Entry #1: A Foundation for Teaching and Cognitive Development

 Dear Diary,

    This week's entry addresses the foundation for teaching, and cognitive development. The readings mention accounts of challenges novice teachers faced with the foundations for teaching. Nine years ago when I began my career as a teacher, I could see myself in similar situations:

-Ms. Mathis reminds me of the difficulties I experienced trying to relate math content to the world outside of the classroom. I struggled tremendously with getting my students engaged in learning to make connections, rather than teaching them to use memorization and standard algorithms. 

-Mr. Harris is a teacher who experienced a situation just as I did with classroom management. Although did not create an opportunity for a power struggle, he also did not use the most effective strategy to address and eliminate the undesired behavior. 

Regarding teaching, learning, and behaviors, I often asked myself, "How do I effectively address the undesirable, while eliminating opportunities for power struggles, and without forfeiting instructional time?" I did not realize at the time the solutions to my problems required a blend of intentionality, research, and common sense.

    Intentionality is defined as "doing things for a reason, on purpose" (Slavin, 2020). Teachers who practice intentionality reflect on what they want their students to accomplish, and prepare themselves to bring those desires to fruition. Reflections may include asking, "What prerequisite knowledge should my students have for tomorrow's lesson?", then developing ways to ensure those skills are mastered. “An intentional teacher uses a wide variety of instructional methods, experiences, assignments, and materials to be sure that children are achieving all sorts of cognitive objectives, from knowledge to application to creativity, and that at the same time learning important affective objectives, such as love of learning, respect for others, and personal responsibility” (Slavin, 2020). Intentional teachers are strategic about the tools and methods they use enhance lessons and learning experiences.

    Intentional teaching also includes researching ways to improve teaching practices that were not as successful as others. This requires taking advantage of opportunities to seek ways to stay current with newer, more effective strategies. Slavin goes on to mention a saying "there are teachers with 20 years of experience, and there are teachers with 1 year of experience 20 times” (Slavin, 2020). This suggests that teachers who are open to change and willing to enhance their knowledge of teaching, will yield better results in their instructional delivery and outcome.

    So how can one become a "good teacher"? According to the text, there are four components to achieving this goal: "Self-Knowledge & Self-Regulation, Decision Making, Reflection, and Application of Education Research" (Slavin, 2020). These components specifically include being knowledgeable of your students and content area, while exhibiting skills in critical thinking and effective communication (Slavin, 2020). “Teachers who are intentional, critical thinkers are likely to enter classrooms equipped with knowledge about research in educational psychology” (Slavin, 2020).

    Another reality that good, intentional teachers should consider is that unlike their ability to problem solve and think critically, children need time to develop and grow cognitively. One controversy regarding development is the question of whether or not development is based on heredity, or the world around us? Different psychologists have their ideas of how development occurs.

    One psychologist in particular, Jean Piaget, proposed a theory that children develop through four stages:

1. Sensorimotor, which takes place from birth to the age of 2. In this stage, children examine and analyze the world through "their senses and motor skills" (Slavin, 2020).

2. Preoperational, which takes place from ages 2 to 7. During this stage, children are able to think more independently, and associate symbols with the world around them.

3. Concrete Operational, which takes place from ages 7 to 11. Here, children begin to think more logically, although the ability to think abstractly is not apparent.

4. Formal Operational, which takes place from ages 11 into adulthood. In this stage, the ability to think abstractly is developed, along with the ability to associate symbols with what we experience around us.

Reflection

    As I reflect on the readings, I realize how much of what was presented makes perfect sense. Many elements of being a good, intentional teacher align with having a solid understanding of how children develop and process the world around them. The concepts presented in the readings for this week are significant concerning what I experience in the classroom and will aide in improving my practices. I realize how vital it is to be more intentional with resources and planning for lessons and assessments. I am encouraged to create more opportunities for tasks that do not promote "busy work" and are merely time consuming. Standards-based assignments that contribute to learning objectives and the level of rigor that should be implemented will yield better results for both me and my students. I will use the four components of what it takes to be a good, intentional teacher in my practices to lessen the possibilities of me repeating the same routine, and not achieving new goals set for myself and my students. 

    My priority is to see my students as they are in the early stages of formal operational. According to Piaget, we are in fact in the same stage developmentally, however, not at the same pace or level. I must exercise patience and understanding when it comes to getting to know my students. Having this mindset is equally as important as teaching itself.

  Reference

Slavin, R. E. (2020). Educational Psychology: Theory and Practice (13th ed.). Pearson Education.