EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS

1. Encourage initiative in young children:

Children in preschool and early childhood education programs should be given a great deal of freedom to explore their world. They should be allowed to choose some of the activities they engage. If their requests for doing certain activities are reasonable, the requests should be honored. Provide exciting materials that will stimulate their imagination. Children at this stage love to play. It not only benefits their socioemotional development but also is an important medium for their cognitive growth. Especially encourage social play with peers and fantasy play. Help children assume responsibility for putting toys and materials back in place after they have used them. Children can be given a plant or flower to care for and be assisted in caring for it. Criticism should be kept to a minimum so that children will not develop high levels of guilt and anxiety. Young children are going to make lots of mistakes and have lots of spills.They need good models for more than harsh critics. Structure Their activities and environment for successes rather than failures by giving them developmentally appropriate takes.For example, don't frustrate young children by having them it for long periods of time doing academic paper-and-pencil tasks.

2. Promote industry in elementary school children:

Teachers have a special responsibility for children's development of industry. It was Erikson's hope that teachers could provide an atmosphere in which children become passionate about learning. In Erikson's words, teachers would mildly but firmly coerce children into the adventure of finding out that they can learn to accomplish things that they themselves would never have thought they could do. In elementary school, children thirst to know. Most arrive at elementary school steeped in curiosity and a motivation to master tasks. In Erikson's view, it is important for teachers to nourish this motivation for mastery and curiosity. Challenge students, but don't overwhelm them. Be firm in requiring students to be productive, but don't be overly critical. Especially be tolerant of honest mistakes and make sure that every student has opportunities for many successes.

3. Stimulate identity exploration in adolescence:

Aspects include vocational goals;is Recognize that the student's identity multidimensional intellectual achievement; and interests in hobbies, sports, music, and other areas. Ask adolescents to write essays about such dimensions, exploring who they are and what they want to do with their lives. Encourage adolescents to think independently and to freely express their views. This stimulates self-exploration. Also encourage adolescents to listen to debates on religious, political, and ideological issues. This will stimulate them to examine different perspectives.

Recognize that some of the roles adolescents adopt are not permanent. They try on many different faces as they search for a face of their own. Also recognize that a successful identity is attained in bits and pieces over many years. Many adolescents in middle schools are just beginning to explore their identity, but even at this time exposing them to various careers and life options can benefit their identity development. Encourage adolescents to talk with a school counselor about career options as well as other aspects of their identity. Have people from different careers come and talk with your students about their work regardless of the grade you teach.

4.Examine your life as a teacher through the lens of Erikson's eight stage:

For example, you might be at the age at which Erikson says the most important issue is identity versus identity confusion or intimacy versus isolation. Erikson believed that one of identity's most important dimensions is vocational. Your successful career as a teacher could be key in your overall identity. Another important aspect of development for young adults is to have positive, close relationships with others. Your identity will benefit from having a positive relationship with a partner and with one or more friends. Many teachers develop strong camaraderie with other teachers or their mentors, which can be very rewarding.

5.Benefit from the characteristics of some of Erikson's other stages:

Competent teachers trust, show initiative, industrious and model sense of mastery, and are motivated to are contribute something meaningful to the next generation. In your role as a teacher, you will actively meet the criteria for Erikson's concept of generativity.