Piaget in My Classroom

Jean Piaget, a Swiss psychologist, felt that all people pass through four stages of cognitive development in basically the same order. The students I will be teaching will most likely be in Piaget's Concrete-Operational or Formal Operational Stages.

As I teach my Spanish classes I am going to try to keep Piaget's development stages in mind so that I can teach at appropriate levels.

For example:

When I teach direct object pronouns I will be aware that this concept will naturally cause disequilibrium because Spanish direct object pronouns are used quite differently than English direct object pronouns. To help my students assimilate I will build on what my students know about direct object pronouns in English. I will do a Whack a Mole assessment to see how much my students already know, then I will review subject-verb-direct object on the whiteboard. I will make use of different colored pens as I diagram (not literally) direct object pronouns in English. I will give the students opportunities to determine direct objects in sentences and then make up their own sentences with direct objects.

Then I will ask the students if they know how to say "it," "me," "you," "him," "her," "us," or "them" in Spanish. After they either come up with the answers or I show them the correlating Spanish pronouns they will be able to see how Spanish has some similarities with English.

Then I can show them how Spanish differs from English so they can accommodate and learn a new way--the Spanish way--for using direct object pronouns.

I will then introduce "lo,"  and "la." We will play a simple game with "la pluma" y el "lápiz." We will pass the pencil around the room and I will ask, "¿Quién tiene el lápiz? and the students will respond appropriately using the direct object pronoun:  "Alex lo tiene." and for the pen: "¿Quién tiene la pluma?  "Sara la tiene." I will have the students play lots of games using direct object pronouns so it is FUN AND they get LOTS OF REPETITION!

I will also have the students (possibly in groups or with a partner) classify and group objects under the appropriate pronouns making sure to watch out for and classify correctly masculine and feminine and singular and plural nouns.  

For my students in Piaget's formal stage I will still do the above activities, and I will maybe add a quick project where the students can work together to design a new way (technology, art, music, role-play, creating a game)to teach this concept to someone who still might be struggling. The students can then present their mini-projects to the class, which will reinforce learning on multiple levels.

Review #1

Review your course contract from the beginning of the semester. Answer the following questions:
 
What are you doing well?

• I am enjoying what I am learning.
• I feel the curriculum is very useful in my personal life and as a future teacher.
• I have completed my classroom observations.
• I learned how to use Google Calendar.
• I carefully read the text and do the study guides.

What are you not doing well? 

• I have procrastinated the Field Response Journal
• I have procrastinated the Assessment Inventory
• I am often late in getting my study guides done.
• I usually come home from school on Tuesdays and Thursdays exhausted and I take a break from studying and I probably shouldn't.

Are you making sufficient progress on your goals?

• I feel I need to readjust how I am doing things in this class because I am constantly behind.  

List specific things you need to change in order to meet your goals.

• I need to get my study guides done earlier so I am more prepared for class.
• I feel I need to review my study guides, too so I retain the information.  
• I need to do homework everyday instead of taking days off then I won't have to do as much on the other evenings and get so exhausted.
• I need to stop procrastinating and get working on my Field Response Journal and my Assessment Inventory!

How is your motivation? Are you focusing on mastery or performance goals? Does anything need to change?

• I have been feeling overwhelmed and a little burned out probably because my summer classes and my responsibilities at home are intense.
• I still desperately want to learn and be successful.
• I do want to master the content of this class so I can be an effective teacher.
• However, I will admit, I am also motivated by performance goals. I can't help it!!!  

How is your field experience going? Name at least one take-away from your field experience to this point.

• I am grateful I have met the hourly requirements and taught my lesson for my field experience even though I have procrastinated writing about it.
• I observed two different jr. high Spanish teachers for my field experience. This was my first experience in a jr. high-I've kind of been afraid of jr. high--and I discovered that I actually really enjoyed this age group!
• I also noticed the different classroom management styles of the teachers. One teacher was more relaxed, yet he still maintained control and the students really seemed to like and respect him. The other teacher was more authoritarian and the students didn't seem to like or respect him as much. I want to be more like the former teacher and earn the respect of the students instead of demand it.     

 What can I (Dr. Cox) do to improve your learning in this course?

• I think you are doing a great job teaching this course!
• I really appreciate that you practice what you preach in your teaching!
• I love the elements of surprise in your class! I love having parts of our class outside! I love drawing neuron networks on the sidewalk with chalk. I love making marshmallow neurons! I love how you model being a great teacher! 
• Maybe if we can have a little bit of time at the end of class each day to work on our assignments I won't feel so overwhelmed.  

