PEPSI: Amiyah R.

Tegels 1

PEPSI: Amiyah Tegels

Adriana Reyes

College of Southern Nevada

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PEPSI: Amiyah Tegels

The subject that I studied is a nine-year-old girl named Amiyah Renee Tegels. She stands

four feet and eleven inches tall. She is of Black, Caucasian, and Mexican descent. She shows

physical characteristics representing mainly her Black descendent. Amiyah has dark brown and

black hair that is formed into tight curls which she normally wears as a ponytail with a puff or as

an afro (less likely). She has dark brown eyes and a nose that she says she got from [her]

mama. She has a very athletic build with tone muscles and long lean limbs. Amiyah also has

both her ears pierced, but hardly wears jewelry.

She is the daughter of TNisha Tegels (29 years) and sister to Bryanah Tegels (11 years).

They all live with TNishas boyfriend Michael Mason and his son Kingston Mason 7 years).

She is considered the middle child within the family household. She has no contact with her

biological father and takes Michael as her father figure. Amiyah is aware of the situation and

sometimes has some depression about it.

She is a very energetic child and maintains high energy until she goes to bed at night.

Amiyah likes to stay busy and always wants to be part of an activity. To no surprise, her favorite

time of the week is when her class is scheduled for physical education and recess; anything that

has to do with physical activity. She wants to become a gymnast with a back-up plan of a

profession as a doctor. Her mother would like her to just be happy with which ever profession

that she chooses. Also, her favorite color, at the moment, is pink. It changes from season to

season.

Amiyah describes herself like this: I am like the energizer bunny that you see on tv, and

dolphin (because they are smart) mixed with Tigger all rolled up in a cute little package.
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Physical Development

Children at the age of nine should be sowing some of the physical growth that Amiyah

has shown. Starting around age nine, children should experience a steady increase in large

muscle development, strength, balance and coordination (Stewart, 2013). These are signs of

growth that Amiyah has already established in her previous years, and is continuing an upward

progress. As mentioned before, Amiyah has a very athletic build. She presents with toned

muscles and is regularly having growth spurts. According to World of Moms (2015), children

should show steady growth in muscles. For some time, Amiyahs mother was concerned that

she was developing too quickly and had the doctor do a few tests. There was some sign that she

was being effected by hormones early in life. This meant that she would develop sooner than

expected. The early development can affect other aspects of Amiyahs life; some positive like

high energy and physical strength and some negative like early puberty.

Amiyah has been showing signs, within the last year, of the more than the beginning

stages of puberty, according to her mother. Some [not all] 9-year-old children may experience

the beginning of puberty (Lee, 2017). The physical development of Amiyah has been

categorized, by her pediatrician, as being in the age range of females at the age level of ten or

eleven. She is well within her physical and chemical development to where she will reach the

apex of puberty before she reaches the age of ten.

Another milestone in child development at this age is that coordination and motor skills

become more fine tune. Children will experience an increase in small muscle coordination

(Stewart, 2013). This will show better coordination, balance, and endurance (Lee, 2017)

through activities that may include the uses [of] tools, such as a hammer or small garden tools

(Firchow, 2004), by more detailed drawings or paintings, and by joining in sports. Amiyah has
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set her attention on excellence in gymnastics. In this sport attention to detail and the muscle

control is key. Also, energy to endure hard workouts and routines are necessary. She has plenty

of it. Adolescents at this age start to develop a surplus energy (Stewart, 2013) and may persist

with an activity until exhausted (Firchow, 2004). The amount of energy that she has is long last.

Most days, she has the ability to play all day, and just as she is going to bed calm down or

immediately pass out.

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Emotional Development

At this age, the emotional development of a nine-year-old is at the cusp of adolescence.

At age nine, childrens beliefs are aligned with the beliefs of their parents (Stewart, 2013).

Children at this age start to think about how they view themselves, how others view them and

compare themselves to others. Amiyah has started to think of herself as a child of god, and to

maintain his favor she needs to be good. This gives her some sort of stability and she sees herself

in a good light. Sometimes this does not always happen. Due to the lack of contact, and willing

to contact, from her biological father, Amiyah has become depressed and started to exhibit

exterior signs. She started to pinch herself and snapping hair pieces on her wrist in order to

punish herself for not being good enough, in her mind, causing her biological father to not want

to see her. This has carried over and generated these feelings to happen when she thinks that

adults are neglecting her. In her house, she is the middle child, and it seems that she has middle

child syndrome. Middle children often feel left out and invisible, a contrast from their older and

younger siblings (Montgomery, 2016). She is in a position that furthers the feeling of being

lonely and unwanted, although it is observed that she is very loved and taken care of. According

to Lee (2017), a nine-year-old may be moodier and feel more stress and pressure.

