My group talked about many aspects of
the reading but focused on two things we felt were key points,
visualization and working in groups or pairs. In regards to
visualization we talked about how we can use visualization to aid our
students in test taking. We thought our students would feel less
anxiety if we taught them how to visualize themselves taking the test
while studying it will help ease their minds and enable them to focus
on the test. One person brought up the possibility of pairing
visualization with guided meditation, she wanted to know if it could
be done. If teachers before every test guided their students through
a meditation where they were told to visualize themselves taking the
test and doing well on the test, then maybe some of the test anxiety
would disappear and they would do better on the test. Also tell them
to visualize them studying so they will remember the material they
are being tested on and this to would ease the test anxiety.
We also talked about having our
student work in pairs in class time and possibly letting them take
tests together or at least a practice test together. I think this
could be a valuable learning technique for students, because they can
have someone with them to ask questions if they don't understand how
to solve a problem on the test. We also talked about getting rid of
tests all together since teachers are being forced to teach to the
test we didn't see their value. I found a you tube clip of Sir Ken
Robinson giving a TED talk about education and its called “How to
escape educations death valley” Basically its about how all
children need is the right environment to be to taught in and when
that is met they will thrive and learn. He compares education to
Death Valley in Southern California, and how it was said to be
completely dead and can't sustain any life. Once year it got tons of
rain and as a result of the rain flowers bloomed all over the dessert
proving it was not dead but dormant. He says this is true for our
education system. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wX78iKhInsc
We as teachers need to create a climate of possibility, an
environment that will be perfect for children to learn.
With all that being said learning in
pairs or groups could be the environment needed for childrens desire
to learn to stop being dormant. By creating the environment where
children can take a test in groups or with a partner will help
eliminate the stress and anxiety that most children face when taking
a test. They will be able to collaborate with their peer or peers and
talk out the problem, instead of sitting there wondering if they made
a mistake and stressing out about remembering how to solve a problem.
If children were allowed to do this then they may stop dreading going
to school and look forward to it. Of course in doing this there is
the risk that one student may be ahead in a few areas than the
student or students they are working with, and that student may end
up carrying the group. This is a risk taken whenever group work is
assigned and one way to monitor is to possibly switch up the groups
or pairs. Another way is to constantly watch all groups or pairs to
see if one person is dominating the work effort and if this is the
case maybe intervene in a not obvious way. Ask the students if
everyone understands what they are supposed to be doing and going
over the assignment. Repetition can aid in the learning process, and
making sure everyone understands the assignments is hopefully a sure
way to get every student on track to understanding the course
material and the assignment.
Since we do need to assess the
students understanding of the course material and parents would like
to know their childs progress in school there are alternative ways to
assess where they are. Sir Ken Robinson acknowledged how so called
“alternative” education institutions seem to be doing much better
at educating their students. If they are doing so well at educating
their students in a so called alternative fashion maybe the
“alternative” is working better than the traditional model of
education. If this is true maybe education standards of teaching and
assessing students work should start to change. Our country has one
of the highest drop out rates and these so called alternative
education institutions have little no none we have to think what are
they doing right. Maybe its time this country takes a good hard look
at education reform since alternative educational institutions. There is no one way educate our children, as long as they are learning, and what is the harm in them having fun while they learn? We need to water their minds so the flowers of curiosity and learning bloom and our children will become eager to learn again.
On March 11, 2014 my classmates and I sat around a
table discussing the topic of memory, after reading chapter 3 of Understanding
how Children Learn, by Wendy Ostroff. The dictionary definition of Memory “is the
power or process of remembering what has been learned, something that is
remembered, the things learned and kept in the mind” (Merriam Webster). All of
these definitions were discussed in different topics that we discussed.
