Case Study of

Alejandro, Age 9
by Michelle Sanchez
 Some physical characteristics of elementary grades are that they

become leaner and stronger. They grow about 2 to 3 inches and gain 5

to 7 pounds. Obesity can become a problem for some children in this

age group because they have more control over their eating habits, such

as eating junk food coupled with low levels of physical activity, and

Physical may have a predisposition toward obesity. Boys motor skills

outperform girls in kicking, throwing, catching, running, jumping, and

Snowmans General batting; more likely to play baseball and basketball; mastery of large

and small muscles; enjoy arts, crafts and musical activities (Snowman

& McCown, 2013).

According to Snowman, the nine year old male child I observed

does fit in the characteristics. Physically, he is a bit overweight, eats

junk food and spends most of his time playing video games.
 My recommendations for continued physical development for

the child, as suggested by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

(CDC), is to encourage your child to join school and community

groups, such as a sports team, or to be a volunteer for a charity which

Physical will help with the weight gain and to continue developing motor skills.

Recommendations Also, talk with your child about the normal physical and emotional

changes of puberty so that hes prepared for his physical development

(CDC, 2017). The University of Washington (UoW) suggests to

continue to comfort, tolerate, and rejoice in your child.

 Some emotional characteristics of elementary grades are that a

sense of self is influenced by their peers, self comparison to peers, own

emotions, and adults information and attitudes towards them. A

Emotional negative relation to peers and adults may develop a delinquent

behavior which leads to academic failure (Snowman & McCown,

Snowmans General 2013).

Emotionally, Alejandro does compare himself to his

peers, displays his emotions in a loud manner, and cares a lot about

what the adults in his life think of him.

 My recommendations for his emotional development are to

encourage his efforts by providing small, but meaningful rewards for

accomplishments and to allow expression of negative emotions while

maintaining limits (UoW, 2017). I also recommend that you talk

Emotional with your child about respecting others, make clear rules and stick to

them, talk with your child about what you expect from his (behavior)

Recommendations when no adults are present, use discipline to guide and protect your

child, instead of punishment to make him feel badly about himself, and

when using praise, help your child think about his own

accomplishments (CDC, 2017)

 According to Piagets Cognitive Theory, Alejandro seems to be at the appropriate level for his

age. Under Piagets Concrete Operational Stage characteristics this child is capable of operations but

solves problems by generalizing from concrete experiences and are not able to manipulate conditions

mentally unless they have been experienced (Snowman & McCown, 25, 2013). An example of this is

when he helps his younger friends with their homework. He is able to help because he has the experience to

solve problems. When it comes to his behavior, he is not able to manipulate or foresee consequences

because he lacks experience in knowing what behavior is expected of him.

According to Vygotskys Cognitive Theory, Alejandro seems to be at the appropriate level for his

Intellectual
age. He is currently acquiring scientific concepts, such as formulas, rules, and language, through schooling.

As an example, a scientific concept he has acquired under my observation is learning how to follow rules,

Piaget & Vygotsky Cognitive accepting consequences for his inappropriate behavior, and learning appropriate behavior. Under the ZPD,

Theories and Snowmans General

he has the zone of 2, where he can solve problems designed for a child 2 years older with some assistance.

Some cognitive characteristics of elementary students are that they can think logically, but it is constrained

and inconsistent in ways where they understand hierarchies, seriation, conservation, and symbols, but not

sarcasm, metaphors, and allegories. Also, simple memory skills, such as recognizing and remembering

vocabulary words, facts, or scripts for plays, is as well as adolescents or adults. Whereas more complex

memory skills, such as elaboration and organization, is something that needs constant practice.

Cognitively, he reasons logically, but concretely (Snowman & McCown, 2013).

 My recommendations for Alejandros continued intellectual

Intellectual
development would be to provide challenges that he can accomplish,

such as encouraging him to join after school clubs, continue to

Recommendations encourage his love of reading, give him house chores and teach him

how to save his allowance to continue to establish a sense of

responsibility.
 According to Eriksons Psychosocial Theory, Alejandro seems
to be at the appropriate level for his age. He is in the Industry versus
Inferiority stage. In some areas, such as academics, he is developing a

Social
sense of industry. He is an intellectual and intuitive child. In other
areas, such as his behavior, in my opinion, he may feel inferior. When

Eriksons Psychosocial Theory and he is asked to move his name from green to yellow and/or red, he

Snowmans General becomes illogical, throws tantrums, cries, argues, and has said he
cannot come back from his inappropriate behavior, as if its the end
all be all for him.
Some social characteristics of elementary grades are
that their peers replace adults as the major source of behavior
standards, friendships become more selective and gender based, and
play helps refine skills of self-direction and self-control (Snowman &
McCown, 2013). Socially, he has many same-age male friends and
plays many imaginative games.
 Social My recommendations for Alejandros continued social

Eriksons Psychosocial Theory and development is that he continues to receive love and acceptance, be

Snowmans General apart of his academic and social life, and dont focus too much on his

behavior because with those limits and rules recommended to be set in

place, he will eventually learn what is and what is not appropriate

(UoW, 2017)
 According to Kohlbergs Moral Development Theory, the nine year old male child I

observed seems to be at the appropriate level for his age. He is in the first two stages,

punishment-obedience orientation and instrumental relativist orientation, labeled

preconventional morality because he has yet to understand the conventions or rules of society

(Snowman & McCown, 2013). When the question, why shouldnt you steal from a store? a

child in these stages will answer, you might get caught and/or you shouldnt steal something

from a store, and the store owner shouldnt steal things that belong to you (Snowman &

Moral
McCown, 41-42, 2013). I agree that the child I observed does try to avoid punishment, and tries

to receive benefits in return. He has yet to learn that one should be held responsible for ones

Kohlbergs Moral Development actions (Snowman & McCown, 2013).

Theory and Snowmans General Moral development (morality of constraint), transition from preconventional level to

conventional level; a shift to viewing rules as mutual agreements is occurring, but official

rules are obeyed out of respect for authority or out of a desire to impress others. General factors

to keep in mind: initial enthusiasm for learning may fade as the novelty wears off and as the

process of perfecting skills becomes more difficult; differences in knowledge and skills of

fastest and slowest learners become more noticeable; automatic respect for teachers tends to

diminish; and peer group influences become strong (Snowman & McCown, 55, 2013).

Alejandros automatic respect for teachers has diminished.

 My recommendations for Alejandros moral development is to

acknowledge and support the child's standards and discuss

reasonableness of child's expectations, encourage the child to be self-

forgiving, focus on the worth of an individual rather than on behavior

Moral and then work on changing the behavior (UoW, 2017). Also, spend

Kohlbergs Moral Development time with your child, help your child develop his own sense of right
Theory and Snowmans General and wrong, talk with him about risky things friends might pressure him

to do, like smoking or dangerous physical dares, be affectionate and

honest with your child, and do things together as a family (CDC,

2017).
 References
Center for Disease Control and Prevention. (2017). Child development: Middle Childhood (9-11

years of age) Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/childdevelopment/positiveparenting/middle2.html

Snowman, J. & McCown, R. (2013). ED PSYCH. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.

University of Washington. (1993). Child development: Using the child development guide.

Retrieved from http://depts.washington.edu/allcwe2/fosterparents/training/chidev/cd06.htm