Are We Teaching the Grade or Teaching the Student?

In Week 3’s Learning and Development class, I found myself really interested in the topic of student development and how differently students can grow and learn, even when they are the same age. The Group B seminar presentation on Student Development helped me understand this topic on a deeper level by exploring how physical, cognitive, social, and moral development can all influence a student’s experience in the classroom.

When we hear that a student is in Grade 8, we probably already have expectations about what they should be able to do. They should work independently, think critically, manage their emotions, work with others, and understand that their actions have consequences… right?

But what happens when they can't?

One of the biggest ideas that stood out to me from the Group B presentation was that development impacts learning in many different ways. Students are developing physically, cognitively, socially, and morally, and all of these areas can influence their experience at school. Developmental theories can help us understand students, but they should not be treated as fixed rules for what every student should be able to do at a certain age (Group B, 2026).

I found the discussion of social development particularly interesting. The presentation discussed changes in students' self-concept, relationships, personal motives, and understanding of rights and responsibilities (Group B, 2026).

Think back to yourself in Grade 8. Were you the same person as every other 13 year old in your class? Probably not.

Some students may have been independent and confident, while others were still figuring out where they belonged. Even though everyone was sitting in the same classroom and learning the same curriculum, everyone was experiencing adolescence differently.

This connects to Erik Erikson's theory of psychosocial development. Erikson (1968) describes adolescence through identity versus role confusion, when young people are developing their sense of identity. I have seen this through my own experiences working with youth. You cannot expect every young person of the same age to respond to a situation in exactly the same way. Something that motivates one person might discourage another. Some need independence, while others need reassurance, structure, or additional support. Getting to know the individual has helped me understand what they need rather than simply relying on their age.

I also connected with the classroom implications discussed during the seminar. Students need opportunities to experience success, challenging but achievable goals, and feedback that builds competence rather than shame. 

That really stuck with me.

As teachers, we can influence how students see themselves as learners. A student who repeatedly hears that they are "bad at English" or "a difficult student" may begin believing those labels. Providing opportunities for success and feedback focused on growth can instead help students develop confidence.

As a future high school teacher, my biggest takeaway is that I don't want to teach a grade level; I want to teach the students actually sitting in front of me. Two 14-year-olds can enter the same classroom with completely different experiences, confidence levels, and needs.

My responsibility is to get to know them.

Instead of asking, "Why can't this student do what someone their age should be able to do?" maybe we should ask:

"What does this student need from me right now in order to grow?"

References

Erikson, E. H. (1968). Identity: Youth and crisis. W. W. Norton & Company.

Group B. (2026). Student development [Seminar presentation]. Ontario Tech University.

KendalW@OTU