Sophie Nochefranca

Developmental Project TRANSCRIPT

Current Script (as of 04/16/2023)

Hello! My name is Sophie Nochefranca and this is my Developmental History Project for my
Spring 2023 semester.

The contents of this project will follow more like a timeline–noting how factors such as my
environment, academics, and social setting influenced the development of my morals,
social-emotional wellbeing, and my development as a learner overall.

But first! Introducing myself, I’m Sophie Nochefranca. From my birth up to my college years,
we will explore eighteen years of how aspects, such as being raised in a collectivist islander
culture, impacted my character. We will see how my setting influenced some of my struggles or
priorities as well as how educators, family members, or other important individuals may have
provided support–or did more harm than good by inaction.

Birth to Three years

I was born on the island of Guam to my mother and father, Roger Nochefranca and Kathleen
Galang-Nochefranca, in December 2004. At this age, it’s typical for the child to be surrounded
by stimulating content and social interactions–such as trusted relatives–to develop socialization
skills in language and communication. At the height of this, my parents read to me. They often
read books to me, such as The Little Golden Books series, throughout the day and before
bedtime.
● Following Jean Piaget's Stages of Cognitive Development, this was when I was
transitioning from my Sensorimotor stage, estimated to occur between birth to 2 years of
age, to my Preoperational stage. Learning about the world past my own actions,
movement, and the people around me, I began to understand words and
symbols–developing my language and communication skills. Thinking concretely, and
learning to see from other perspectives, my morals and ability to empathize emerges.

At the same time, although socializing me, I recognize that I lacked being around other children
or relatives around my age. While I suppose you could consider me as a “first born”, I ended up
being an only child then and for the rest of my life. It was not until the age of four or five when
I’d begin properly forming relationships with people my age–meeting them through daycares and
Sunday schools.
● Following John Dewey’s theories of experiential learning, I likely would have benefited
by having more immediate “playmates”, or a broader social world. With his theory
centering on how education should be “child-centered”, or based on the curiosity and
interaction of the youth, having more lessons taught through experiences, rather than only
 books and third-party tales, may have been more relevant and beneficial. Connecting my
development as a learner to both my social-emotional and moral development, childhood
in a secluded environment likely did not help me develop social skills or adjustment to
expectations of people my age.

Pre-School Years
At these social gatherings, or daycares, I finally began to attribute names to faces. This is when
my definition of “social capital” and reputations likely began–understanding that my actions
have consequences when the people around me would remember them. Rather than
differentiating between good and bad from merely fictional tales, I began connecting them to
real-life interactions. Building off of stories and lessons taught at Sunday school, my
understanding of morals and “good behavior” advanced–as I began to recognize what constituted
“bad behavior” and “wrongdoings”, and how they would be greeted with discipline.
● Beginning my moral development, Lawrence Kohlberg stages of moral development
come to mind–where it is a continual process throughout one’s lifespan when
encountering dilemmas. Starting off at the first level of preconventional morality, I saw
rules as being strict and absolute–reinforced by the expectations of adults and authority.
Witnessing my peers get punished for disobedience, or myself be disciplined, I obeyed
rules for my own interests of evading punishment. I was also bordering on the next stage
of conventional morality–in which I solidified my own identity based on these moral
principles whilst considering to conform or rebel.

Elementary School Years

I began my education at Santa Barbara Catholic School, a private school, from kindergarten to
second grade. There, with a relatively small class of less than seventy students, I was able to
acclimate alongside my age cohort at the same starting line; we all didn’t know each other and
were starting our relationships from the ground up.
● Following Erik Erikson’s Stages of Identity Formation, this was the blossoming stage of
balancing between industry and inferiority. Surrounded in an academic environment
where success was rewarded and actions were praised, this is likely where one such as
myself began seeing the classroom as a “competition” of sorts, and my classmates as
opponents. Developing pride over my accomplishments, and status when compared to
other peers, I began to develop a sense of my own competence. With a relatively small
class size and a private school setting, these notions were likely furthered as I was within
close proximity of my peers successes–such as in the annual Island-Wide Science Fairs.

