Developmental Psychology: There is a reason why psychology is a necessary class to fulfill the requirements of almost any college major. Understanding people, how they grow and develop, how they learn and how they are influenced are all very important things to be aware of. Even by learning the basics of human psychology, students can gain valuable knowledge that will prove useful in many aspects of life. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Being able to understand human psychology in fields that require close interaction with a wide variety of people, such as a major in Education, is not only useful but also necessary. Exploring how humans develop physically, emotionally, and mentally is critical to understanding others, and when faced with many different people, such as in a classroom full of students, this knowledge is vital. Developmental psychology delves into why humans are the way they are and how they become who they are, or as Laura Berk puts it. Developmental psychology is “a field of study dedicated to understanding constancy and change across the life span” (Berk, Lifespan Development Pg. 3) These studies have led to many discoveries in humans, but why should they be applicable to someone like me who is thinking of becoming a teacher? Berk further emphasizes that “Public education in the twentieth century led to the demand for knowledge about what and how to teach children of different ages” (Berk Pg. 5). Before entering a classroom to teach you can't stop thinking that the students you will be teaching may have many different learning needs. Developmental psychology helps paint a picture of the different student personalities a teacher might address, as well as influences on a child's behavior that might not otherwise be taken into account. Now I can understand why developmental psychology is part of the 7th through 12th grade educational curriculum here at Southern Maine Community College. Unlike Introduction to Psychology, which would be useful for most majors, this course explores psychology more deeply and is necessary for anyone interested in working with children or young adults. America is known as the melting pot of the world, as you can see the diversity of our country every day. The people who make up our country come from a wide variety of different cultures and bring with them many different religions, beliefs and customs. It is important to take away from this class an understanding of diversity and how it impacts each person's development. For me, it's possible that I get used to my students learning one way and then I'm faced with a student who grew up in a culture with different ideas about how children should be raised. This does not make the child less intelligent, but rather presents an opportunity to celebrate diversity in the classroom. As well as being a welcome challenge for me to provide the student with the skills they will need to succeed in a new environment. Influences dating back to when the baby was conceived could be contributing factors to why the baby is the way it is today! As a teacher I assume that I will never fully know my students, but having knowledge of the vast influences at each stage of development will at least help me to be more tolerant and understanding. The information in this course will stay with me, as well as be applicable in life.