The Ecological Model

A individuals development is greatly influenced by their micro-system, which is any and everyone that the individuals come into contact with on a daily basis. If a child has a positive encouraging micro-system, that is what becomes embedded and interconnected in them as they development into adulthood. If you put good in, good will come out, as the old saying goes.

The ecological model formulated by Bronfenbrenner suggests that personal human development transpires surrounded by the interrelated and entrenched ecological systems (McWhirter, 2013). This ecological model aids individuals in comprehending the influence of way of life, political affairs, personal interactions, social relations and life events has on an individual’s mindset, actions and aptitudes of youngsters, teenagers and their relatives (McWhirter, 2013). This model stands on the theory that human beings mature and develop inside the environment of a quantity of mutual structures which are: micro-, meso-, exo-, macro-, and chrono-systems (McWhirter, 2013). The microsystem is made up of the individuals that a person has close interactions with and insinuates the proximate interfaces in the individuals surrounding (McWhirter, 2013).

Appreciation of an individual’s choices are at times are a challenging task that consist of elusive contemplations of their morals, concerns, views and circumstances. (McHale, 2009). Growing up, I had a large micro-system consisted of my wonderful parents, my Sunday school teachers and my public school teachers. My parents taught me about God and to always trust him and live my life for him, even though I would have problems, he would always be there to help me. My parents taught a good work ethic, that you had to work for what you acquire in life that nothing is never just handed too you. I remember both of my parents working two jobs just to provide for me and my two brothers.

Growing up, we did not have fancy houses or cars, but we had love beyond measure and today, I still have that same love both my parents. I also had a Sunday school teacher that to this day we are still friends and see other often. She taught me to love like Jesus not matter what and that is still with me today. Throughout the 13 years that I was in the public school system, I had some pretty amazing teachers that encouraged me to be the best that I could and I know there were time that I struggled in some of my classes and they just encouraging me along with my parents and here I am, 45 years old married to a Baptist Minister by which we have two amazing daughter’s that that are nurses and here I am with only five classed left and I will have my Master’s Degree and without that great micro-system, I do not even want to think about where I might be in life right now.

Because of all the interactions with the people in my life throughout the years and embedding with great characteristic (McWhirter, 2013), I am very fortunate to be where I am in life right now. The At-Risk Tree goes right along with The Ecological Model. The At-Risk Tree has three crucial roots: family, school, and peer groups (McWhirter, 2013). Just as the roots make available a system that secures and cultivates the lifecycle, so that the family and the schools convey principles and alongside with their friends in their age group intercede in adolescent’s growth (McWhirter, 2013). These most important make available the make-up amidst how the youngsters embrace their capabilities (McHale, 2009). The family is the tap-root or the most important unit and when there is inconsistency and resistance inside the main root of the tree or family, it causes a number of problems in the whole family (McHale, 2009).

Because society insist on our school systems to be responsible for a prudent surrounding for our kids to be able to nurture proper education proficiencies and to concentrate on each child’s educational and psychological needs (McHale, 2009). Problems with our adolescents, our schools are another main on our At-Risk Tree (McWhirter, 2013). Society expects our schools now days to equip our kids with the necessary life competences that family and church had been teaching in the years past (Feldman, 2011).Adolescents and pre-adolescents friends are the third major root on our At-Risk Tree (McWhirter, 2013). Adolescent’s friends have a mighty effect in a juvenile’s life and can be immensely influential in transferring beliefs, morals, and standards that manipulate young people’s conduct (McWhirter, 2013). Neglecting to be concerned about teenager’s peers with discerning and not getting involved with young people has an increased likelihood of managing mediations that are unproductive (McWhirter, 2013).

The At-Risk Tree also has a trunk that props and steadies the branches which symbolize the young people’s acclimatization into the general public (McWhirter, 2013). There is also a fear that the young people that have been labeled as At-Risk have an increased likelihood of embedding spores of the upcoming peer group that will also be At-Risk (McWhirter, 2013). The At-Risk Tree also necessities landscapers that are not afraid to snip things in the bud, put some light on the subject, make sure the branches are drenched with lots of encouragement and to be able to cultivate goodness (McWhirter, 2013). These gardeners are the teachers, guidance counselors, Sunday school teachers, youth leaders and human service workers (McWhirter, 2013). At times the gardener will need to decide what part of the tree needs some extra care but that extra care is to improve the fruit of the tree (McWhirter, 2013).

References

Clinton, D. T. (2010). The Quick Reference Guide to Counseling Teenagers. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books. Retrieved January 2014 Feldman, R. S. (2011). Bevelopment Across the Life Span. (Sixth, Ed.) Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall, Pearson. Retrieved 2014 McHale, S. M.-Y. (2009). An Ecological Perspective on Media and Youth. American Behavioral Science, 52(8), 1186-1203. doi:10.1177/0002764209331541 McWhirter, J. J. (2013). At Risk Youth (5th ed.). Belmont, CA 94002-3098: Brooks/Cole, Cengage Learning. Retrieved January 2014