Family, Schools and Community with Relation to Child Development

Introduction: 

Social Development Educators have defined social development in a number of ways. E.B. Hurlock thinks “Social development means the attaining of maturity in social relationships” H.E. Garret states “Socialization or social development is the process whereby the biological individual is converted into a human person” Thus social development refers to the process of development by which a child acquires the necessary attitudes, skills and values that makes him an acceptable member of the group to which he belongs.

i) Characteristics of Community:

(i) Adolescence is marked with too much sex consciousness resulting in sexual social relationships. (ii) During adolescence loyalty becomes very much pronounced and adolescence are in a mood to sacrifice their selfish interests for the greater cause of the group, society and nation.
(iii) Adolescence stage is often marked with increased friendly relationships.
(iv) Emotional behavior of the adolescence dominates his social characteristics and qualities.
(v) There is too much diversity in the adolescents regarding their social interests.

ii). Role of the schools:

 The function of the school has considerably changed in the rapidly changing civilization. The traditional function of imparting the basic skills of the three R’s is now 17 no longer considered to be adequate to meet the present challenge. The present day school has also to perform some of the functions of the family. It may develop certain desirable social habits. It is through co-curricular and extra-curricular activities that the task of social development can be achieved more successfully. It is only the sympathetic understanding and sincere desire of the teacher to act positively in an unprejudicial manner that can help.

iii) Role of the family and other factors:

 A teacher can play a vital role in the social development of adolescent under his charge. He exerts a great influence upon the development of the personality of the adolescent. Following are the important suggestions for the social development of the adolescent.
(i) Adolescent may be taken from time to time to public places like museums, courts and places of historical importance etc to observe social interaction.
(ii) People engaged in different economic activities or vocations may be invited to school for giving a description of what they do and how useful their work is to the nation. This will enable the adolescent to be acquainted with those around them in the society.
(iii) Adolescent should be acquainted with the social events like the celebration of the birthdays of leaders.
(iv) The school programme should be full of numerous co-curriculum and curricular activities in which adolescent meet, co-operate and learn from each other’s personality.
(v) Stories depicting self-sacrifices made by great men for the cause of general good may be told to adolescents so that they are motivated to rise above petty gains and work for the betterment of the humanity.