Erikson's Stages of Personal and Social Development

1. Trust vs. Mistrust (Birth to 18 months)

2. Autonomy vs. Doubt (18 months to 3 years)

3. Initiative vs. Guilt (3 to 6 years)

Preschool Years - Encouraging Initiative

• Encourage children to make and to act on choices.

• Make sure that each child has a chance to experience success.

• Encourage make-believe with a wide variety of roles.

• Be tolerant of accidents and mistakes, especially when children are attempting to do something on their own.

(From: Woolfolk, A. E., 1995, Educational Psychology, 6th ed., Boston: Allyn & Bacon, p. 69)

Industry vs. Inferiority (6 to 12 years)

Elementary Years - Encouraging Industry

• Make sure that students have opportunities to set and work toward realistic goals.

• Give students a chance to show their independence and responsibility.

• Provide support for students who seem discouraged.

(From: Woolfolk, 1995, p. 70)

5. Identity vs. Role Confusion (12 to 18 years)

Middle & High School - Supporting Identity Formation

• Give students many models for career choices and other adult roles.

• Help students find resources for working out personal problems.

• Be tolerant of teenage fads as long as they don't offend others of interfere with learning.

• Give students realistic feedback about themselves.

(From: Woolfolk, 1995, p. 73)

6. Intimacy vs. Isolation (Young Adulthood)

7. Generativity vs. Self-absorption (Middle Adulthood)

8. Integrity vs. Despair (Late Adulthood)

Educational Conferences

Communities of Practice