moment is a time
when a person can learn a new task.
It occurs when the body and mind
are physically ready (during the
brain’s windows of opportunity),
when caregivers encourage and
support the child, and when the
child feels a strong desire to learn.
If a child has not reached the
teachable moment, he or she will
feel stressed when trying to master
a task or skill. Waiting too long after
the teachable moment occurs may
cause problems, too. For example, a
child who is ready to ride a bicycle
is not given the chance to learn.
This child may then have trouble
learning the skill as an adult.
Growth and
Development Happen
at Different Rates
Growth and development
happen at different rates throughout
life. Experts know when fast and slow
periods of growth and development
occur. Height and weight increases
are fast in infancy, for example. The
increases are moderate in preschool,
and fast again in junior and senior
high school.
Rates of growth and development
also vary from one child to another.
Some children develop quickly and
others slowly. Although the sequence
of growth and development is
similar for all children, the rates of
change differ. Why do these rates
differ? Children grow and develop
at different rates because of heredity,
environment, and motivation.
Heredity determines different
growth rates. For example, girl’s bones
and organs are more mature than
boy’s at all ages because of heredity.
Children need a good
environment to grow at the best
rate. A good environment includes
much love and care and many
ways to learn. If the environment
is lacking, lags or delays in growth
and development occur. On the