For my
research simulation, I chose to investigate the topic of death understanding and
children. The topic is big and has many implications. Do all children
understand death at the same level, does spirituality and family culture affect
children’s understanding, and do prior experiences make a difference? All are
valid questions, but I had to narrow down my topic. So, I will start by gaining
an understanding of the relationship between children’s cognitive development
and death understanding. Therefore, my topic of research is “What are the
developmental stages of death understanding in young children”? Children
develop in stages, whether it’s learning to eat, sit, walk, or talk. Their understanding
of death could be the same, in stages. If we learn these stages, we will know what
language to use to address the topic based on their cognitive level and
ability.
I have
gained so much insight from this week’s assignment, especially the part about formulating
a research question. I think narrowing down the topic is the hardest part of
the research process. I anticipate gaining a greater insight at the end of the
research simulation. I hope you will share your insight and advice about the
topic and forward any articles you might come across in your research that
might contribute to mine. So far, I have printed about five articles from the Walden
Library just by searching for the topic of “death understanding and children”. I
can’t wait to read them all.
Hi Rola,
ReplyDeleteThank you for your comments on my Blog, and I also really enjoyed your post on the topic of Death and Understanding in children. I completely agree with you that narrowing the topic matter was not an easy task, but I think you made an excellent choice, and I will be very excited to see what you discovery through your course of research. Like you I chose this subject not only based on my interest in the topic, But also based on my experiences, both professionally and personally, and it's because of these experiences that it has made me even more determined to seek answers, and find information and resources into helping children, especially young children deal with the inevitability of death and dying. Great Job! I always feel like I gain so much from your discussion and Blog posts. Good Luck!
Sylvia
Hello Rola,
ReplyDeleteDeath is such a tough topic but I am excited to read about what you learn about the development awareness when it comes to death. My son, when he was in first grade, witnessed a child get hit by a car while waiting for the school bus. I was waiting with him but my back was turned in a different direction. To this day, I am not sure what that tramatic experience will affect in the future. I was unsure if it was okay to talk to him about the experience or let him bring it up. My son showed great concern for me during the situation. It will be very interesting to hear about your finding on the topic.
Rola,
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for your post and you are so right about the importance of finding the right way to help children in understanding death and the grieving process. I think that all people grieve in their own way and because all children develop differently, their understanding of death would be no different. I am sorry to hear that your family had to go through so much but I'm sure that you are all stronger because of it (especially in your faith). I think that we will all have so much to gain from you and your topic and I look forward to learning more from you. If and when I come across any resources that will help you, I will make sure to let you know. I agree that narrowing down a research topic is a difficult thing to do but it sounds as if you picked a very good one. Good luck with your research!