The main topics that were brought up on this subject
were
How to remember
Mnemonic Devices
Reading for studying and tests
Working Memory
How to Remember
Memory Games
This
part of the class discussion was based on the question “How can we help our
students memorize in a fun way?” (Lela Harris). Some of the answers that were brought
up were also ideas from Wendy Ostroff from in chapter 3 of Understanding how
Children Learn. On page 97, Wendy Ostroff brings up the idea of using
games, and even word relay races. For example she says, “Combine a physical
workout with a mental one, by running a Working Memory Relay” (Ostroff 97). This
is where you give every kid a word, and have them do a relay race, but using
the word that you gave them instead of a baton. This way the kids have to
remember their word, plus the kids before them words, as well. She also brings
up the idea of a Snowman Memory Game. This game is where you “designate one
child to be the snowman. All of the other children will close their eyes, while
this child will choose what he or she wants to put on as the snowman. The
children in the class should be asked to open their eyes look at the snowman
for 30 seconds, then close their eyes again. The snowman will change one thing
that he or she is wearing and ask the others to point out what has changed”
(Ostroff 97).
Another topic that was brought
up were using flash cards and taking notes. The problems with these are that
they might not work for everyone, and in that case use one of the other ideas.
There are so many different ways to take notes or even create flashcards.
Taking notes or even crating flashcards work for people because when you write information
on paper your brain remembers the motion of the writing, and can sometimes
recall the information that you wrote down. Some different ways to take notes are:
Note Taking Techniques
T-charts
Sketch with Labels
Webs
Bullet points or Bullet points with
boxes
Timelines
Cornell Method
Different ways to create flash cards are:
Words with a picture
Word on one side definition on the other
side
Picture one side word on the other
Cornell Method
Another way that we
discussed was creating songs, dances and poems- something to trigger the
information. These help me learn probably the best because anything with a
catchy tune or something that keeps you move, or even something that you
created will stick with you. Things that we still remember from elementary
school in the form of song or dance were: The fifty states song, alphabet,
school house rock, and the conjugation of verbs.
Schoolhouse Rock!
Mnemonic Devices
Mnemonic
devices are something that I remember to this day, and still help me when I am
trying to us PEMDAS, or remember the order of the planets, or even the colors
of the spectrum for science. Mnemonics are a way to help your brain put things
together to remember the information that you are given. The dictionary defines
mnemonics as “a technique of improving the memory” (Merriam Webster). When teaching
them to little kids as we were discussing we were worried that if you taught
them a mnemonic for everything that they needed to learn it would be too much,
and they might get confused and mix everything up. So we decided that when used
in the proper terms and when it is actually necessary they can be one of the
most helpful ways to remember something. Examples that we thought of:
PEMDAS- Pleas Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally
Planet Order- My Very Educated Mother Just Served Us Noodles
Cardinal Direction Points- Never Eat
Soggy Waffles
Color Spectrum- ROY G. BIV
Compound Sentences- FAN BOYS
Quadratic formula- Song
Dates, months- use Rhymes
Reading
Book on how to use Drama in the classroom
Reading
is another topic that we had a big discussion about. Not only is reading
important because it is something that you will use for the rest of your life,
but it is important to teach it the right way and make sure that kids understand
what they are reading. One of my fondest memories about reading is when I was
in first grade we read the three little pigs, and the entire group of first
graders got to preform and act out the play on stage for the whole school and
any parents that wanted to come. This is a way to make reading interesting and
fun. Wendy Ostroff addresses using skits, and scripts in her book and this is a
way to incorporate them into the day. Reading is just reading if you are not
taking notes (for older kids) or discussing it to really make sure that you understood
the reading, and got the main points that were being discussed in the book.
Not
only is reading important, so make a game out of it, but it is difficult for
many kids. This is an area where a lot of kids fall behind, and some teachers
just don’t have the time to help a child read better so they pass them on to
the next grade anyways, so reading out loud to the class or teaching them how
to get passed difficult words, by sounding them out or looking them up. Another
thing that would help with hard readings and getting to the point of the main
themes and topics would be to use your resources. Use Sparknotes, or Cliffnotes,
watch the movies, include it in a lesson plan because this way kids can have
the tools that they used inside the classroom outside as well can they can
continue learning through an activity that they are used to doing, playing on a
computer or watching T.V.
