Jean Piaget

Piaget was the first psychologist to conduct a systematic study of cognitive development. Before Piaget not much research had been done about the way children think. It was just assumed that they were not able to think in the same complex ways as adults. In his study of children, he focused on the question "How does knowledge grow?" He proposed that cognitive development occurs through four distinct stages.

• sensorimotor (begins at birth): Knowledge is based on behaviors and perceptions. Children can't think about things that aren't immediately in front of them. They focus on what they are seeing and doing at that moment.
• preoperational (emerges at about age 2): Children can now think and talk about things beyond their immediate experience. They do not yet reason in logical, adultlike ways.
• concrete operations (emerges at about age 6 or 7): Adultlike logic appears but is limited to reasoning about concrete, real-life situations.
• formal operations (emerges at about age 11 or 12): Logical reasoning processes are applied to abstract ideas as well as to concrete objects and situations. They have the ability to learn advanced reasoning.

As a teacher it is important to think about these stages of development. Children do not all think in the same ways, and they do not think in the same ways as adults. I believe that is one of the most important things to remember when teaching. A child may not understand something in the same way or as easily you do. This proves the need teach in different ways and use methods that are best for the students. 

Critical Thinking

When it comes to learning, critical thinking plays a major role. As a teacher, I think it is very important to promote and encourage critical thinking. It is a teacher's role to first teach the skills and processes of critical thinking. Then the teacher must put this to test by creating activities that involve critical thinking. There are different types of critical thinking.

Verbal Reasoning- understanding and evaluating persuasive techniques found in oral and written                                         language

Argument Analysis- discriminating between reasons that do and do not support a conclusion

Probabilistic Reasoning- determining the likelihood and uncertainties associated with various events

Hypothesis Testing- judging the value of data and research results in terms of the methods used to                                         obtain them and their potential relevance to the conclusion

It is important to understand critical thinking before teaching it. When I am a teacher I will think about all of the different types of critical thinking. I will definitely encourage my students to use as much critical thinking as possible.

Social Constructivism

Social constructivism is a theory of learning that focuses on collaboration and group work. The idea is credited to Jean Piaget and Lev Vygotsky. It focuses on people working together and sharing ideas. I believe this is a great concept when it comes to teaching and learning. As a teacher, I will be implementing group work much of the time. I think it is great for students. My idea of a great lesson would be having students first work individually to come up with their own ideas. Then they would come together in groups and collaborate all of their ideas. Group work allows students to hear new ideas and see different points of view. It is a close parallel to real world situations. I think it is a great way for students to learn and interact.

Learning and Cognitive Processes

 

When it comes to teaching, a focus on learning and cognitive processes is very important. It is important for both teachers and students. A teacher should understand how students learn and process information. This will benefit teachers when teaching and students when learning. Everyone will benefit when a teacher understands the learning and cognitive processes.

Basic research tells us that humans are selective about what we mentally process and learn. We also know that the learner sometimes constructs meanings and understandings from within. This means that the environment does not always shape what is going on in the mind. Teachers must take this into consideration because a student could be focused on something else while the teacher is teaching. It is important for teachers to know the best methods of teaching meanings and concepts. They must know how to connect to students and access long-term memory. As a teacher, I will try to make learning as fun yet meaningful as possible. I have learned the value of connecting information with previous knowledge and finding a way to connect them. It is easier to learn and memorize when information can be grouped into categories. Repetition is also important when learning no matter what age group you are teaching. When I am a teacher I will put all of these things into practice to create a productive learning environment for my students.

Social Cognitive Views of Learning

Last week in class we talked about the social cognitive views of learning. This view says that humans can learn by observing other people and their thought process. This theory goes hand in hand with behaviorism, but it goes a little deeper. In behaviorism, most of the learning takes place through actions. In the social cognitive model, learning takes place through actions and observations. For example, if a child sees a human hitting a doll the child will probably repeat that action. This example was observed by Albert Bandura in the bobo doll experiment. The social cognitive theory says that much of our learning occurs in social environments.

I really like this theory, and I agree with everything it says. I believe that as humans, we learn by observing other people and their actions. I am a very observant person, so this theory has been shaping me and my thought process my entire life. As a teacher, it is important to use modeling to teach kids and to set an example. A teacher's actions may stand out more to a student than a lesson. It is also important for teachers to encourage self-efficacy in students. If a teacher is positive and encouraging, students will believe they can achieve tasks and reach goals. This will help the student and the teacher to be motivated. A high self-efficacy is something that students and teachers must strive for.

