The implications of brain research are examined. The influence of parenting on human development is examined with particular attention to the interaction of biology, emotional involvements, and experience. This exploration of early human development is rooted in the careful consideration of attachment theory, a markedly different theory than those which have dominated western child rearing analyses. Through field-based experiences and other methods, students are exposed to the process of child rearing, and its significance in transmitting social and cultural norms as a strategy for survival. Other cultures are reviewed to demonstrate the diversity of practices and cultures as well as the similarity of purpose and human development.
Early childhood marks the beginning of the child's first experience with the wider community.
The child makes healthy and increasingly independent adjustments depending upon the interaction of the biological self and the surrounding environment. Students examine normal variation in development and its neurological basis. Through direct field-based experiences students will analyze the developmental milestones within early and middle childhood and compare cognitive, emotional, physical, and language development. For many students school does not generate energy, foster creativity, and allow young minds to develop to their fullest potential. Instead school becomes a stress producer where self-esteem and academic skills decrease.