Working Memory
Working
Memory is a big part in any child learning. Wendy Ostroff defines it as, “a
sticky note for temporary storage in our minds, a system for storing
information for very short periods of time to be used for further manipulation
(Baddeley 1986)” (Ostroff 93). Children
now have been diagnosed with ADD and ADHD starting at such a young age, and
this could be the problem. Bad working memory has often been confused with being
distracted for long periods of time which can cause children to be diagnosed
with learning disabilities. Maija-Riikka Stennari, wrote an article about how
sleep can affect working memory, and that now a days kids with all the
distractions go to bed later which can cause according to her conclusion, “sleep
quality and quantity affect performance of working memory tasks
in school age children”, or a lack of focus and working memory task problems (Steenari).
Working Memory
One
way that we can help working memory improve would be too lighten the load,
assign a griot, and micro-move when it comes to instructions. One way to lighten
the load would be to put the instructions up on the board, and this way if the
kids forget to do something all they have to do is look up at the board to see
what they have to do next. Another thing would be repeating it only so many
times and then if they get stuck have them ask another classmate for help on
what else they are supposed to be doing.
The next idea is having a child be the griot for the week. This means
that that child is in charge of reminding the classroom what they have to do
for the week, and what is due the next day and if there is anything special
going on that week. This will help lighten the load on the working memory of
students because this way they don’t have to always remember it and they can
just ask the person who is in charge of it that week. The last way would be to
micro-move. This means slowly doing more than one instruction at a time. Start
off with just one instruction and then two weeks later move to two, once everyone
can do two, move to three and then just continue and see how many the class can
get to by the end of the year.
Conclusion
Memory
is a really important thing that people need to teach kids how to grow. As
adults we have a lot of memories in our memory, and that includes school tasks
that we did, and things that we learned, and we need to pass those techniques
that we still know how to do on to the next generation so that they can learn
them too. Mnemonic devices, reading, and working memory are some of the most
important things that we will ever learn, and learn about, so we need to keep
them interesting and fun so that we can keep remembering them and keep the
memories of the things that we learned. Games, songs, rhymes are all good ways
to help keep these fresh in our mind. These ideas will change over time and it
is our job to help the future generations keep them fresh in their minds too. Citations:
Ostroff, Wendy
L. "Understanding Children's Attention." Understanding How Young
Children Learn: Bringing the Science of Child Development to the Classroom.
Alexandria, VA: ASCD, 2012. 54-87. Print.
Steenari, Maija-Riikka,
et al. "Working Memory And Sleep In 6- To 13-Year-Old
Schoolchildren." Journal Of The American Academy Of Child & Adolescent
Psychiatry 42.1 (2003): 85. Academic Search Complete. Web. 25 Mar. 2014.
This week in seminar we read
Chapter two in Professor Wendy Ostroff’s book Understanding How Young
Children Learn and the scientific article by Penelope Cousens and Kenneth
Nunn, entitled Is ‘Self-Regulation’ a More Helpful Construct than
‘Attention’? Chapter two focuses mainly on the concepts of attention,
self-regulation, meditation, and executive control, among others. The
additional article focuses on questioning if self-regulation is the answer to
many diagnoses of ADD and ADHD.
First
off, what does ‘attention’ mean? In both of our readings, the authors provided
the reader with a definition of ‘attention’. Attention, according to Professor
Ostroff, means “is the mechanism we use to bring certain things to our
conscious awareness and to quiet or ignore others” (Ostroff 54). In the Cousens
and Nunn article, using a definition by Churchland and Sejnowski, they defined
it as “…focusing of consciousness on some part of the multitude of stimuli from
the environment-a reductionist process in line with the constraints of the
human brain (Cousens and Nunn 28). So, then comes the question, is it
(attention) important to have in order to be successful in school? After
reading chapter two, the article, and a peer-reviewed article, I have found
that that the answer is yes. In my peer-reviewed article, “ Relating Kindergarten
Attention to Subsequent Development Pathways of Classroom Engagement in
Elementary School by Linda S. Pagani, Caroline Fitzpatrick, and Sophie Parent,
it proves that a strong sense of attention at an early age will help the
student in their future academic endeavors. Pagani, Fitzpatrick, and Parent,
focus on a study that was done in disadvantaged parts of Montreal, Canada, in
which,
“teachers rated children’s
classroom engagement behaviors using an 8-item scale: plays and works
cooperatively with other children at a level appropriate for age; demonstrates
self control; shows self-confidence; follows directions; completes work on
time; works independently; capable of making decisions; follows rules and task
instructions. Potential responses ranged from 1 (never) to 5 (always)…” (Pagani,
Fitzpatrick, Parent article).
