Theorists
One of the important aspects to teaching is looking at those who have taught before us and have studied how to allow a student to be at their best in the classroom. Theorists, and their theories of development, have aided teachers around the world in order to be able to help their own students with their studies. The theorist that I found most interesting was Maslow. Maslow created the hierarchy of needs. I think this is so relatable to all students in the education system today.
This chart is essentially the key in order to understand how a student learns. The student needs to have all of his "needs" in place in order for him to achieve self-actualization, or learning. For example, if a student did not have time to eat in the morning, they are going to only think about when they are going to get their next meal. Therefore, they will not be ready to reach self-actualization until they eat and their mind is back on track.
As a developing teacher, I believe this chart is necessary in order to understand why my students are or are not learning in my classroom. If something is off, I will be able to assist them when needed in order for them to reach self-actualization. In my opinion, this is one of the most important theories because if you are able to understand why your student is having a problem in the classroom, you will be able to pinpoint that issue and try to solve it.
Interesting perspective, Sophia. You might also be interested Maslow's attitude of focusing on the innate positive qualities of people. Have you considered what happens when the hierarchy is inverted? For example, for many students with disabilities who need to "earn" the right to belong in general education classes... is that even possible? If not, what are the implications?
ReplyDeleteSophia- I thought that it was interesting that you chose to talk about Maslow's pyramid because this is such an important aspect of learning. As humans we need certain things in order to survive and prosper in the world in which we live in. I think that it is important to understand this pyramid because in a public school setting there will be needs that some students need to met before they are able to learn. I think that this theory was a great choice, and I thought that your ideas were presented well.
ReplyDeleteSophia, you touched on a plethora of examples that would make learning impossible for a child. I think you were very correct in highlighting how the environment of the outside world is just as important as the environment within your classroom. The chart provides valuable detail into the lives of our students that we as teachers may not be taking into account. Being responsible for our kids inside, and outside of the classroom is vital for success. This is one of the most important jobs we have as teachers. You did a great job encompassing your personal feelings into this blog post, as well as giving credit to Maslow's pyramid. Great post!
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