Entering my third grade, I transferred to Liguan Elementary School. As the “new girl”, and
within a new cohort of classmates who already knew each other and grew up together to form
their own social circles, I struggled to fit in. I was bullied for a majority of this school year, with
my entire grade of 150 students, and other grade levels from 2nd to 5th grade, playing “Sophie
touch”, where one would be infected if they touched me. Nobody wanted to be my friend, and
rumors were often spread about me.
● Following Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs, while my physiological, safety, and security
needs were being met, my social needs were not. At this level in the hierarchy,
“emotional relationships thrive human behavior.” Although I had a brief foundation of an
understanding of human behavior, from earlier times in my youth and fictional tales, I
severely lacked these attachments as I was isolated and ridiculed by peers. Having
friends, and suddenly being friendless, made me feel undervalued, disrespected, and
insecure.When being purposefully isolated from others, I myself felt alone. Lacking
satisfying social relationships, such as friends or social connection, it impacted my
esteem needs–such as my view on myself and self-worth–which are notably the next
level of needs in Maslow’s pyramid.

Despite my struggles, I excelled in school work. Since reading bedtime stories as a young child,
my parents supported my reading endeavors and would often purchase books for me. This
support and reward system provided direct academic validation. I was a “gifted” student. I did
not spend a strenuous amount of time doing assignments outside of the classroom, nor on
homework whatsoever. Although allotted into programs like “GATE”, or the schools “Gifted and
Talented Education” Program, I never properly learned how to study or dedicate time or effort to
my studies. I never properly experienced hard failures or mistakes.
● It is here where I would have benefited by a “warm demand” partnership with an
educator or authority figure. Following author Lisa Delpit’s model of a warm demanding
educator, they are able to coach their students at an equitable level by continuing to
motivate and challenge them–through establishing trust, teaching discipline, and
embracing failure. Rather than providing a rewards system or immediate academic
gratification it may have been more beneficial for my growth and development as a
learner if I was given more opportunities and space to fail without penalties.

Middle School Years

Because of the validation system in my environment, and having never properly understood
failure and mistakes, I entered middle school expecting the same routine of immediate academic
excellence and validation. I attended Untalan Middle School from sixth to eighth grade. By the
seventh grade, I was slotted in the “Jaguars'' team–known as the Pre-Ap, or pre-advanced
placement–program. Suddenly, the classes and their coursework was getting harder, and I wasn’t
able to keep up at the same level as my peers. As I never learned to study or do work outside
school, nor organize my homework, I’d misplace assignments or forget about them, for a whole
semester. Having never created an academic system before, I struggled in balancing these
academic pitfalls with my own self-worth–in comparison to my peers who were prevailing. I had
not mastered skills in inspiring motivation for work, nor the management skills necessary for it.
● This can be the time in my life where I was stuck in a “fixed mindset.” Assuming that my
level of intelligence was static and unchangeable, I found my growth to be stagnant and
merely accepted it–allowing the failures to define me and stockpile. An understanding of
Carol Dweck’s model and presentation of a growth mindset would have assisted me–in
helping me recognize that I’d be able to further develop despite setbacks, whilst also
finding inspiration in the success of other peers rather than being threatened. I’d likely
have been better able to accept challenges and take risks–such as experimenting with
levels of effort and maintaining focus or motivation for work.

I didn’t get into the habit of creating a self-management strategy until my eighth grade year–built
from trial and error and growing familiar with my own mistakes. However, although I struggled
academically for a time, I had got into the habit of creating my own content. Having been
introduced to online communities and the possibilities of the internet by the fourth grade, I found
community in “fandoms”. I coped with a multitude of struggles and learning gaps by consuming
content, whether through Youtube or reading fanfiction. My appreciation for literature and fiction
soon developed the urge to create my own content. I created my own system of “notebooks” in
the sixth grade; as I lacked a firm understanding of using the internet and uploading my work
online, I’d improvise and write fanfiction, or burgeoning stories, in notebooks
● Relating to Benjamin Bloom’s taxonomy, I was developing the critical thinking and
analytical skills for communication and literacy development. His taxonomy considers
the foundation of knowledge needed for students to learn before moving to the next,
advanced level–which teachers are advised to structure lesson plans around. Following
the skills pyramid of remembering, understanding, applying, analyzing, evaluating, and
creating content, I was gradually developing more cognitive skills as I advanced to the
top level–with creating being considered the “most difficult mental skill.” At the same
time, as I was providing myself the space to fail and make mistakes without the fear of
discipline or penalties, my cognitive skills correlated with the ability to make judgements
and decision-making for concrete thoughts.

