Behaviorism vs. Cognitism

Is behaviorism or cognitism the better method of  teaching? Or, is a combination approach more effective?

     Behaviorism suggests that human behavior is determined by "...forces in the environment that are beyond our control and not by the exercise of free will." On the opposing side, Cognitism suggests that "...people actively construct their knowledge of the world through experience." These two philosophies directly contrast eachother. Cognitism focuses on "developing thinking skills for life-long, self-directed learning."
     B.F. Skinner was a psychologist who was greatly interested in behavior. He  tried to shape human behavior through various laboratory experiments (i.e. Skinner's Box). He believed that "our failure to solve social problems, was because of our failure to understand human behavior." Skinner's goal was to work toward a better understanding of why people do what they do. When the behaviorist principles are applied to education, we can form effective ways to teach. The McNergney text book says "Behaviorists, like realists, rely on knowledge derived from the physical world. They examine how people develop behavior patterns in response to environmental influences." (ie. Pavlov's dogs).

     The goals of a behaviorist education are to "engineer environments that effectively maximize learning." Students are asked to respond to environmental stimuli and to self regulate. Teachers "manipulate the learning environment and present stimuli, using conditioning and social learning to shape behavior."
     Cognitism favors student-centered learning. Students are assisted in learning study skills and critical thinking. Teachers provide scaffolding for students to try to make sense of information on their own. A famous cognitive psychologist is Jean Piaget.

     I think that a combination of behaviorism and cognitism would result in a useful method of teaching. This combination reflects the idea that to, a certain extent, students are effected by their environment; and to some extent, students control their own will. It is important for teachers to be able to engage students in activities where they can think critically, moniter student behavior, and use forms of reinforcement to drive students to perform well.

 

 Works Cited: Education:The Practice and Profession of Teaching, McNergney (p124-126).

Inclusion: What are the pros and cons? Is it worth it?

 

 

Pros:

• Inclusion is much less expensive than segregation.
• Special needs children learn how to better interact & function with others.
• Children without special needs learn to better accept diversity & individual differences between people.
• Inclusion provides individual attention to students with special needs.

Cons:

• The education of non-special needs children may be effected.
• Additional training for teachers can be expensive.
• Inclusion is not always a guaranteed success. Special education students may prefer the segregated class room method.

Information Provided by: Pros and Cons of Special Education

My Opinion:

I think that inclusion is necessary for special needs students. These children need to learn how to function in a setting that includes people of all abilities, disabilities, exceptionalities etc. Being in a segrigated classroom limits these students by minimizing their social and intellectual abilities. It is best that they receive the same education as non-special needs children (with extra help and guidence).The cost that comes with training teachers to deal with inclusion is unfortunate but necessary. Teachers must be trained how to understand, to work with, and to teach students with special needs.

 

 

 



“How might the experiences of immigrants differ from those of other students?” (McNergney & McNergney 47).

                The population of immigrants in the United States has increased yearly by tremendous amounts. In 2003, 11.7% of the population was immigrants. Some schools have chosen to assimilate these students while other schools have used the method of pluralism to deal with these students.  Assimilation is the process of trying to make all students in a school similar. Pluralism does just the opposite; it maintains the unique characteristics of students. It is important for teachers to be aware of and sympathetic towards the situations of immigrants in their classrooms. In some cases, students did not want to leave their country but were forced to due to extenuating circumstances. When this is the case, the student’s academic performance can suffer if the situation is not addressed by the teacher immediately. The reasons behind an immigrant student’s behavior and academic performance should be explored. Immigrant students also face stereotyping, language barriers, and the struggle to maintain their culture while in America. These issues may have an effect on their academic performance
as well.
           In my opinion, a combination of assimilation and pluralism should be used in schools. Each is too extreme when used on its own. Students should be required to learn the same materials, conform to appropriate classroom expectations, and do required class work. Students should not be required to change their goals or learning style to appease their school or teacher. Maintaining the individuality of students while asking them to conform to certain expectations would be an effective way of dealing with a diverse classroom.

McNergney , Robert, and Joanne McNergney . Education: The Practice and Profession of Teaching. 1. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Education Inc., 2009. 47-48. Print.

Michelle Obama's "Healthy Schools" initiative

Schools are where children spend the majority of their day. Parents can strive to provide their children with healthy foods, however, if the child's school serves unhealthy food, this hard work is all undone. Michelle Obama's initiative "Let's Move" is attempting to over-turn the school lunch system as it once was. Her initiative will introduce healthier options and exclude high sodium, high fat, and empty calorie foods. It is her belief that if a child receives proper nutrition, he/she will be more focused on his/her academics thus resulting in a more productive generation of young people. The HealthierUS School Challenge (HUSSC) aims to set strict standards for American Public Schools to follow in order to ensure a healthier school lunch. Physical activity is also very important for Obama's plan. Michelle Obama aims to add more physical activity to the school day in order to promote an active and healthy lifestyle. I agree with Michelle Obama's initiative and think that schools should be required to promote healthy living.

Opponents of Michelle Obama's plan think that it is wrong to force children into eating certain things if they do not like them. They are also concerned that if the children do not like the lunch, they will not eat it. If this happens, the child will be hungry for the rest of the day. Hunger does not lead to productive learning in the classroom.

I think that it is important to give students healthy food at school. Even if they are not required to eat that way at home, they should be required to eat that way at school. Students should be required to stay active during the day. A healthy mind and body definitely feed into eachother. A good balance of proper nutrition and exercise can lead students to better academic achievement.

Let's Move!- Healthy Schools

Why teach?

 

Why do people CHOOSE to teach? The reasons that I have researched & found vary a lot more than I thought they would.

• Teachers influence the lives of children. Educators have the power to change a child's outlook on school and actively engage them in the learning process. Making an impact is a common reason that people choose teaching as their profession. Having a positive influence on just one child can lead them to carry that impact into other areas of their life. Teachers have the power to change the way classrooms and classes are conducted (i.e. reducing inequality in classrooms). They innovate and create new ways of conveying information, designing curriculum, and leading a classroom.
• Teachers are leaders. Each day they are able to maintain order and routine in their classrooms. This takes patience, understanding, and strong leadership abilities. Teachers are in an important position of leadership and are responsible for the well being of many children. Other than being leaders themselves, teachers have a hand in creating the teachers and leaders of tomorrow. Teachers inspire others to take on leadership positions. They prepare children with the skills to be leaders in the future.
• Teaching is a career. Years ago, adults graduated high school or college and entered into the work force. The job they took at such a young age was typically theirs until retirement. Today, this is much less common. People are remaining enrolled in college for much longer and jobs are less stable. Teaching is one of the few professions that one can enter into that is relatively stable. Most teachers stay with their job until retirement because they love it!

These reasons for teaching compliment my reasons for wanting to be a teacher. I have always known that the job I would do must be a position of leadership, positively influence others, and be a stable career. Teaching is a good fit for me because it will fill every aspect I need to love my job!

 

Where I found my information: Teach.org