What evidence do you see of specific teacher behaviors that are geared toward Piaget's theories about cognitive development? Cite specific examples and make clear connection to Piaget's work. Be thorough in your coverage of the theory, addressing multiple concepts (e.g., stage(s) of development, process of adaptation/equilibration) to demonstrate your understanding. Be sure to underline the concept's vocabulary in your response. (Use your study guide as you go!)
One way I've seen my cooperating teacher help the students organize new information into schemata is by discussing how new concepts are similar to other ideas they're already familiar with, but then explaining how this new concept is also different. She recently did this on her "Road to Revolution" unit when covering all the different ways in which Britain tried to gain control over the colonies. She would introduce a new series of acts or taxes and then, on the board help the students assimilate portions of them into previous schemata, and accommodate new information/differences into new. I could almost see it in the students' faces when they reached the point of equilibrium again because their faces and their bodies would relax and almost nod as if to say, "Ah, I see."
Many of the students began this unit thinking the Revolution began strictly because of "taxation without representation," but she's helped them adapt to the new information and now they're understanding that the issues at hand were so much more complex. Because these students are juniors and seniors in high school, they're able to much more effectively discuss abstract concepts surrounding liberty, freedom, and democracy. They operate within the scheme of reasoning, in stage 4 (Formal Operations) of Piaget's theory.
For many of them, this stage seems to be one they're just entering into and are still developing those skills and operations. Many of them still need to be familiar with the context and have a personal connection to be able to reason through the concepts. These students are still operating in the Concrete Operations stage, although they're moving beyond it.
One way I've seen my cooperating teacher help the students organize new information into schemata is by discussing how new concepts are similar to other ideas they're already familiar with, but then explaining how this new concept is also different. She recently did this on her "Road to Revolution" unit when covering all the different ways in which Britain tried to gain control over the colonies. She would introduce a new series of acts or taxes and then, on the board help the students assimilate portions of them into previous schemata, and accommodate new information/differences into new. I could almost see it in the students' faces when they reached the point of equilibrium again because their faces and their bodies would relax and almost nod as if to say, "Ah, I see."
Many of the students began this unit thinking the Revolution began strictly because of "taxation without representation," but she's helped them adapt to the new information and now they're understanding that the issues at hand were so much more complex. Because these students are juniors and seniors in high school, they're able to much more effectively discuss abstract concepts surrounding liberty, freedom, and democracy. They operate within the scheme of reasoning, in stage 4 (Formal Operations) of Piaget's theory.
For many of them, this stage seems to be one they're just entering into and are still developing those skills and operations. Many of them still need to be familiar with the context and have a personal connection to be able to reason through the concepts. These students are still operating in the Concrete Operations stage, although they're moving beyond it.
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