Community

Shayla Wilson

Alma Escorcia

Jane capers

Kira Diner

Definition

• Community is a coming together of people based on shared interests for the purpose of interacting with community members and strengthening relationships. Communities support and protect life, provide interesting experience, enhance learning, and bind people together. Communities form a network of resources for families at home, at work, and at play.

Rural

• The rural neighborhood consists of families and open space where physical boundaries are not well defined. The wildness of nature gently merges with the yards and play spaces of children. One major benefit of the rural neighborhood is the opportunity for unlimited outdoor play.

• Most children love being outdoors and as adults some of our fondest memories are of playing outside with friends and neighbors. What do we learn by living in this type of community –the rural neighborhood?

• In Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, Level 1 is the broadest. Some of the elements of Level 1 are food, air, water, activity, exploration, and manipulation. The rural neighborhood provides quantities of these elements in a clean and safe environment.

Purpose of Socialization

• Development of self-concept: A child growing up in a rural neighborhood lives separately from the mainstream population. He or she spends time alone or with family members and relates to the natural world of the local flora and fauna. The child can develop independence and self-identity in this environment because he/she will be problem-solving and making decisions while playing outdoors. There are many opportunities for the child to experience independence while exploring and investigating the rural neighborhood.

• Learning self-control: The child must also learn the boundaries of the play space. Self-control will keep him or her from straying too far or too close to a road.

• Also, wide open spaces are good for taming misbehaviors and strong emotions.

• Empowering achievement: Living in a rural neighborhood exposes the child to the wonders of nature and might inspire him or her to further study of different elements such as air and water, ecology, plants, or animals. Preserving open space could be a goal that the child develops.

• Learning social roles: Living in a rural neighborhood the child socializes mostly with family and perhaps extended family in the area. The child is often familiar with the local merchants which provides a sense of continuity in the child’s life. Gender roles in a rural setting are not so stereotypical. Women drive tractors and milk cows. Boys and girls have similar chores such as raking leaves and bringing in firewood.

• Developmental skills: Psychomotor skills are enhanced in wide open spaces. For example the child has ample opportunity to learn how to ride a bike in the rural neighborhood, and he or she will have the added challenge of riding on uneven ground. But the ground is also softer than asphalt or concrete if the child falls. Emotions can be expressed by being in nature as well as soothed. Cognitive skills are developed by constructing things outdoors, solving problems and making decisions.

Methods of Socialization

• Affective: The child’s attachments would be with the immediate family because most of their time is spent together. They might also form a bond with the closest neighbor for socialization purposes, or in case the family has an emergency.

• Operant: By interacting with his or her environment, the child learns about cause and effect. For example, if the family has a garden, the child learns that it has to be weeded and watered in order for the family to harvest food.

• Observational: There will be different models in the rural environment for the child to observe such as farmers, loggers, firefighters, and people who fish and hunt.

• Cognitive: If a child is going to learn the skills of a rural life, he or she will receive instruction from some of these models.

• Sociocultural: In the rural neighborhood seasonal holidays are often celebrated as a community. Harvest festivals are popular.

• Apprenticeship: As a child ages he or she may find the opportunity to learn a craft or trade from an experienced adult in the community

Suburban

• The Suburban Community is a residential area with the benefits of having the grocery and other businesses fairly nearby with still plenty of space for children to roam and play. It has all of the benefits of being near a city and the workplace, as well as the benefit of being in a more rural setting with less noise, pollution, and a slower pace of life. The majority of families living in a suburban community tend to be middle class.

• A community’s influence on children and families may vary. In a close-knit community families may have shared morals and values with a big support network

Purpose of Socialization

• Development of self concept - Children in a suburban community generally come from middle class parents who are typically known to push independence for their children. Whether that be taking the bus to school or walking to a friends house all alone. Children may also attend Child Care if both parents work and they’ll most definitely attend school so then children must be able to tie their shoes, use the potty, etc. on their own at an earlier age.

• Learn self control - In a suburban community there is generally one parent taking care of the children a majority of the time or they may be able to attend child care, if both parents work, where there is an adult to help guide unruly emotions and behaviors. Being capable to tame emotions and behavior is a vital skill for children to conquer to survive in society. Learning self control may also develop from being cautious or needing to be wary of strangers and the dangers in a suburban community such as cars.

• Learn appropriate social roles - In a suburban community, many families live in close proximity, in a relatively safe environment giving children an opportunity to explore and learn appropriate social skills. By being able to have free range and exposure to a multitude of adults and children a child will learn how to behave appropriately. Other children as peers are very influential in teaching gender roles and reinforce observations of adults. A close knit suburban community provides plenty of opportunities to explore, test out, and learn appropriate social roles.

• Learn developmental skills - Children need to learn to properly manage their emotions, learn how to interact correctly with a variety of people, and they need to be capable of many basic skills such as reading and writing. Public school provides training and guidance in all of these areas. A suburban community provides all around decent schools and higher parent support both of which promote development and there are a lot of outside resources nearby, still within the community, to help strengthen these skills.

Methods of Socialization

• Affective – Due to the freedom children may experience in a suburban community with playing and interactions they will effectively be able to form healthy relationships with peers. And being that a majority of people who live in suburban communities are middle class the parents have more time to spend and bond with their children therefore allowing children to learn how to form and keep safe and healthy relationships.

• Operant – children have a good amount of room to explore and experiment with their environment, see the effect of their behaviors, and since there is generally an adult present whether at child care, a parent at home, or school they can enforce or extinguish that behavior whether it be desirable or not. This teaches children boundaries and what behavior may be appropriate at certain times.