Children at this age look up to and imitate their older siblings (Stewart, 2013). Amiyah,

although very unique in her own way, tends to copy or share clothes with her older sister

Bryanah. She has somewhat adopted the same mannerisms that her sisters has; clothing choices,

speech patterns and adages. However, after observing Amiyah for a while, she has taken these

aspects and altered them to make them somewhat her own. She is finding her personal stamp.

Around the age of nine, children start to develop rudimentary decision-making skills

(Stewart, 2013). Amiyah likes to make the decisions when it comes to her life. Even small
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choices, like where she wants to have her birthday dinner, can make a positive effect in her life.

Her mom is always there to help guide her decision-making, and finding out what bad decisions

can result in (smaller household infractions). She is finding her voice.

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Philosophical (Moral) Development

At age nine, childrens beliefs are aligned with the beliefs of their parents (Stewart,

2013). They start to adopt the family religion as their own. This is in some part how children

start to find out what they think is right and what actions are right. TNisha is a Christian,

baptized and raised in this culture, she shares some of the basic ideals that Amiyah is now

applying to her own self. Amiyah tries to be giving and generous by planning a coat/sweater

drive for the next fall with donations going to Red Cross, Goodwill, or her church. This is so that

the homeless that need jackets during the colder months have a way of getting warmth.

Amiyahs religion and the rules that her mother gives her are also part of her

philosophical development. As children start becoming young adolescents, year nine, they are

beginning to question authority (Stewart, 2013). Questioning is not necessarily defiant; this type

of questioning is more for the purpose of understanding why. TNisha has a rule that kids cant

participate in sports or big events if grade fall below a C or if there was an incident that resulted

in the kid being in punishment. Amiyah asked why she couldnt go with her auntie to the movies,

and why that rule is in place. After an explanation, Amiyah has the opportunity to accept the rule

by understanding the reasons behind it, accept it because that is what her mother said, or question

against it (least likely). In this Amiyah develops her own internal compass for how she wants to

govern her own life. Most philosophical choices that are made during, and around this age, can

remain with someone for life.

Then again, following the rules doesnt always happen. There are times where Amiyah

has made decisions that land her in trouble. Although these infractions are fairly minor; by

making mistakes she is learning her boundaries and what she should do (and why) and what she

should do (and why). Kohlberg suggests that this is the second step of morality; post-
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conventional. This is where people approach moral problems in terms of their own position as

food, responsible member of society (Feldman, 2016). Many of the time that she gets in trouble,

lies, or omits something is for the benefit of friend.

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Social Development

Although, at this age, children are starting to ask questions about why things are made to

be as they are, they still see adults as authority that should be followed (Stewart, 2013). For the

most part Amiyah falls within this category. She follows what familial and school adult figures

say to her and abides by the rules.

Nine-year-old children are much more independent. They may be more interested in

having sleepovers with friends, and are more likely to be able to stay the entire night (Lee,

2017). I inquired about her last birthday; TNisha said that she gave Amiyah a choice for her

birthday. The decision was between an Ariana Grande concert experience with one of her friends

or an elaborate sleepover; including makeovers, nails, movie with junk food, and no bedtime.

Amiyah made the decision to have the sleepover because it would include all her close friends

instead of just one. This also alleviated peer pressure of deciding who would go to the concert

with her. Clubs and belonging are a push and desire for the child (Ellsworth, 1999).

The child is social and the referent switches more definitely to friends and classmates

(Ellsworth, 1999). Friendship outside of family becomes more important to a nine-year-old. At

this age bonds are starting to be made and children start to look towards other kids to judge how

they are doing; they want to belong. This is also apparent in educational activities as well. She

works well in group activities, but has some trouble with individual activities. Outside of school,

it is harder for her to make friends. She sometimes tags along with her older sister so that she has

someone familiar with her in group settings.

In this aspect, Amiyah tries her hardest. There is some knowledge that she had not been

given access to, gangs, drugs, and sex, other than the idea that it is wrong to participate. Having a

lack of this knowledge she starts to pretend that she understands the conversations and issues that
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are going on around her. Being "caught" performing may be embarrassing since a social

consciousness is developing (Ellsworth, 1999). She has become aware of what some students at

her school perceiver her as.