Restorative Justice

A lot of controversy has been made over the subject of disciplining students. What is the best way to deal with misbehaviors? Every teacher should ask this question. In order to do this, I believe a teacher needs to think about the situation from every angle. To avoid power struggles, the teacher needs to think about what is best for the student. It is important to not jump to conclusions and to view problems with an open mind. A teacher is a role model, and a student will feed off of a teacher's energy. If a teacher is calm and collected, the student will most likely handle a problem without getting out of control. On the other hand if a teacher is angry and unpredictable, the student might not handle the situation appropriately. A teacher must not just teach academics but also social skill. This includes teaching students life lessons about how to deal with problems and correcting bad behaviors.

Restorative justice is an approach to dealing with behavior that takes further action than just immediately punishing the student. It is a way for students to correct bad behavior and learn from their mistakes. Instead of just punishing a student with detention or suspension, the student must take responsibility for actions and do what they can to fix it. This is a more individualized way to deal with misbehavior, and it focuses on personal needs. It is more like the real world, and I believe it would better prepare students for the future.

Addressing Aggression and Violence at School

  "Knowing what's right doesn't mean 

much unless you do what's right."

                                                                                             Theodore Roosevelt

Last week in class we talked about violence and aggression in school. I did a presentation with my partner Rebekah, and we talked about ways of preventing and addressing violence and aggression. Here is some of the information we presented:

3 Level Approach to Addressing Aggression and Violence:

Level I: Creating a Nonviolent School Environment

·      Create a trusting relationship

·      Provide an adequate curriculum

·      Insist on genuine and equal respect among students as well as faculty

·      Openly discuss safety issues

Level II: Intervening Early for Students at Risk

·      Could be academic and/or social failure

·      Approach must be tailored to students’ particular strengths and needs

·      Social skills training and involvement in school clubs and extracurricular activities may help

·      Encourage and reinforce productive behaviors

Level III: Providing Intensive Intervention for Students in Trouble

·      Some students may have a mental illness that interferes with their ability to think rationally and cope appropriately

·      Schools must work closely with mental health clinics, police and probation officers, and social services

Be on the lookout for early warning signs of violence

Early Warning Signs of Possible Violent Behavior

·      Social withdrawal

·      Excessive feelings of isolation, rejection, or persecution

·      Rapid decline in academic performance

·      Poor coping skills

·      Lack of anger control

·      Sense of superiority, self-centeredness, and lack of empathy

·      Lengthy grudges

·      Violent themes in drawings and written work

·      Intolerance of individual and group differences

·      History of violence, aggression, and other discipline problems

·      Association with violent peers

·      Inappropriate role models

·      Frequent alcohol or drug use

·      Inappropriate access to firearms

·      Threats of violence—This warning sign requires immediate action!

Tips For Preventing Student Aggression

• ·      Make it clear to students that aggressive behavior is unacceptable.
• ·      Try to identify when and where a student is aggressive.
• ·      Teach students conflict-resolution skills.
• ·      Have a student who is prone to aggression engage in activities that make aggressive behavior less likely.
• ·      Connect with the aggressive student.
• ·      Obtain in-school counseling for an aggressive student.

References

Dr. Ken Shore’s Classroom Problem Solver. “Preventing Student Aggression.” EducationWorld.com

Ormrod, J.E. Educational psychology: Developing Learners. 7^th Ed. Boston, MA: Pearson

As we researched, we found some valuable information. We also found valuable information by having a class discussion. We were able to discuss past experiences and encounters with violence and aggression. It was interesting to hear about and learn from other experiences. As a counselor for 4th and 5th graders, I myself have had some encounters with aggression. I think it is important to address this issue early on with any group that you are working with. Let them know that any type of aggression or violence will not be tolerated. It does not have to be physical to be hurtful. Aggression and violence can be psychological as well. At my job we had some incidents of bullying and name calling. We talked to everyone involved individually, and we also addressed the whole group about this issue. We made it known that bullying would not be tolerated. I believe that as a teacher or counselor it is important to always be on the lookout for any signs of aggression or violence. Listen to students and be someone that they can trust.