The article goes on to say that the results went on to
conclude that if a child had higher ratings in each category, then they did
well in later schooling, and vice versa for the lower ratings. The authors went
on to say, “Kindergarten attention, being singled out as an important predictor
of first and third grade math and reading achievements, highlights its value in
conceptual models of school readiness and assessment” (Pagani, Fitzpatrick,
Parent article).
A-not-B Task with a 10 month old (Shown in class/mentioned in Professor Ostroff's book)
Topics Brought up in seminar:
1.Meditation
2.“Movement Enhancing Attention”
3.ADD and ADHD Diagnosis Age
4.Incorporating Technology (to aid with
attention-games)
5.Private Speech
6.Attention connected to Emotion
7.Meta-Attention
8.Processing Speed
As you can see, we covered a multitude of topics in our
seminar. I feel that the most important subjects covered that represented the
reading were meditation, “movement enhancing attention”, ADD and ADHD diagnosis
age, and private speech in executive control.
Meditation was the first topic in
our seminar discussion. Lela H. asked, “should we incorporate meditation time
into the day to help our students? Stepping back into the chapter in Understanding
How Young Children Learn, Professor Ostroff cites Anand, Chhina, and
Singh’s findings on meditation’s physical and medical effects on the brain. She
writes, “brain activity is altered due to the practice of meditation.
Meditation increases regional blood flow in the key brain areas for attention
and emotions. It also activates the neural structures involved in arousal and
autonomic nervous system control”(Ostroff 61). Knowing the physical benefits of
meditation on the brain and how it could be used in self-regulation training, we
all came to the conclusion that meditation was beneficial in our classrooms. Stemming off from that question, I
asked, could meditation really work with younger students (example of the
Japanese Kindergarteners doing meditation in class)? Does it actually work and
do they take it seriously enough to let it do its job? We felt that we could do
meditation with Kindergarteners/younger students just as long as we “angled the
activity so that they would be able to understand” (Sarah F.), using techniques
like “rainbow meditation” mentioned in the book (Ostroff 67). As a group, we believe that if we as
educators made it more relatable to our students, they would be more inclined
to participate. Lastly, we felt that older students would be less willing to
participate or take it seriously than the younger students. It was at this
moment in the seminar that Rebecca J. shared her experience in high school with
meditation. She said that meditation that was done in her class appeared to
have worked for her and her classmates (centering them, getting them ready to
learn, etc).
Scientific American-How Does Meditation Change the Brain?
Kindergarten Class Meditating
The next important topic that we
discussed in seminar was “movement enhancing attention”. Kaylyn M asked, “due
to cuts to physical education how might you incorporate strenuous activity into
your daily lessons? We as a collective group felt that we should try a variety
of different kinds of lessons incorporating things like Around the World, the
Fly Swatter games, as well as have plenty of outside time during our lessons. Makayla
G. made a valid point that it is hard to focus when one is stressed, so if we
did decide to use games/movement activities, “… we would need to somehow take
the competition out and the fear of disappointment”. She told us about her
experiences doing games like Around the World and how she was didn’t like the
competition aspect/being put on the spot. I added that another idea to incorporate movement into our
daily lessons would be taking our children outside, go through spelling lists
or math while completing reps of sit ups or push ups, etc. In this way our
students get physical education time in and are working on the core subjects.
There have been numerous studies that have found that movement helps maintain a
healthy body and also that helps the functions of the brain. In the book, Understanding
How Young Children Learn, Professor Ostroff cites Mattson 2004, when she
writes about the benefits of movement on the brain, “Physical activity provides
healthy stress for the brain. Just like exercising you muscles, physical
movement followed by recovery promotes brain adaptation and growth, allowing
the brain to respond to future challenges” (Ostroff 81). I agree with the group
that movement in our lessons is very beneficial to the child as a whole, if
done right.