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Intellectual Development

Intellectual development refers to the cognitive process. Amiyah is a knowledgeable

young girl who is eager to learn. She does feel as if there are obstacles that stand in her way; she

feels as if she is not quite getting to the same conclusions as the other students in her class and

grade. There are some reasons to why. Amiyah has a speech impediment that keeps others from

understanding what she is saying some of the time; lisp. She tries very hard to correct this issue

when she speaks, but sometimes gets excited or distracted and falls back to old habits. This also

may have some connection to her reading and comprehension skills. Amiyah is reading at level

for her age, but it takes her time to understand a book. Most of the time she must read the book

two to three times to understand it. She can read the words and understands what the individual

words mean, but sometimes concepts and important events elude her comprehension. Children at

this age should start to read and write increasingly more complicated texts (Lee, 2017).

At this age, Amiyah should have an expanding attention span (Stewart, 2016). With the

amount of energy that she has, Amiyah changes from topic to topic very quickly and without

interludes or connections. Although it is normal for children at this age to change their interests

rapidly (Stewart, 2016), it should not be within one conversation. She tends to ramble on and use

incorrect words. There is a lack of coordination to her thoughts and she is very easily distracted.

If she is watching a movie at home with her family, she has to be playing with something; i.e.

nail polish, hair accessories, and dolls. If there is a lack of something for her to occupy a part of

her mind, she tends to walk around and/or start showing what her physical abilities are, or

converse.
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Graph

PEPSI
10
9
8
DEVELOPMENTAL AGE

7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
P-Physical E-Emotional P-Philosophical S- Social I- Intellectual

PEPSI
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Recommendations

I would recommend the following for Amiyahs development.

Physical- With the help of a pediatrician, I would suggest keeping a close watch when it comes

to her hormonal changes. With those changes, I would also suggest having open conversations

about puberty and all that it entails. I would also suggest that she be placed in a physical activity

that will focus her mind and help alleviate some of the energy that she has.

Emotional- I think that the reaction to her surroundings are concerning and that, for good

measure, be seen by a trained psychologist. I also think that taking the time to have a one-on-one

open conversation about what is currently going on in Amiyahs life and how she feels about it

will help as well. Also, participating in a sport or on a team helps boost self-awareness, self-

esteem, and a sense of belonging. (Feldman, 2016).

Philosophical- Although Amiyah does really well in this area, I think that she could benefit from

activities that help with understanding reasons why telling the truth is important, even if the lie is

for friends; church camp.

Social- It is often that she is seen to fake it until she makes it. Again, participating in groups

that are less directed at intellectual and educational development and more towards the idea of

being unique.

Intellectual- I think that reading aloud or listening to a book on tape, then asking verbally what

some of the concepts and events that happened in the book might help. Reading and then testing.

There also may be an effect on her mathematic skills as well. To make understanding fun, I

would suggest comprehension games.

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References

Ellsworth, J'Anne (1999). Ninth Year: Teaching and Learning Fairness. Northern Arizona

University. http://jan.ucc.nau.edu/%7Ejde7/ese504/class/pepsi/PEPSIObserv/year9.html

Feldman, Robert S. (2016). Adolescence.

Firchow, Nancy. (2004). Child Development: 9- To 12-Years-Old. City Name. The Charles and

Hellen Schwab Foundation. insightpsychological.com/Library/Child Development 9- to

12-Year-Olds

Lee, Kathering. (2017). 9-Year-Old Child Physical Development. VeryWell.com.

https://www.verywell.com/your-9-year-old-child-physical-development-620709

Montgomery, Heather. (2016). Middle Child Syndrome. Everydayfamily.comm,

http://www.everydayfamily.com/the-middle-child-syndrome/?pg=2&internallink=the-

middle-child-syndrome#post-1968

Stewert, Janelle. (2013). 9- to 11-year-olds: Ages and stages of youth development. Michigan

State University Extention,

http://msue.anr.msu.edu/news/9_to_11_year_olds_ages_and_stages_of_youth_developme

nt
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Footnotes

Amiyah Tegels was chosen for this study because she has a very interesting background. I

thought she would make for a great example of what students I may eventually have. I also want

to note that she is my niece through my sister TNisha.