Educational Theorists
Throughout my fourteen years of schooling, I've had many teachers who have taught in many different ways. As I have recently learned the names for these various teaching styles, it has made me think a lot about the type of teacher I want to become.
The way I see it, is that there are two schools of thought surrounding educational theorists. most people either side with Vygotsky or Maslow. Vygotsky focuses on development occurring through social interaction and various events that occur throughout adolescence. Maslow, on the other hand, believes that a hierarchy exists in which the most basic foundational level of needs must be fulfilled before learning can take place. While elements of both theorists definitely make sense and allow me to gain perspective on teaching, I happen to side primarily with Maslow.
Abraham Maslow's hierarchy of needs looks like this:
At the very bottom are the physiological needs that have to be met in order to sustain life. Food, water, breathing and other basic rights are the basis for Maslow's philosophy. With each new level of the pyramid, the needs become more abstract and emotion-based. Safety entails everything that allows someone to feel secure in their daily life, where there are no immediate physical or emotional threats. The next piece highlights the importance of emotional stability. When adolescents feel loved and like they belong, their confidence builds, allowing them to learn. Along with belonging, self-esteem is a huge aspect of adolescence. During a time when everyone is struggling to figure out who they are, self-esteem and confidence are often negatively impacted. Lastly, according to Maslow, self-actualization is where learning can happen. This is where every other need has been met and where creativity, morality, problem solving and other abstract things can occur.
I personally believe that this hierarchy is extremely important especially when teaching adolescents. If a child does not feel safe at home, whether physically or emotionally, they will not be focused in the classroom. If a child is hungry or does not know where their next meal is coming from, they will not be focused in the classroom. As an educator, it is my job to make sure that learning can take place, and if it can't, I must be able to adapt and figure out an alternative method to teaching.
I think that I fall somewhere in the middle of the spectrum between Vygotsky and Maslow as I believe that the ZPD--zone of proximal development, the area in which a student is most comfortable with the material--is an important element to consider when teaching. Maslow's hierarchy supplements Vygotsky's theory as a child will not push one's limits to be in the learning zone if his needs aren't met beforehand. As I continue to develop my teaching style I will be able to use these theoretical underpinnings to guide my relationship to my students.
The way I see it, is that there are two schools of thought surrounding educational theorists. most people either side with Vygotsky or Maslow. Vygotsky focuses on development occurring through social interaction and various events that occur throughout adolescence. Maslow, on the other hand, believes that a hierarchy exists in which the most basic foundational level of needs must be fulfilled before learning can take place. While elements of both theorists definitely make sense and allow me to gain perspective on teaching, I happen to side primarily with Maslow.
Abraham Maslow's hierarchy of needs looks like this:
At the very bottom are the physiological needs that have to be met in order to sustain life. Food, water, breathing and other basic rights are the basis for Maslow's philosophy. With each new level of the pyramid, the needs become more abstract and emotion-based. Safety entails everything that allows someone to feel secure in their daily life, where there are no immediate physical or emotional threats. The next piece highlights the importance of emotional stability. When adolescents feel loved and like they belong, their confidence builds, allowing them to learn. Along with belonging, self-esteem is a huge aspect of adolescence. During a time when everyone is struggling to figure out who they are, self-esteem and confidence are often negatively impacted. Lastly, according to Maslow, self-actualization is where learning can happen. This is where every other need has been met and where creativity, morality, problem solving and other abstract things can occur.
I personally believe that this hierarchy is extremely important especially when teaching adolescents. If a child does not feel safe at home, whether physically or emotionally, they will not be focused in the classroom. If a child is hungry or does not know where their next meal is coming from, they will not be focused in the classroom. As an educator, it is my job to make sure that learning can take place, and if it can't, I must be able to adapt and figure out an alternative method to teaching.
I think that I fall somewhere in the middle of the spectrum between Vygotsky and Maslow as I believe that the ZPD--zone of proximal development, the area in which a student is most comfortable with the material--is an important element to consider when teaching. Maslow's hierarchy supplements Vygotsky's theory as a child will not push one's limits to be in the learning zone if his needs aren't met beforehand. As I continue to develop my teaching style I will be able to use these theoretical underpinnings to guide my relationship to my students.
This is very interesting and thoughtful. I don't see these theoretical perspectives at being at odds with each other, rather I see complimentary considerations. Do you consider the work to be predictive or determinative in nature? I wonder how you might think about or account for students who are hungry or homeless AND successful in school?
ReplyDeleteI am also focusing on Maslow's hierarchy of needs, and I found the part about the importance of emotional stability (love/belonging) to be very intriguing. I am in a class that focuses on middle level education, and one of the tools that we have talked about to make adolescents feel like the belong and are loved is something called teaming. Teaming consists of a small group of staff leaders, and a small team of students who stay close to one another for the entire year. This allows students to reach that level on the hierarchy of needs, and feel like they have an adult advocate in the classroom, and a strong social support system from their peers. While reading your blog post, I was reflecting on how important something like teaming is to help build a sense of belonging, and to build personal confidence in each student.
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