One of the topics that stood out to me in last week's class was presented in the Seminar, which highlighted the importance of social and cognitive development amongst students. As educators, we don't want to just foster learning that involves short-term changes, often memorizing facts that do not make an everlasting impact on the student. Instead, it is important to contribute to the development of the students either cognitively or socially, as this is a long-term process that will set them up for success throughout their lives. A personal experience from my elementary school that had a negative impact on my cognitive development was my grade 8 teacher who did not teach us history; instead, she instructed us to read the textbook and make notes on it. She never provided thorough instructions or expectations, and she never conducted a lesson. She expressed that she didn't like history and spent more time on other "more important" subjects. She believed she was instilling independence in her students, but instead, I personally did not learn anything meaningful that I can say I recall, and furthermore, due to this experience, I started to very much dislike history and was never interested in learning it. That was until my grade 10 experience, where I had the opportunity to learn from a fantastic teacher who made learning fun and engaging by having in-class discussions, physical demonstrations, and field trips. I have the privilege to look back on this class and remember what was taught because his lessons were so impactful. Now looking back on it, my grade 10 teacher never set too high expectations for his students, but also never underestimated our capabilities. He incorporated hands-on learning and set appropriate expectations for his students, and guided our learning until he was confident in our own independence.
This follows Vygotsky's "Zone of Proximal Development", where there exists a "sweet spot" between what students can do easily without being challenged and what they cannot do because it's too difficult; however, with the right guidance and support from a more knowledgeable person, this can foster effective learning and development. Unlike my grade 8 teacher, she never provided guidance but rather expected us to do something or learn concepts on our own.
On the other hand, social development focuses on how students form relationships, build their own identity, and find their place in the world. This can be understood through Erikson's theory, in which each stage of development acts as a turning point. For instance, one of Erikson's turning points is "Industry vs. Inferiority," which occurs between the ages of 6 and 12. As educators, we want to create a balance by providing tasks that are challenging yet achievable, while providing constructive criticism to allow them to grow. At the same time, it is important to recognize their achievements and work they have completed to motivate them to continue doing well. But if students are not acknowledged for their efforts, they will feel inferior and, in the future, will avoid challenging themselves or be reluctant to participate. Something else to keep in mind, which we have discussed in various classes so far, is that we do not want to acknowledge a student's good grades or thoughtful answer by telling them they are "so smart" because this can again lead to failure to participate when they are unsure, and it discourages them to make mistakes or ask questions in the future. Instead, it is important to recognize their effort and encourage continuous progress, as this builds resilience and motivates students to keep learning even when faced with challenges.
A key point that has been a vital part of the course and is very important is Maslow's hierarchy of needs. This emphasises the importance to ensure that students have their basic needs met before they can fulfill other higher needs. That is, their physiological needs, such as food, sleep, and water, are the most important aspects of their life that need to be established before they can seek security and safety, which is next in the hierarchy of needs. The next stage of the hierarchy of needs is love and belonging, which is associated with social development and relationship building, such that people need to feel connected to one another, either with their family and friends within their home or with their peers and teachers within their classroom environment. Nonetheless, it is a priority as an educator to create a sense of belonging and community within the classroom and allow students to feel connected to one another, regardless of language or cultural diversity. Allowing students to work together and support each other will encourage their social connection and development, which will then activate their cognitive development. This then leads us higher up the pyramid towards the next need of self-esteem, respect, and recognition. This is connected back to Erikson's turning points of "industry and inferiority", but also "Identity and role confusion"; this is especially relevant in adolescence, where they are trying to figure out who they are and develop their own identity. If students are provided with support and direction, they are able to build their own identity and thus will have strong self-esteem and confidence in their abilities. By ensuring students' needs are met, this will allow them to achieve self-actualization, which is the highest level allowing them to be the best person they can while fostering personal growth and social and cognitive development.
Brought to you by: AngelaD@OTU
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