Educational Psychology
Module 1:
Chapter 1: Learning, Teaching, and Educational Psychology
Summary :
At the beginning of the book, Educational Psychology, Woolfolk begins with staggering statistics about the demographic populations in American Schools today and projections in the future. She states that about 25% of U.S. children under 18 are living in immigrant families and projections in 2060 that 20% of the U.S. will be foreign-born with 30% of that population being of a Hispanic origin (pg 4). Woolfolk also declares that the United States has the second-highest rate of child poverty among the 35 economically advantaged countries in the world with 15 million children, 22% of all children, and 50% who are enrolled in public schools qualify for free lunches according to Southern Education Foundation (2015) (pg 4).
Other alarming statistics are that one in six American children have a mild to severe developmental disability, 20% of children birth to 17 had parents who were divorced or separated in 2012, 11% had someone living with them that had a drug or alcohol problem, 7% had a parent who served time in jail, and 9% were living with someone who had a mental illness (pg 4).
Along with these dramatic results, Woolfolk wrote about the challenging diversity in our schools today. She describes many students who were immigrants that spoke a foreign language while going to an American school trying to learn English and fit in. And even though that population continues to grow, she states that teachers are less diverse. In fact that the number of white teachers has increased to 90% while black teachers have declined to 7% (pg 5).
Reflection:
When I first read the demographic statistics of the students in our American schools I found it hard to believe. How can 25% of all children under 18 live in an immigrant household? What was also extremely unbelievable and alarming was that the projections of 2060 show 20% of U.S. households will be foreign-born. Now I am all for immigration especially when there are migrants bravely leaving everything they have ever know risking their lives to travel to a new country because theirs is worse than the struggles they would face during their venture. As the U.S. is relatively a new country compared to the rest of the world, we are all descendants of immigrants unless were are Native American. I just find it hard to believe that the number of people migrating here will by far outnumber American-born children by 2060. But I trust she did her research.
Being of the majority as a teacher, I will do my very best to make every single student who is an English learner feel welcomed in my class. I absolutely love meeting people from other nations. Wherever I go that I meet an immigrant speaking with an accent, if I have the opportunity, I engulf in conversation with them. I always want to know where their native country is and they are almost always comfortable enough to divulge the circumstances of why they left everything they had ever know to start a new journey in America. I tell them that all my great-grandparents came to America in the later 1890s from European countries. But, I am especially proud of my father's grandmother who was a Gypsy Princess and fled Bohemia because she met a Bohemian commoner and that was shone upon. She got a ship from Austria at the age of 16 and sailed to America all by herself.
She may have had to endure a different type of culture shock than these immigrants will have to face today, but I'm certain the language barrier is the same. The English Learner children who will enter my class will have challenges, but I am ready to help them in any way I possibly can. I absolutely love children and learning about their culture from their eyes will be a blessing to me. I look forward to incorporating their culture into art projects that all the students can learn from. I'm certain the other students will love to learn about the art cultures in their peers' native lands as well.
On page 2 in the Critical Thinking questions, one question asks, "How could you involve the families of your non-English-speaking students and students with learning disabilities to support their children's learning? With the immigrant families, making them feel welcome by showing them I respect and cherish their culture with art projects that reflect that culture and native lands. And with the families with learning disabilities, I would certainly help the student create artwork that reflects things that they love.
As I say all the time, quoting President Barach Obama, "Put yourself in their shoes. Look at the world through their eyes".
Chapter 2: Cognitive Development
Summary:
Nature vs. Nurture? This very important question asked for over 2,000 years. Which is more important in cognitive development the "nature" or the "nurture" of the individual? For centuries the argument for each has been made by Philosophers, poets, religious leaders, politicians, and even with Scientific explorations (pg 33).
Woolfolk declares that today scientists bring new tools that can map genes and trace the effects of drugs on brain activity. But, also states that the environment is as critical to development as biological factors are. Many Psychologists insist that behaviors are determined 100% by biology and 100% by the environment. They can't be separated, (P.H. Miller, 2011) (pg33).
Reflection:
There are many examples to prove that Nature (Biology) and Nurture (Environment) work together to form the Cognitive Development in human beings. Woolfolk writes throughout this chapter discussing the role the brain has on Cognitive Development and how the Environment plays a large part in that Cognitive Development of the brain. They both work together.
