Slavin (2018) Chapter Two: Cognitve Development

Description

The focus of this week’s reading was on Cognitive Development. Chapter two in Slavin (2018) focused on the theories of  Piaget, Vygotsky, and Bronfenbrenner and how they viewed cognitive development. Cognitive Development is very important in order for students to function inside and outside of the classroom.

Analysis

In order for you to understand and reach your students you must put yourself in their shoes by asking what would the students say or do. “One of the first requirements of effective teaching is that you understand how students think and how they view the world” (Slavin, 2018, page 23). Students’ development occurs in stages over a period of time. "Piaget divided the cognitive development of children and adolescents into four stages: sensorimotor, preoperational, concrete operational, and formal operational" (Slavin, 2018, page 26). Sensorimotor takes place from when a child is born until they turn about two. Then after this state, preoperational occurs from about two years to seven years of age. The next stage concrete operational occurs at about seven years to eleven years of age. The last stage formal operational occurs at about eleven years of age and extends into adulthood. There are major accomplishments at each stage. One aspect of sensorimotor is they child begins to have reflexes. "Infants soon learn to use these reflexes to produce more interesting and intentional patterns of behavior" (Slavin, 2018, page 27). One aspect of the preoperational stage is centration: "paying attention to only one aspect of a situation" (Slavin, 2018, page 27). One aspect of the concrete operational stage is transitivity, "the ability to infer a relationship between two objects on the basis of knowledge of their respective relationships with a third object" (Slavin, 2018, page 27). Last, one aspect of formal operational is they have to ability "to deal with potential or hypothetical situations; the form is now separate from the content" (Slavin, 2018, page 27). 

Vygotsky had a different view on cognitive development. He believed students cognitive development "occurs as the child internalizes these signs so as to be able to think and solve problems without the help of others, an ability called self regulation" (Slavin, 2018, page 33). Vygotsky believed it was three steps to the development of self regulation "learning that actions and sounds have a meaning"(Slavin, 2018, page 33), practice, and "the use of signs to think and solve problems without the help of others" (Slavin, 2018, page 34). 

Bronfenbrenner had a different approach to cognitive development. He "created a bioecological model to describe how family, school, community, and cultural factors impact a child's development"(Slavin, 2018, page 43). I think that all three theorist made valid points and pieces can be taken from each of the theories and can be meshed together to describe how a child develops cognitively. 

Reflection

As stated above, my view on a child's cognitive development is I think that all three theorist made valid points and we can take pieces from each of the theories and mesh them together to describe how a child develops cognitive. I believe there are stages to development and they occur as the child's environment changes. For example, at home students develop some of the skills to think cognitively but at school, church, our out in the community a student can also learn necessary skills to help them develop their cognitive skills. 

In my classroom, I always stop and think to myself what would a student do or say while I am planning. Sometimes I have to put myself in the student's shoes to get the best outcome. For example, when I am given a county assessment to administer I first read through the questions. I ask myself if the students were reading this question would they know to divide or would they be confused. Then it becomes my job as the teacher to help with their cognitive development by using vocabulary to ensure the students know exactly what to do when they see certain question worded different. 

I believe Bronfenbrenner's theory touched basis on what is needed in order for a child to develop fully. Yes, children do develop in stages, and by self regulation, but a child needs their family, teachers, friends, neighbors, and any human in their environment to fully develop. Kids learn by seeing and doing and their environment is a strong factor on their development. It could be the reason they lack but it can also be the reason they prosper.

Slavin, R. E. (2018). Educational Psychology: Theory and practice (12th ed.). NY, NY: Pearson.