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BRONFENBRENNER
Ashley Dennington
St. Edward's University
Bronfenbrenner
Urie Bronfenbrenner's bioecological theory of development states that people's
experiences, or ecology, as well as genetics, or biological, influence cognitive development,
social, personal and moral development. In his bioecological model of human development, the
individual, or child, is at the center. Although most influence on development in this theory is
said to be environmental, temperament and physical traits are both influenced by genetics, so
both genetics and biology influence the developing person. In the next level, the microsystem,
development is influenced by the environment more so than in any other system. The child's
family, peers, school, media and neighborhood are all a part of the microsystem. Personal
development is influenced by parents and caregivers, the ones who spend the most time with
the child, and their parenting style. The most beneficial parenting style to promote personal
development is authoritative. Authoritative parents care, but are firm and supportive and hold
children to high expectations. They also explain reasons for rules. Children raised in this
environment tend to be secure, have high self-esteem, and do well in school. According to his
theory, authoritarian, permissive, and uninvolved parenting styles all can lead to developmental
issues. Peers and cliques play an important role in emotional support, social development, as
well as communicate values and attitudes.
In Bronfenbrenner's bioecological model of human development, the mesosystem is the
connections and interaction between the components of the microsystem, in other words, the
community. Societal influences, such as the parent’s jobs and access to programs such as health
care, which affect both of these, are the exosystem in Bronfenbrenner's theory. The next level,
the macrosystem, is a child's culture and its influence on the child's development. This affects
all other systems. The final level is the chronosystem, which contains time-dependent
influences on a person’s development, such as aging and technological advances. These
systems all influence the child’s development interactively and ideally, “the family, school, and
peer group all work in harmony to provide positive support and instill solid values” (Brendtro,
2006). Healthy human development is dependent on how effectively the elements of the
microsystem work together.
To apply Bronfenbrenner's bioecological theory of development to an art certification, one
could take the same approach to parenting styles, and use an authoritative teaching style. A
teacher interested in using an authoritative approach to teaching and classroom management
must build a caring and open relationship with students while maintaining high expectations
and firm, consistent standards and rules. Applying this approach to teaching encourages the
student’s involvement in choices about his or her conduct which promotes self-sufficiency and
autonomy, as well as the general self-concept of the child.
The instructor using this approach makes an effort to become acquainted with the child’s
family, and observes the interactions between students and parents. This information about
the child’s microsystem and mesosystem can be used to make available emotional provisions
and to provide additional structure when needed, as it may be necessary to give some students
extra emotional support and care to lead them towards success. Unfortunately, not all students
have parents that are responsive and set high expectations to promote learning and
development. It would be in instructors applying authoritative teaching styles best interest to
be well informed and aware of the student’s previous experiences and would take time to go
over the student’s academic records. The commitment to a student’s learning and behavior
likewise can affect the student’s social adjustment. Using an authoritative approach to
monitoring “pupils’ behaviour and learning may buffer children from negative peer influences
or a negative social background” as well as helps to reduce and prevent behavioral problems
(Ertesvåg, 2010). If instructors use this teaching method to help reduce and prevent behavioral
problems, it is important for them to be aware of not only the students’ previous academic
performance but also their behavior. This information can be obtained by talking with the
student’s other past and present teachers. Specials teachers see the students through many
grades, and thus are able to make longitudinal observations about students and their behavior.