Socially, during my time in middle school, I had an inflated ego yet lackluster self-esteem.
During the transition between elementary school and middle school, I suppose I felt the need to
compensate for the lost years in my youth–proceeding to act more mature than I actually was.
Having “escaped” the mistreatment torment of my reputation in elementary school, my
reputation and behavior in middle school fluctuated. I tightroped between being bombastic, to
overly insecure and withdrawn–as one may expect in the pubescent years. My peers, alongside
me, were withstanding similar grievances with their identity and the people around them.
● In regards to my social-emotional development, Jerome Bruner’s theory of a spiral
curriculum, and social constructivism values, comes to mind. Although his theory is
 typically attributed to the development of a learner in increasing complexity, I myself was
met with challenges in deepening levels of complexity for my relationships with people
and how I interacted with them. With adolescence comes the introduction of serious
subjects or controversial opinions, such as a broader understanding of violence and
defining what is, and isn’t, appropriate. Understanding these matters at a deeper level and
discovering the unknown, the transition phase of middle school could be defined by his
spiral curriculum–bridging the gap between childhood and young adult life.

High School Years

By August 2018, I began attending John F. Kennedy High School, where I would stay from my
ninth to twelfth grade. In ambitioning to be “among the best” of my class, I expanded my focus
past my academic excellence to extracurriculars. Some extracurriculars and jobs included speech
and debate, theater, environmental club, journalism, and extended hours of community service
with non-profit organizations or crisis hotlines.
● Following Urie Bronfenbrenner Ecological Systems Theory, this was the phase where I
began to apply myself further in my newly recognized macrosystem. This ecological
model follows five levels of external influence, where the microsystem and immediate
environment impacts a child's development at an intimate level, and broadens as the
levels expand. Delving past my intimate relationships of family and friends, my
macrosystem consisted of recognizing the application of my islander culture and heritage
as a young adult with increasing independence. Correlating with my development as a
learner and environmental factors, I looked to understand the dominant beliefs in my
local community, such as their attitude of our tourism-based economy and politics in the
Guam Legislature–and how it expanded even further. Actively aspiring to be a future
educator, I looked to understand my social sector.

This was also the time in my life when I began to form closer relationships with my educators.
Spending time with my advisors, with a newfound recognition of my goals and competence, I
was able to establish chains of dialogue with them–interacting with them to propose ideas and
opinions in confidence. A major accomplishment among these times was the establishment of the
first Best Buddies International Chapter on Guam and the Marianas Islands with my advisor–Ms.
Rosalina San Nicolas. Alongside her influence, I dedicated three years of my life to beginning
this chapter from the ground up, recruiting members and issuing training. This soon blossomed
to being awarded a grant by our Lieutenant Governor–we were awarded $300k to train personal
care assistants and build Best Buddies throughout Guam Public schools–continuing our
objectives to create relationships with students with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
● Stressing the importance of my social interactions, I found immeasurable value with my
advisors and close educators. Finding these individuals, my manamko, and peers as
wealths of knowledge, I ate it up. Following Lev Vygotsky Zone of Proximal
Development, his sociocultural theory affirms how the partnership between emerging
 independent students, and knowledgeable others, can create scaffolds that advance further
growth. Under their presence, and continued observation and practice of their skills
alongside my own, I was challenged and stretched outside of the classroom. Their
guidance and interactions met my needs for broadening towards new material and
unlearned tasks–such as in navigating professional development in the workplace or
diffusing conflict in the office. Impacting my cognitive and language development, my
ability to communicate with others improved–alongside my knowledge of broader
cultural contexts and the schemata–through social constructivism.