Motivation

Children are born to be adept and curious learners but sadly after spending a few years in a flawed education system many students lose confidence in their ability to learn and lose interest in the process of learning altogether. Some students even seem to go to great measures to avoid learning.  They don’t realize the value of the education they are wasting. They don’t realize learning can be fascinating and empowering. 

As a teacher I want to do all I can to help my students learn to LOVE learning and learn how to become skilled learners.  I will do all I can to share my love and enthusiasm for learning with them.  I will work to present my Spanish curriculum in an engaging and interesting way. I will try to help them see that I, as their teacher, am not some power figure to be feared or resented but a partner in their personal development. I am there to guide them and to help them acquire knowledge and skills that can add great value to their lives. I will point out to them it is ultimately no skin of my back if they don’t learn but it will seriously affect them if they choose not to learn. I will teach them that the responsibility for them to learn is theirs as the student not mine as their teacher. I will teach them that they can to a large extent control their future. I will try to help them develop an intrinsic motivation to learn.

 If some are slow to develop this intrinsic motivation I will then try to motivate them extrinsically. I will always give positive and constructive feedback on their work. I will motivate them to participate and to try to speak Spanish with daily participation points that they see me keeping track.  

I will be mindful of my students’ hierarchy of needs. I will do what I can to make sure that their basic needs are met and help them get the necessary help if not.   I will strive to let them have autonomy in my class, and help them feel capable, and interconnected with myself and their peers so they can develop good self-esteem and demonstrate self-efficacy and feel confident in their abilities

I will teach them to strive for mastery goals and actually learn and understand the content and not settle for just looking good and performance goals.  I will teach them the growth mindset--that to do poorly on an assignment or test does not mean they are stupid or untalented. It just means they need to work harder or more effectively-it just means they need more practice. I will try to maintain the right balance of arousal and stress. I will try not to be overwhelmed by my high aspirations as a teacher.  While I strive to achieve my own self-actualization, I will try to help my students progress towards their own self-actualization.

 

Intelligence

Intelligence is the ability to acquire and use knowledge. Even though I am in love with learning I haven’t thought too much about intelligence before. Maybe the reason is I have always been afraid of my IQ. I have never taken an IQ test, to be honest I have been afraid of finding out what my IQ is. I’ve always done well in school, therefore, I feel like I am smart, but I have noticed that I learn slower than others. I think I have been afraid of finding out I have only an average IQ or worse a little bit below average?!    

I do like knowing that intelligence isn’t static (up until recently I think I thought it was) and that we can always improve our intelligence! Maybe this comforting and empowering knowledge will give me the courage to find out what my current IQ baseline is and then I can begin a more structured quest to improve my IQ. 

I think it is important that we as teachers recognize that intelligence isn’t static. We will treat our students differently if we remember the incredible potential they have (even, no, especially the slower learners)  for acquiring knowledge.   

Daniel Goleman believes that emotional intelligence is the most important type of intelligence to develop. He points out in his book Emotional Intelligence that a high IQ alone doesn’t guarantee success and happiness.

 

To help my students develop emotional intelligence I will talk to them about emotional intelligence. I can show them the marshmallow experiment (I discovered it has Spanish subtitles!)  

Also, I will let my students know from day 1 (and continue to remind them throughout the semester how wonderful it is to be able to gain an education-especially to learn a second language! I will let them know it will open many doors of opportunity but I will let them know that ultimately the responsibility rests with them. I will do my very best as a teacher to come prepared and excited to teach but they will have to do their part, too. (Step 3: Self-motivation).

I can connect the topic of emotional intelligence to Spanish by teaching or reviewing the vocabulary that deals with emotions. As the students learn these words they will be able to explain in Spanish the emotions they feel. (Step 1: Recognize own emotions).

 We can then go on to talk about the importance of learning to control our emotions and how ultimately we are the ones who get to choose how we feel. We shouldn't blame others for our negative emotions because we are, or can be, in control of how we feel. I can give them the examples of Corrie ten Boom and Victor  Frankl.
 
"Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom." 

“Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of human freedoms - tochoose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one's own way.”
Victor  Frankl 

I can help them see how empowering it is to realize that they can be in control.
 
I can have them write and possibly act out scenarios in Spanish that contrast people in charge of their own emotions versus people who are not. (Step 2: Manage own emotions)

“Estoy frustrado porque no recibí una nota buena en mi examen de matemáticas. Me gustaría tener un mejor maestro. Mi maestro no sabe cómo enseñar.” 

