“Cognitive is the act or process of knowing” (Dolgin, 2010, p. 38) and cognitive development occurs when we develop our thinking and reasoning skills. Jean Piaget wanted to learn more about “how children reached conclusions” and, in the process, created his four stages of cognitive development: sensorimotor, preoperational, concrete operational, and formal operational. The students I observed, aged eleven and twelve, fall into the end of the concrete operational stage and the beginning of the formal operational stage. During the concrete operational stage, children show “some capacity for logical reasoning…and understand a number of mental operations” (Dolgin, p.39). The formal operational stage allows students to think abstractly, using
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He developed the eight stages of human development, where he required individuals to confront a psychosocial task (Dolgin, 2010, p.36). Adolescents, which he identified as humans from age eleven until their early twenties, must complete the emotional stage of identity versus diffusion. This stage is concerned with the idea of “a sense one’s current self and future self versus lack of commitment and instability” (Dolgin, 2010, p.37). Basically, adolescents are given the task of finding their identity. Erikson furthered his theory by naming seven issues as the primary conflicts in order to find your identity. As adolescents strive to figure out who they are, they are granted moratorium or “a period of exploration of alternates before commitments are made” ((Dolgin, 2010, …show more content…
It is not necessary, or even possible to form an identity at the age of eleven years old; however it is important that students begin to have positive experiences in different areas to build the confidence needed to reach self-certainty. One implication teachers can do to help students work towards finding their identity is help them explore different characteristics of themselves. Adolescence is at a stage of moratorium; they do not have to commit to one personality or one strength, especially in the sixth grade. Teachers should incorporate visual, oral, and kinesthetic learning into their classroom so students can start to identify how they learn best. For example, a teacher should orally explain the causes of the civil war, then have the students read or watch a video that stresses the causes, and finally create stations around the classroom where students can actively participate in learning about the causes. After the lessons, teachers could have students evaluate which method of teaching worked best for them; they could judge this on which activity they remember best or which presentation of information led to the most comprehension. Parents and caregivers can help their adolescent explore different after school activities to find their niche. Allowing students to sign up for a dance class, a basketball team, and math club will give
He developed the eight stages of human development, where he required individuals to confront a psychosocial task (Dolgin, 2010, p.36). Adolescents, which he identified as humans from age eleven until their early twenties, must complete the emotional stage of identity versus diffusion. This stage is concerned with the idea of “a sense one’s current self and future self versus lack of commitment and instability” (Dolgin, 2010, p.37). Basically, adolescents are given the task of finding their identity. Erikson furthered his theory by naming seven issues as the primary conflicts in order to find your identity. As adolescents strive to figure out who they are, they are granted moratorium or “a period of exploration of alternates before commitments are made” ((Dolgin, 2010, …show more content…
It is not necessary, or even possible to form an identity at the age of eleven years old; however it is important that students begin to have positive experiences in different areas to build the confidence needed to reach self-certainty. One implication teachers can do to help students work towards finding their identity is help them explore different characteristics of themselves. Adolescence is at a stage of moratorium; they do not have to commit to one personality or one strength, especially in the sixth grade. Teachers should incorporate visual, oral, and kinesthetic learning into their classroom so students can start to identify how they learn best. For example, a teacher should orally explain the causes of the civil war, then have the students read or watch a video that stresses the causes, and finally create stations around the classroom where students can actively participate in learning about the causes. After the lessons, teachers could have students evaluate which method of teaching worked best for them; they could judge this on which activity they remember best or which presentation of information led to the most comprehension. Parents and caregivers can help their adolescent explore different after school activities to find their niche. Allowing students to sign up for a dance class, a basketball team, and math club will give