As aforementioned, my schema broadened, with recognizing stereotypes or implicit biases. On

Guam, there exists a stigma of going “off-island” for college. Going “off-island”, for either
academics, military, or other work-related business, is viewed as an achievement–to traverse the
multitude of cultures and findings in a variety of surroundings and discover oneself past the
island community. Attending local universities, such as the University of Guam or Guam
Community College–although both well-established institutions with quality instruction–are seen
as a “last resort”. With the continued urge to “aim higher” and compete against my peers, I
applied to several colleges in the United States to go “off-island” and build myself up again from
the ground-up. I welcomed any state, as long as to “escape the island”, disregarding how I may
be impacted by culture shock or the loss of my foundation and its principles.
● The prospect of going “off-island” was also encouraged by my advisors–such as
counselors. The guaranteed academic validation coincided with the pressure of these
expectations. The college application process in my senior year was stressful, and it is
here where I likely would have been benefited by the Reggio-Emilia theory, as theorized
by Loris Malaguzzi. Rather than simply, “following the crowd” of these expectations,
addressing that my learning was self-directed and that I was an active participant of my
wants and capabilities may have moderated my stress.
● However, in accordance with ideas of culturally responsive teaching, and principles of
advancing myself as an educator through social-emotional learning and being
trauma-informed, I wanted to practice teaching in a multicultural setting. I spent a
majority of my high school and youth attempting to understand the various insights and
perspectives of those in my local vicinity–and I desired to broaden that. I understood that
as a teacher, I would encounter even more students past the APIA background–with
different gaps in literacy and equity. Going “off-island” ensured my exposure and
awareness of various inequities–broadening my own opinions.

College
The transition to my college life questioned the development of my character and actualization as
a person. I am now a first-year student in Butler University, having moved to Indianapolis,
Indiana in August. As aforementioned, I was born and raised on the island of Guam. With a
staggering majority of the population being Asian or Pacific-Islanders, I thrived in a dominantly
collectivist culture. Culture is and was continuously celebrated. All public school students were
required to take eight years of Chamoru (the language of Guam and the Chamorro people) from
kindergarten to high school. Students were required to take at least one year of the History of
Guam, and the entire island celebrated Mes Chamorro every March–known as Guam History and
Heritage Month–through dance, artwork, and fiestas. Paying homage to ancestors and traditional
values, the APIA community prioritized hospitality and respect. Within an island population,
where everyone knew everyone, the same landmarks, and honored each other’s culture and
origins–my own social-emotional development and moral development likely concurred. I grew
up caring about my community, and expecting it to be paid forward.
● In understanding how my culture and environmental factors played a role in my
development, I cite bell hooks’s book Belonging. in similarity to bell hooks' travels to
regions past her origins, I shared and recognized several of her habits mentioned in her
essays, “To Know Where I’m Going” and “Kentucky is my Fate”. An example would be
the displacement between one to their homeland, where her definition of belonging or a
home is factored by the familiarity of the environment, with her base necessities within
walking distance–a reachable and well-acquainted road–as exemplified by her personal
requirements in finding a place to belong, “”I need to live where I can walk. I need to be
able to walk to work, to the store, to a place where I can sit and drink tea and fellowship.
Walking, I will establish my presence, as one who is claiming the earth, creating a sense
of belonging, a culture of place” (bell hooks 2). Guam was my entire world throughout
childhood, with limitless potential found in the organized initiatives and shores–whereas
the size of America dispensed a sense of insignificance and existentialism that coincided
with bell hooks' observations of universal purpose and direction. Experiencing moments
of “culture shock” as I gradually recognize American individualistic culture, I’ve spent a
majority of my college years investigating my philosophy as an educator and the
community I want to enrich and be a part of as an educator–attempting to achieve a
balance of my collectivist foundation and principles to America’s individualistic culture,
and if an inclination towards the former is beneficial.

Conclusion:
Now as I navigate America and my philosophy as an educator, coming to terms with my
development as a learner and the impact of various influences greatly assists me. In examining
how aspects such as my environment are influenced by socio-emotional, cognitive, language,
and moral development, I reach a greater understanding of myself and the timeline of events that
construct my principles as a person.

Thank you for listening to this timeline!