“Estoy frustrado porque no recibí una nota buena en mi examen de matemáticas. Tengo que esforzarme más. Tengo que pedir ayuda al maestro.”

As the students learn to recognize their own emotions they should be able to recognize the emotions of others. I also think our cultural lessons will help them learn to have empathy and try to understand the emotions and ideas of others.(Step 4: Recognize others’ emotions). 

The group work we do in class will give my students opportunities to work on their relationships with others. I will try also to have a good working relationship with each student. (Step 5: Handle relationships).

Whereas, I haven't thought much about intelligence in the past, I hope I can learn more about this fascinating topic in the future. I've added Daniel Goleman to my list of authors to read and I've added taking an IQ test to my "to do" list.

My Course Contract

1. List 2-3 specific goals you have for this course.

• I want to better understand how I learn so I can improve my learning and my intelligence and be able to someday attain my full potential.
• I want to understand how others learn, especially my children and future students, so I can help them learn how to learn and increase their intelligence so they, too, can attain their full potential. 
• I want to learn what the best learning principles and strategies are so I can use them in my own personal life and share them with my children and future students. 

2. List 2-3 long-term goals you have with which this course may assist you.

• I want to be a highly effective teacher 
• I want to become a teacher who inspires a love for learning and excellence in my students
• I want to earn a PhD

3. Describe your weekly preparation plan. Be specific. What will you do each day of the week to prepare for this course?

• I will learn to use Google Calendar in order to become better organized
• I will not procrastinate my Service-learning, my Field Response Journal, or my Assessment Inventory
• I will start a Google Doc for my Assessments by Friday, May 10 and complete each week the  recommended assessments. 
• I will have my Service-learning arranged by Tuesday, May 14 and begin volunteering and observing in the classroom Wednesday, May 15. I will do my volunteering on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. 
• I will spend time everyday preparing for this class, not just the night before the assignments are due.

4. Outline the study strategies that you will use to understand the material.

• I feel I am quite skilled at learning, I know how to learn, (I may be a tad bit slow) but I am good at reading and acquiring knowledge.
• Also I am highly motivated to learn. I want to learn! I love to learn!
• I've noticed that there are a lot of resources on canvas for this class. I'm going to make sure I take advantage of these resources and use them so I can learn as much as possible about this fascinating subject of Educational Psychology. 
• I am going to make sure I eat well and exercise even though I may be busy so I feel healthy and ready to learn.  
• I will keep an online notebook in Evernote in order to help me learn and retain the information I am taught in this class 
• Not procrastinating is going to be a key factor for my success because there is a lot to do and not very much time and I work slowly.

5. Explain the process you will follow if you do not understand a topic.

• I will use the resources on canvas and other Internet sites
• I will see if any of my fellow classmates can help me 
• I will ask the instructor for additional help if needed.

6. Complete the following statement:
I will reach my goals in this course by managing my time well, staying organized, immersing myself in this fascinating subject of  Educational Psychology, and giving my best effort on all of the assignments and class discussions.

Who am I?

My name is Holly. I am a Spanish Education Major at UVU. I am also finishing up a language minor with  French and Chinese, and a math endorsement.  I have eight wonderful children ranging in ages of 21-4 years. I returned to school two years ago after 19 years of being a full time stay at home mom. While I enjoyed those many years  of exclusively raising my children, I am now very grateful for the opportunity to attend UVU and study, learn, and work towards the goal of finally finishing my degree. I am really looking forward to becoming a teacher. Great teachers have made a difference in my life and influenced me for good. I hope to be able to do the same for my own future students.

I LOVE to learn! I love to read! I love languages! I love the written word! I am very much a read-write learner. I learn well visually. I can learn by listening, but I learn more easily and retain information better If I can have new words, concepts, or directions in written form. I feel I process information slower than most other students around me but once I get a concept I have a very good memory. I enjoy thinking about, questioning, and applying what I learn. I have noticed I have a hard time working on projects in class when there are distractions. I need quiet and time to produce my best work. I feel anxiety when I am rushed.

I have recently (in the last year) taken up running! Although I don't always love running while I am actually doing it, I LOVE LOVE LOVE how running makes me feel after I run! I ran my first half-marathon  and participated in a Ragnar Trails Relay this April. Running and returning to school have changed my life and taught me that I can do hard things!




Me and my eight cheerleaders, who waited for me in the rain at the finish line of the Salt Lake Half Marathon