The subject of ADD, ADHD, and
diagnosis age then came up. The some people of our seminar group thought that
we shouldn’t simply medicate students simply because they can sit still. Most
of us understand that young kids can’t sit still for long periods of time. I then
spoke of my experience volunteering in a second grade classroom this year and
how a few children, who can’t sit still actually prefer to stand up while
working on their class work (which seems to help them focus on the task at
hand). After, Rebecca J. suggested
that a better age to be diagnosed would be around seventh grade; instead of the
young age she was tested for them (third grade). I thought that it was
interesting that in the Cousens and Nunn article, that they were questioning
whether or not self-regulation was the true issue behind the diagnoses of ADD
and ADHD. I agree with the age that Rebecca J. suggested because like Cousens
and Nunn suggested, the diagnosis could be more of a self-regulation issue as
opposed to a more serious thing going on in the brain. I began to wonder, if it
is an issue of self-regulation, couldn’t the child in question train their
self-regulation, with help, and get better without medicine. A majority of the
group felt that there needed to be clearer guidelines when diagnosing both ADD
and ADHD. We finished by talking about how some parents want something to be
wrong with their children and a personal diagnosis story from Makayla G.
The last important subject brought
up in seminar was private speech. Makayla G asked, “In understanding the power that we as
future teachers having in the allowance of private speech, what kind of
threshold do you think you will have for private speech in your classroom? How
could you allow private speech but also make sure that one student’s private
speech is not getting in the way of another child's attention?” Our group came
to the consensus that we would avoid hindering the private speech of our
students. We understood after reading that we, as future educators, play a huge
role in private speech. In Understanding How Young Children Learn,
Professor Ostroff writes, “teachers’ views of private speech are important,
because research shows that teachers can actively support or hinder private
speech based on their beliefs and practices” (Ostroff 74). We suggested
classroom organization and setting ground rules for private speech at the
beginning of the year, as ways to help support private speech. Steve V. suggested
that we could model examples of our own private speech to our students. Finally,
letting out students know that if a group mate’s private speech is too loud,
that they are more than welcome to sit somewhere else, i.e. move their desks or
sit at the back table.
Example of Private Speech- 4 years old
Conclusion:
Attention is a very important aspect in
a child’s life that will affect his or her future academic career. We should
keep in mind what we learned in this week’s readings about attention, meditation,
“movement enhancing attention”, self-regulation to help others understand more
about ADD and ADHD (the possibility that it is just a self-regulation problem),
and private speech while we teach. This new knowledge will not only help our
students be successful in school, but will give us the tools we need to help
get them there.
Works
Cited
Cousens, Penelope, and Kenneth
Nunn. "Is 'Self-Regulation' a More Helpful Construct than
'Attention'?" SAGE Social Science Collections, n.d. Web.
Ostroff, Wendy L.
"Understanding Children's Attention." Understanding How Young
Children Learn: Bringing the
Science of Child Development to the Classroom. Alexandria, VA: ASCD, 2012. 54-87. Print.
Pagani, Linda, Caroline Fitzpatrick, and
Sophie Parent. "Relating Kindergarten Attention To
Subsequent Developmental Pathways Of
Classroom Engagement In Elementary School." Journal Of Abnormal Child Psychology 40.5 (2012): 715-725. Academic Search Complete. Web. 6 Mar.
2014.
Dewey, Piaget, & Vygotsky on "Learner-Centered" Education
Forming a "Learner-Centered" Classroom
By: Kaylyn Meagor
In a society where the "traditional school" model has dominated American education, the phrase "learner-centered education" might sound like a new progressive approach created only recently. However, if we look back at history we will see that this learner-centered approach has actually existed for quite some time. In 4th century B.C.E., Socrates placed great emphasis on the learner, centered on questions and critical thinking. Socrates believed that participants could gain a deeper understanding of concepts through dialogue--known as Socratic dialogue--rather than memorizing information that was simply given to them (Henson 1). In the 19th century, the learner-centered approach developed through the contributions of American philosopher John Dewey, Swiss psychologist Jean Piaget, and Russian sociologist Lev Vygotsky. All three believed that education should respond to the needs and interests of the students themselves rather than responding to the interests of the outside world (Ostroff).
