As a teacher, the number one goal for my students is to see development. The main development that educators want to see is cognitive development. Cognitive development is more than filling student’s minds with facts, but the development of higher mental functions (WOOLFOLK 63). As a teacher, there are different principles of development that are crucial to keep in mind. They are that, people develop at different rates, development is relatively orderly, and development takes place gradually (WOOLFOLK 34). In order to teach to the best of my ability I must remember these principles and understand that some of my students may be at different levels when they enter the classroom and that it may because they learn at different rates. The ability
…show more content…
To elaborate this idea, I refer to one of Vygotsky’s key ideas that our specific mental structures and processes can be traced to our interactions with others (WOOLFOLK 57) This idea that we learn from our interactions with other is crucial in a classroom setting where students are working together. These social interactions that the students have create cognitive structures and thinking processes (Palincsar, 1998, 57). As a teacher, I spend my day working with students to get through problems or concepts. This is important in the sociocultural perspective of cognitive development because Vygotsky believed that these co- constructed ideas that we work through as a class are internalized by the child and become part of the child’s cognitive development. To ensure that throughout the school day my students are going through the co- constructed process I will have students work through problems in pairs, group, and as a class. I will make sure that interaction with myself and other students happened throughout the day. Another aspect of the sociocultural perspective is the use of cultural tools such as technical and psychological. Vygotsky believed that these tools played a very important role in cognitive development (WOOLFOLK 58). While I agree with this belief I do hold hesitations with the technical tools. I feel that technical tools such as rulers and graph papers are essential tools that are needed to complete certain task, but in this day in age technology is playing a much larger role. Now many students have the access to computers, the internet, phones, and calculators. If these tools are used seldom I believe they are beneficial to cognitive development, such as math programs that are found on the internet that could be used during school or at home. However, if the students begin to rely on these technical tools it
To elaborate this idea, I refer to one of Vygotsky’s key ideas that our specific mental structures and processes can be traced to our interactions with others (WOOLFOLK 57) This idea that we learn from our interactions with other is crucial in a classroom setting where students are working together. These social interactions that the students have create cognitive structures and thinking processes (Palincsar, 1998, 57). As a teacher, I spend my day working with students to get through problems or concepts. This is important in the sociocultural perspective of cognitive development because Vygotsky believed that these co- constructed ideas that we work through as a class are internalized by the child and become part of the child’s cognitive development. To ensure that throughout the school day my students are going through the co- constructed process I will have students work through problems in pairs, group, and as a class. I will make sure that interaction with myself and other students happened throughout the day. Another aspect of the sociocultural perspective is the use of cultural tools such as technical and psychological. Vygotsky believed that these tools played a very important role in cognitive development (WOOLFOLK 58). While I agree with this belief I do hold hesitations with the technical tools. I feel that technical tools such as rulers and graph papers are essential tools that are needed to complete certain task, but in this day in age technology is playing a much larger role. Now many students have the access to computers, the internet, phones, and calculators. If these tools are used seldom I believe they are beneficial to cognitive development, such as math programs that are found on the internet that could be used during school or at home. However, if the students begin to rely on these technical tools it