I think the most important learning I received from this course was the tangible expression of H1 – Honor student diversity and development. Many of the guiding principles of the SPU program sound great but require some unpacking. This class effectively expressed the value of H1 in solid, usable ways. Without learning about student development and all the factors that influence learning and learning environments it would not be possible to meet the principle of E1 – Exemplify professionally-informed, growth-centered practice. I am better able to strive for growth centered teaching practices now that I have a better handle on the devices and content that makes a teacher “professionally-informed.”
Examples of this learning range from a much fuller understanding of Piaget’s stage theory, to rich discussions of accessing the intrinsic gifts of the human brain through instructional practice and environment. I had been exposed to Piaget’s theory of stages of development but never with the level of depth present in Pressley & McCormick’s work (2007). Pressley & McCormick (2007) not only thoroughly explain fundamental theories for education such as Piaget’s Theory and Vygotsky’s Theory, among others, but also show examples of practices that have been used to test these theories. For example pushing a student to the edge of their Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) using scaffolding can be done in ways as simple as helping a young child sound out a world one syllable at a time, while steering them away from inevitably frustrating tasks such as reading complex sentences unaided (Pressley & McCormick, 2007).
Similarly Medina’s Brain Rules (2008) have all been very practical expressions of cutting edge research, designed for easy implementation in the classroom. More than ever I am equipped to make tangible adjustments to the classroom environment and my instructional style that will better engage young brains. Crafting lessons with multisensory activities, and allowing enough flexibility to invite student curiosity, are simple ways to tap into fundamental biological mechanisms in the brain that result in marked and tangible learning increases.
My final reflection on the fruits of this material is that student discussion has brought to the top the collective insight and imagination of the cohort, further refining these theories and ideas into usable, tangible exercises for instruction. With these experiences and resources I can say with confidence that I am better able to be professionally informed about student diversity in order to create growth centered instruction for the classroom.
References
Medina, J. (2008). Brain Rules. Seattle, Wa: Pear Press.
Pressley, M., & McCormick, C. B. (2007). Child and Adolescent Development for Educators. New York, NY: The Guilford Press.
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