Gender differences in development This educational scenario highlights gender differences in height and weight around Years 5–6 (10–12 years old). Subject:
Description
Respond to the specific questions for each scenario given in essay format; no bullet points.
Please use book: Educational Psychology for learning and teaching (6th edition) Duchesne, S & McMaugh, A (2018), for ONE of your references as this is the set text for the unit. The additional sources must be academic, peer-reviewed journal articles, not internet sites.
You must include relevant professional services that can be utilised in responding to students needs. These may include speech therapist, occupational therapist, psychologist, community elders and so forth.
Scenario:
Ella: During most of this year, Ella has been growing quickly. She is now the tallest student in her Year 5 class, and is very self-conscious about the changes happening to her body shape. She has stopped running around the playground at lunchtime, and stays sitting down with her coat on all the time. What is worse, she has started bleeding each month. It was a shock when it first happened, and she is still very embarrassed and upset about it. (Someone might see!) Mum sometimes lets her stay at home on those days. She has let down the hem of Ella’s school dress so often that it looks awful, but she says Ella cannot have a new uniform, because there is only one year left before high school. Ella dreams of the day when she is not the tallest girl in the class and can leave school forever.
Thomas: Thomas, 11, has always been one of the smallest students, whatever group he is in. At daycare, his best friend, Harry, was much taller than him. It didn’t seem to matter then, but now he is in Year 6, it does. Harry is now huge, while Thomas is still the smallest in the class. When he joins in with his nine-year-old brother’s soccer team, his mother cannot pick Thomas out in the crowd. Even the girls are taller than Thomas. But he has found a way to compensate: he is known as a loudmouth and a joker. Whenever there is a commotion or crisis in the classroom, Thomas is there, commenting loudly, cracking jokes and generally acting the fool. He is pleased with his role as the class ‘mouth’, but is still very worried about his small size. He is beginning to wonder if he will ever grow taller. He has started doing karate with Harry to get stronger and tougher.
Questions:
1. Consider the experiences of Ella and Thomas. Are these typical experiences for 10–12-year-olds?
2. To what extent should teachers recognise and make provisions for the stresses associated with the early stages of puberty?
3. What steps could be taken to help students like Ella and Thomas? Or will they simply ‘grow out of’ their problems?
Do not repeat the questions. Please incorporate appropriately into your answers when you discuss the scenarios.
Use an essay format – write in paragraphs with clear topic sentences; include an introductory and concluding paragraph
You may use first person point of view in your responses, however, any statements you make must be supported by references.
