One of the problems in the United States today that the article pinpoints, is that many teachers in the United States still do not have knowledge of developmental science. Therefore as the article states, "Disengagement and alienation are reported by youth at an all time high, often resulting from classroom experiences that are disconnected from developmental needs. Many public school systems continue to fail a large percentage of our children....By high school, as many as 40 to 50 percent of students become chronically disengaged from school" (3). When teachers do not take into consideration their students' developmental needs, then this has a negetive affect on the students. More and more children are becoming disengaged in school because they are not being taught in a ways that help them to learn. Every child learns in a different way, and if teachers do not take the time to learn the strengths of their students, and use those strengths to help a child to learn or to help change a child's behavior or outlook in school, then children are going to become bored, they are going to struggle, and eventually they will give up on school altogether. This is a serious issue. The article states how "A 2009 Editorial Projects in Education nationwide study shows the average high school graduation rate in the nations largest cities is only 53%, signifiying hundreds of failing city schools that some call dropout factories" (3). If the developmental sciences are not applied in classrooms at every age level, then students are going to become disengaged from school because they are not receiving the support they need from their teachers. This leads students to drop out of school altogether.
Therefore, this article is suggesting and stating that more Education Programs at Universities and more teachers across the nation need to obtain knowledge about child and adolescent development (developmental science) and apply this knowledge to their classroom lesson plans and with their students. Teachers can help students to strengthen their social, cognitive, emotional, and physical development which all impact learning, if they just take the time to observe the behaviors and actions of their students. For example, a child who is not very social and is quiet and maybe even unfriendly in class, might change and become more friendly, if the teacher incorporates group activities and games where the child can build his or her self-esteem and confidence and at the same time, get to know other children in the class and make friends.Teachers need to make more of an effort to know their students, to realize the best ways in which their students learn, and to become aware of the aspects of development that their students are struggling in. All of these factors when addressed can help the students have a more positive outcome in school.
In additon, developmental science, also includes taking the time to get to know the parents of the child, understanding the homelife and environment of the child, and the culture of the child. As the article states, "Just as effective teachers realize that classroom environments affect student's emotions and academic performance, they are also aware that home, community, and cultural experiences impact children's growth and development and use strategies to mitigate vulnerability" (7). Many students, for example ELL or English as a second language students, struggle in school because they have a different culture from the other students, they speak dual languages, and they feel like they don't fit in. Many students also struggle because they are coming from homelives that include violence, abuse, drugs, and they do not have parents that are willing to help them with their homework. Teachers need to try to understand where a child is coming from, and they also need to try to form a relationship and team with the child's parents to ensure that the child will be receiving help at home. If parents are not doing their job in helping their own child at home, then the efforts of the teacher will not be completely successful. Teachers should also try to incorporate a child's language and even culture into the classroom so the child feels more comfortable.
Teachers also need to try to form a relationship with their students so that their students feel comfortable in the classroom and are not afraid to raise their hand and get help when they do not understand something. Students should feel that they can trust their teacher, and having a feeling of trust between teacher and student in the classroom also helps to make learning more enjoyable and positive for students.
As the article states there are three features of emotionally supportive classrooms that can help students' learning become more positive: "Positive classroom environment, as evidenced by both an emotional connection between the teacher and students and by students' feelings of safety and excitement about learning, teacher sensitivity, reflected in the teacher's awareness and responsiveness to students' academic and emotional needs, and respect for student perspectives, including the degree to which the teacher places an emphasis on students' interests, motivations, and points of view" (7). Students need to feel excited about coming to school, they need to enjoy learning, and they need to believe that learning can be fun. If a positive outlook on school is not established when children are young, then children will never look at school in a positive light and this will affect their willingness to learn. When teachers have an understanding of the developmental sciences, then they will create a safe and comfortable classroom environment where children do not have to be afraid to express their opinions and to participate, they will observe their students' struggles and will find ways to help improve and solve their students' weaknesses. Most importantly, with knowledge of the developmental sciences, teachers will take into consideration the ways in which their students want to learn and the interests that their students have so learning for the students will be more interesting and enjoyable.
Teacher knowledge of the developmental sciences can change students' futures in school. As the article states, in New York City only 28% of black male students graduate, where in Montgomery County, Maryland, 68% of black males graduate on time. The percentage is higher in Montgomery County Maryland because that county and state "[Have] long had in place a systematic, intensive strategy based on developmental principles and strategies from pre-k through high school" (3). This piece of evidence prooves that when states, schools ,and teachers, apply developmental sciences in the classrooms in every grade, and with their students, then more children stay in school and more students graduate.
Therefore, when the needs of all learners in classrooms are addressed by teachers and staff in schools, and all aspects of students' development are being addressed in classrooms, then more children will stop dropping out of school, more children will become engaged in school, and more children will become successful across ethnicities and cultures in education.
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