• Observational methods – Many children will probably have at least one working parent and one at home parent. This could teach gender roles, if a father heads off to work and a mother remains home to care for the children.

• Cognitive methods – Children in a suburban community generally attend adequately funded public schools due to higher property taxes and parent involvement. School is a big socialization factor, where having developmental skills, self control, and knowing social roles are very important, and school can be a place where children learn a majority of the skills needed to function within a community effectively.

• Soiocultural – In a suburban community holidays are celebrated individually as a family, with everyone having their own set of tradition and beliefs. Families teach their beliefs through tradition. There is generally still a community share in celebration like at school or neighborhood parties where beliefs and cultural traditions are enforced.

• Apprenticeship – As a child growing up in a suburban community they’ll have plenty of opportunities to learn a new skill or craft from a mother, friend, neighbor, etc. Many children learn how to cook from observing their parents, same with cleaning, sewing, and even woodworking or how to change a tire. These are skills that could lead to a possible future career, and children in an urban community probably don’t have access to come of these types of skills.

Community Resources

• After School Activities

• Museums, Libraries, etc.

• Outdoor Sports and camps

• Health Community

After School Activities

• Clubs

• Sports

• Volunteer opportunities

Helps Develop

• self-esteem

• self-awareness

• self-concept

• role models

• cultural diversity

• comfort zone

• Gives them a new experience

• Sense of achievement

Public Facilities

• There is a community of public facilities – parks, libraries, museums, recreational centers, etc. – that provides enriching experiences for local children and families. Parks and community/recreational centers support physical and social skills. Libraries and museums accommodate cognitive, emotional and social development. All of these places are good environments for play, the use of imagination, and learning.

• These areas of the community – parks, libraries, museums, and recreational centers –are generally where children and families experience happy times together. They strengthen social and emotional bonds within the family, to other families, and make the whole community a

better place to live.

Purpose of Socialization

• Development of self-concept• Example: Using psychomotor skills on a

climbing wall in a park or recreational center shows a child what he or she can do and strive for. Risk-taking is a boon for learning. Developing self-awareness and confidence result in a positive self-concept.

• Learning self-control• Ex: Being outdoors in a park is a good

environment for children when they are feeling strong emotions. Being in nature and exercise have soothing effects on all people.

• Empowering achievement• Ex: The tools of learning are provided for by

local libraries. Besides books and printed material, libraries offer movies, music, and computers with Internet. The library is an ideal environment for tutoring sessions.

• Learning appropriate social roles• Ex: Going to the park is often a social event

where children and families interact with people they have just met. This provides an opportunity to learn about cultural mannerisms.

• Developmental skills• Ex: Recreational or community centers offer

all kinds of classes; many are about physical fitness. Developmental skills are cognitive and emotional as well as physical. The community center may offer activities such as gymnastics, swimming, exercise, yoga, and meditation.

Methods of Socialization

• Affective• Two places in the community where children

and families can get in touch with their emotions are the natural and wild areas of parks, and art museums. Viewing art can evoke feelings and build an appreciation for beauty and talent.

• Operant• In playgrounds and parks many operant

methods are demonstrated. Children often socialize and interact with other children when they’re at the park. They also “learn by doing”, for example, on a play structure.

• Observational• At community/recreational centers there are

many extracurricular activities for children and families. Offers include music, dance, health-related classes, and art. The teachers who lead these classes are good role models for children.

• Cognitive• At the library children and families can

pursue their own academic interests or receive tutoring from other community members.

• Sociocultural• Many communities are a mix of cultures, and

they might share their traditions and rituals by having a street fair or some event that is open to the public. This enriches the lives of all the members of the community and benefits everyone.

• Apprenticeship• Children learn many things from their elders.

Quite often mentors are people outside the family. For example, a nature center might offer day camps during school vacations. Children can learn about nature through “guided participation”.

Healthcare

• Provides basic Healthcare services such as. Check-ups.dental visits. Immunizations.Etc.

• Counseling

• Many opportunities for the development of social skills and socialization

• Helps children to build up their– self-esteem– Self-awareness– Self-concept– Role models– Trust– Respect– Development of cultural

diversity– Development skills– Achievements– New experience– Comfort Zone

Outdoor sports & camps

• There is a community of outdoor sports and camps for kids that families can participate in. Sharing recreation outdoors with other families can enhance the experience for everyone. There are golf courses and tennis courts at local parks. Families may share similar interests in biking and hiking. Fishing, boating, swimming and surfing are also popular. Camps for children are offered during the summer and other school vacations. Achievement in sports and physical fitness serve all the purposes of socialization.

• There are many communities within the physical community in which a family lives. Children and families interact with each other forming a network of support and learning opportunities. Most importantly, belonging to a community provides the social/emotional relationships that people need to succeed in the process of socialization.

Outdoor Sports and Camps Cont.

• For example, at a local swimming pool, you would see...

• Development of self-concept: a child becoming a swimmer

• Learning self-control: a child learning how to stay afloat

• Empowering achievement: a child swimming independently

• Learning appropriate social roles: a child as swimming student

• Developmental skills: gross motor skills used during swimming

• In the process of learning how to swim, the methods of socialization can also be seen...

• Affective: the child develops an affinity for the water

• Operant: the child learns to swim by doing it

• Observational: the child's teacher and other swimmers are models

• Cognitive: the child receives instructions and demonstrations from the teacher

• Sociocultural: the child's family believes in the importance of learning how to swim

• Apprenticeship: the child engages in guided participation when learning how to swim

THE END