John Dewey once wrote, "[T]he fundamental issue is not of new versus old education nor of progressive against traditional education but a question of what, if anything whatever, must be worthy of the name Education" (Mooney 1). Dewey's statement brings me to ask another question: What is the point of education? Whatever the answer to this question might be, it is essential, as it shapes what and how students learn. Dewey, Piaget, and Vygotsky believed that education should focus on the development of the individual, to nurture children's intellects in an effort to form a better society (Ostroff). Since children were seen as the catalyst for change, all three believed that educational models should center on the child rather than on subject matter.
This week our seminar group discussed the educational theories of John Dewey, Jean Piaget, and Lev Vygotsky from Carol Garhart Mooney's book, Theories of Childhood: An Introduction to Dewey, Montessori, Erikson, Piaget & Vygotsky. During seminar, we explored how common elements found in each theory can be applied to form a "learner-centered" classroom.
What is "Learner-Centered Education" Anyway?
As defined by McCombs and Whisler, learner-centered education is the perspective that combines a focus on individual learners (their experiences, perspectives, backgrounds, talents, interests, and needs), along with understanding how learning occurs, and about teaching practices that are most effective in promoting the highest levels of motivation, learning, and achievement for all learners (Henson 2).
How do the educational theories of Dewey, Piaget, and Vygotsky fit with the "learner-centered" philosophy? Let us look at some key elements found in all three theories.
Learn by "doing"
Dewey, Piaget, and Vygotsky all believed that children learn by "doing." For instance, imagine learning how to right a bicycle. First, we must learn how to balance, then we learn how to propel ourselves forward by peddling--we might even discover that it is far easier to keep our balance when traveling at greater speeds! Although we may learn what riding a bike looks like by watching someone else, we learn how to ride a bike by doing it.
Dewey believed that education depended on action, and that knowledge and ideas emerged only from a situation in which learners had to draw from experiences that were meaningful and important to them. He also believed that these situations had to occur in a social context such as a classroom, where learners could build their knowledge together.
As a student of Montessori's work, Piaget believed that learning takes place when a child interacts with his or her environment, and by interacting with the environment a child "constructs their own knowledge by giving meaning to the people, places and things in their world" (Mooney 61). Piaget believed that children should be given every opportunity to do things on their own so they could learn from those experiences. The following YouTube clip offers a glimpse into the Montessori school model, and features how "doing" is essential in the learning process for children.
Vygotsky also believed that people construct their knowledge by "doing" through language and social interactions. Vygotsky viewed interaction among peers as an effective way of developing skills and strategies, and suggested that teachers use cooperative learning exercises where less skilled children can develop with help from more skillful peers--within the zone of proximal development (ZPD). ZPD is defined as "the distance between the most difficult task a child can do alone and the most difficult task a child can do with help" (Mooney 83). Essentially, it is what a child can achieve with help--this help can come from an adult or a peer who is more experienced.
The following YouTube clip illustrates the scaffolding technique to help two students' complete a puzzle.
Scaffolding offers students support and guidance by highlighting critical features of a task as well as providing hints or questions that might help learners understand the task at hand (Mooney 84). As we saw in the clip, the students were able to complete the puzzle with guiding questions from the adult. As we have seen, Dewey, Piaget, and Vygotsky value moments where children are able to experience their environment by actively participating in it. In a learner-centered classroom, a teacher could offer opportunities for his or her students to explore will all their senses, as well as encourage students to discuss what they are doing with their peers. Teachers can also promote a learner-centered classroom by incorporating cooperative learning experiences by having students work in pairs or small groups. Cooperative learning will not only offer students moments to support each other and share their knowledge, but also reinforce a cooperative learning environment rather than a competitive environment common in classrooms today.
Observation
Observation in the classroom is an important method of evaluating and recording specific information about what is going on in the classroom. Observation also allows teachers to learn about their student's interests on a deeper level, which can help shape the classroom curriculum.