The biology factor, the brain has many functions for Cognitive Development. There are many parts of the brain that play a role in development like the cerebellum with higher cognitive functions such as learning. The hippocampus in recalling new information and recent experiences. The amygdala directing emotions and aggression. The thalamus giving us the ability to learn new information. The corpus callosum making it possible for complex mental processing (pg 34). But the frontal lobe and the cerebral cortex sets humans apart from lower animals. The frontal lobe enables us to process information for planning, remembering, making decisions, solving problems, and thinking creatively (Schunk, 2016) (pg 34). The cerebral cortex, the outer 1/8" thick covering, and the largest area of the brain allow the greatest human accomplishments, such as complex problem solving and language. The reason being is that it has the greatest amount of neurons. On page 37, Woolfolk writes about the process of neurons, synapses, and the pruning of them when they are not being used. Pruning is important in development, but without experiences in life that development ceases.
From infancy to adulthood, experience in one's environment helps the brain develop. Woolfolk writes, "In infancy, children identity patterns in their world and in the language(s) spoken by the people who care for them. Infants learn--form neural connections and networks--by exploring, acting, and observing" (pg 39). She continues on page 41, "all experiences sculpt the brain--play and deliberate practice, formal and informal learning (Dubinsky et al., 2013)".
So, therefore Nature and Nurture must both play an equal role in the development of the brain, and without one, Cognitive Development is not possible.
Chapter 3: The Self, Social, and Moral Development
Summary:
Cognitive Development is important in children but self, social, and moral development are equally important. From young children, elementary school years, to adolescent years, Physical and Motor Development prove to reflect the social and emotional development of all ages. In young children learning gross motor skills as their muscles grow allows for them as they age into Elementary years and adolescents by giving them the beginning steps of physical skills which play a role in their mental state (pgs 74-75).
Woolfolk discusses the importance of play, ""Play is children's work," and Piaget and Vygotsky would agree". She states that play provides some of the stimulation necessary for the brain to develop (pg 76). Many aspects of humans play a role in that mental development. (Durlak, Wissberg, Dymnicki, Taylor, & Schellinger, 2011, p. 405) state; "Students typically do not learn alone but rather in collaboration with their teachers, in company with their peers, and with the encouragement of their families."
Urie Bronfenbrenner's bioecological model of development recognizes that physical and social contexts are ecosystems because they are constantly affecting each other (pg 81). He states that all relationships are connected, the teachers, students, parents, peers, school, and environment, called macrosystems or larger society, all effects one's social and emotional states.
One's emotional status, self-concept, or self-esteem influences how one acts in society. Many factors play a role in shaping one's self-concept or self-esteem. Family structure, parenting styles, culture and parenting, physical development, attachment, divorce, peer culture, friendships, popularity, rejection, aggression, and so on all have an impact and influence on the identity and self-concept, self-esteem, and self-worth of a child (pgs. 78-91)
Theory of Mind. Woolfolk states that at about 2 or 3 years old children begin to develop a theory of mind and the understanding that people are people too. They need a sense that other people have different views, beliefs, and are just different.
Reflection:
I believe self-esteem is critical to the emotional and physical well-being of a child. When one's self-worth is diminished it affects their physical abilities, because they tend to not try or just give up. That also affects their emotional state even more. I also believe the largest influence in molding a child's self-esteem or self-worth begins at home. Parents from day one, have the ability to make a positive or negative influence on their child. Parenting styles and how they plan and interact with their child sets the beginning basis of their self-worth and moral values.
That self-worth influences their personalities and self-esteem. Their personalities and self-esteem influence how they care for themselves, relate with others and develop as members of society. Children's morals also are influenced by parenting styles. Woolfolk states that children internalize the moral rules and principles of authority figures who have guided them. And that if children are given reasons of why they should or shouldn't do something then they will understand when and why they are being corrected and internalize moral principles. This is something I am always saying. Don't just tell your child not to do something, they can understand why they shouldn't do it.
I believe strongly in the concept of the theory of mind. Children need to know that everyone has different personalities, traits, opinions, views, likes, dislikes, interests, tastes, religious beliefs or not, and cultures they believe in. But even though others may have all these different traits, we should respect them for who they are. Caring for others is a tremendous trait one can possess.
She states that some schools have adopted programs to increase students' capacity to care for others. I think that is great.
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