This term has been a wild one due to massive amounts of work, and massive amounts of personal health issues! I missed my first psychology course of the term due to my daughter being in the hospital and almost missed the second day due to me needing to be in the hospital. And what I have learned does boggle the mind.
I have taken several psychology courses while I've attended schools in various areas. I loved what the psychological courses discussed and lets face it, who doesn't want to learn to psychoanalyze oneself and others! Educational psychology is a field that you have to look at from so many different angles. I've always known that you can not pinpoint one's development, moral growth, actions, or anything of that nature on one theory or one person book of why. No one person can successfully categorize human beings and be correct Instead I've learned and am currently learning that these theories have to be combined and considered based upon each individual person. This is a lot of stuff for a teacher to take into account. For example:
We all want to teach on a level that the kids will understand. To do that we need to know what cognitive development stage they are in (Piaget), what their zone of proximal development is (Vygotsky), and all about their moral reasoning (Kohlberg). And if that wasn't enough, their are several more professionals in the field of psychology who want to have their say so on the human race considered. I am thinking of Kegan at this point, but there are many more.
The most important thing I've learned so far is that children have to be addressed in a manner in which they can cognitively understand. You can't expect a child who can't think abstractly to understand your instruction if it calls for abstract thinking. When I think about this, I can almost imagine a child saying, "This teacher doesn't make any sense." As I reflect on my past, I've remembered that I have been a student in that type of situation. As I consider my future, I know I don't want to make those kinds of mistakes.
While I am having to do plenty of reading and writing in this class, I can say it is definitely interesting. And as odd as it sounds, the professors wit and mind, remind me of my Grandfather who passed almost 17 years ago. I feel comfortable in asking questions and learning. What a great thing to inspire students to feel I think.
Until next time.
I have taken several psychology courses while I've attended schools in various areas. I loved what the psychological courses discussed and lets face it, who doesn't want to learn to psychoanalyze oneself and others! Educational psychology is a field that you have to look at from so many different angles. I've always known that you can not pinpoint one's development, moral growth, actions, or anything of that nature on one theory or one person book of why. No one person can successfully categorize human beings and be correct Instead I've learned and am currently learning that these theories have to be combined and considered based upon each individual person. This is a lot of stuff for a teacher to take into account. For example:
We all want to teach on a level that the kids will understand. To do that we need to know what cognitive development stage they are in (Piaget), what their zone of proximal development is (Vygotsky), and all about their moral reasoning (Kohlberg). And if that wasn't enough, their are several more professionals in the field of psychology who want to have their say so on the human race considered. I am thinking of Kegan at this point, but there are many more.
The most important thing I've learned so far is that children have to be addressed in a manner in which they can cognitively understand. You can't expect a child who can't think abstractly to understand your instruction if it calls for abstract thinking. When I think about this, I can almost imagine a child saying, "This teacher doesn't make any sense." As I reflect on my past, I've remembered that I have been a student in that type of situation. As I consider my future, I know I don't want to make those kinds of mistakes.
While I am having to do plenty of reading and writing in this class, I can say it is definitely interesting. And as odd as it sounds, the professors wit and mind, remind me of my Grandfather who passed almost 17 years ago. I feel comfortable in asking questions and learning. What a great thing to inspire students to feel I think.
Until next time.
Comments
Post a Comment