Dewey placed great emphasis on teacher observation because he believed that it was crucial in planning and organizing lessons for students. Dewey believed that observation was important in understating a child's interests as well as their current knowledge. For teachers to be successful, Dewey argued that curriculum should be based on student interests and experiences. By fully understand ones students, a teacher can form educational experiences and avoid what Dewey described as "mis-educative" experiences.
Dewey described "mis-educative" experiences as activities that lack purpose or organization and do not build on a student's knowledge of the world (Mooney 4). For example, if students are asked to finger-paint with no guidance or purpose that builds on their current knowledge, it is not educative. However, if students are asked to finger-paint insects that they studied from a previous lesson, it would be "educative" as it expands on their current knowledge of the world.
Vygotsky also believed that observation was an important element in successful teaching. He believed that in order to scaffold well, teachers needed to observe each child to gain an understanding of where the child was in the "learning process," and to determine when it is appropriate to stretch their knowledge (Mooney 84).
Dewey and Vygotsky both believed that through observation, teachers could learn about his or her students' interests and skills, which is essential in forming classroom curriculum. By observing students, teachers can do far more than assess a student's performance; he or she can build on their own knowledge of each individual student in order to create a classroom centered on the learner. Knowing the individual student is essential in a learner-centered classroom, as the curriculum is shaped to serve the needs of every learner (Henson 2).
Importance of Play
Peter Gray, research professor at Boston College and author of Free to Learn writes, "Playing with other children, away from adults is how children learn to make their own decisions, control their emotions and impulses, see from others' perspectives, negotiate differences with others, and make friends. In short, play is how children learn to take control of their lives" (Gray 273). Piaget also valued free play, as it helps support cognitive development of "preoperational children" (Mooney 73). By allowing large blocks of free play, children can develop cognitive skills through real-world experiences and open-ended activities (74).
Vygotsky also believed that much of children's learning occurs during play. He believed that play was important in social and linguistic development in children. When children play, they talk to one another. They explain what they are doing to peers, develop rules for games, and assist each other through explanation. In the video below, Toy Industries of Europe teamed up with Early Childhood Ireland to ask children at The Cottage Kids Playschool in Ireland what they think about play.
In this video, we could see that the children truly valued their individual play free from adult intervention. In fact, children who become accustomed to adult intervention during play are less likely to "follow their natural interest in engaging with the environment" (Ostroff 66). During peer play, the children talked to one another, and offered support or explanations. Piaget and Vygotsky alike would consider these moments as pivotal learning experiences for children. A teacher seeking to develop a learner-centered classroom may provide ample free play opportunities where children are free to seek out their interests and build on their social and linguistic skills with other children.
Conclusion
In order for teachers to create a learner-centered classroom, they should strive to "serve the needs of every learner" by focusing on the individual interests and needs of each individual learner (Henson 3). As we have seen, teachers can do this by incorporating more hands-on activities for students to experience their world by "doing" as Dewey, Piaget, and Vygotsky suggest, focus on student interests and needs through observation and incorporating those findings into the curriculum, and allowing multiple opportunities for children to play. If our answer to the question posed earlier (what is the point of education?) center on a child's development for the sake of the child, an educational philosophy that centers on the child is essential.
References Gray, Peter. Free to Learn: Why Unleashing the Instinct to Play Will Make Our Children Happier, More Self-reliant, and Better Students for Life. New York: Basic Books, 2013. Henson, Kenneth T. "Foundations For Learner-Centered Education: A Knowledge Base." Education 124.1 (2003): 5-16. Academic Search Complete. Web. 20 Feb. 2014. Mooney, C.G. (2000). Theories of Childhood: An Introduction to Dewey, Montessori, Erikson, Piaget & Vygotsky. St. Paul, MN: Redleaf Press. Osfroff, Wendy. "Some Guiding Theory."Sonoma State University, Rohnert Park. 25 Feb 2014.
Ostroff, Wendy. Understanding How Young Children Learn: Bringing the Science of Child Development to the Classroom. Alexandria, Virginia, USA: Ascd, 2012