Perhaps behavioral issues are a new development in the child, which could be emerging
because of some sort of stress or problem in home life. With proper intervention, further issues
could be prevented. Sometimes, a child may need something as minute as a nonjudgmental
ear, or something more drastic. In their article “An Analysis of Bronfenbrenner’s Bio-Ecological
Perspective for Early Childhood Educators: Implications for Working with Families Experiencing
Stress”, Kevin James Swick and Reginald D. Williams (2006) argue that there are three primary
stress syndromes: chemical dependency, family violence, and homelessness; that cause serious
problems within families. In the case of chemical dependency, Swick and Williams suggest that
early childhood educators can use three strategies to act on these issues. Education and
counseling about the difficulties of chemical addiction support with needed resources to
empower their response to the addiction, and by involving every family member in ways to
promote healthy life styles and a healthy microsystem. Our families are the most likely place in
our society to experience violence, and have a significant influence on future interactions in
children. Violence that is long-lasting and recursive is a mechanism that creates dysfunction
within a microsystem. Violence is used as a way to respond to stress and resolve conflicts, and
often becomes a cycle that extends to novel situations, producing a violent microsystem. In a
violent household, the framework of the family is not a helpful and sharing system but is one
focusing on the abuser, ultimately dictating the entire family ecology, preventing normal
attachment behaviors and disrupting the microsystem. This greatly hinders social competence
development. Abuse such as this causes emotional trauma that can result in altered
relationships lifelong as well as influence the child themselves to use violence among their
peers. If an educator notices a student displaying signs of exposure to violence, it is important
that he or she notifies authorities to look into this case and to connect them to professionals, as
well as stimulate caring behaviors in these students. If an art teacher notices a student that
bullies other students and uses violence, that is a sign that the bully him or herself is probably
experiencing some type of intimidation and bullying at home by someone else bigger and
stronger, maybe a sibling or parent. To relieve stress in a healthy way, an art teacher could use
a type of art therapy with his or her students. Providing opportunities to students dealing with
stress and difficulties with an escape in art can be very beneficial. For instance, instead of taking
anger out on someone, the student could relieve stress by drawing, painting or sculpting. To
build families exosystem relations, an art teacher could invite the family to come look at and
celebrate the pupils art work. Encouraging students towards displaying caring behavior by
commending them when they do anything good or nice will help to build upon the self concept
and identity of the student. It is also important to commend this caring behavior among other
students, as doing so will indirectly influence behavior towards positive caring behavior. Swick
and Williams state the “strongest antidote to violence is caring” and “can provide a foundation
where parents and children develop the bonds that enable them to be more responsive in
dealing with stress” so it is important to build this caring in students and their families to
restore the microsystem (Swick & Williams, 2006). Positive development requires support, care,
and trust. According to Larry K. Brendtro, “trusting bonds with children are the most powerful
force in positive youth development” and “without a sense of belonging rooted in a secure
caring bond, children cannot thrive and reach their full potential” (Brendtro, 2006).
The third stress discussed by Swick and Williams, homelessness, results from many varied
sources and effects family dynamics greatly. In dealing with these situations positively and
effectively, Swick recommends using an empathetic understanding of the family’s
circumstances, maintaining support and responsiveness with the family, maintaining an inviting
ecology, and by empowering the families “with meaningful educational and social activities”
(Swick & Williams, 2006). To adequately address these issues according to Swick and Williams,
it is important that foremost we “seek to understand the situations families are experiencing,
inclusive of the cultural, social, economic, and educational dynamics” contained in
Bronfenbrenner’s bioecological model of human development (Swick & Williams, 2006). Some
actions we may find dysfunctional may actually be motivated by something we cannot
understand without being in that context. Therefore it is important to take the personal, and
cultural elements of the families into consideration. Applying Bronfenbrenner's theory to
practice in these ways can help to build a child’s microsystem, the setting in which learning is
most intimate and substantial.
References
Brendtro, L. K. (2006). The vision of Urie Bronfenbrenner: Adults who are crazy about kids.
Reclaiming Children & Youth, 15(3), 162-166. Retrieved from
http://ehis.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.stedwards.edu:5000/eds/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=55cf9a1
9-ddce-44f8-8b62-c65de4f9f61a@sessionmgr12&vid=4&hid=6
Ertesvåg, S. K. (2011). Measuring authoritative teaching. Teaching and Teacher Education,
27(1), 51-61 . Retrieved from
http://http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0742051X10001083
Swick, K. J., & Williams, R. D. (2006). An analysis of bronfenbrenner’s bio-ecological
perspective for early childhood educators: Implications for working with families experiencing
stress. Early Childhood Education Journal, 33(5), 371-378. Retrieved from
http://ehis.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.stedwards.edu:5000/eds/detail?vid=5&hid=6&sid=55cf9a19
-ddce-44f8-8b62-
c65de4f9f61a@sessionmgr12&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWRzLWxpdmUmc2NvcGU9c2l0ZQ==