Learning Log

What?

This last week in class I learned about the Social and Moral Development, which was very interesting and fun to learn about. There are many developmental changes children go through that last up until old age. People never stop changes and developing. It is so interesting to learn about the different changes people go through out their life, and the different social develpments designed by Erikson to help us better understand. I learned about his eight different stages, and ways to help me remember it. It is so true that school plays a major important role in helping children, adolescents, and adults in developing, especially socially. I also found Kohlberg's moral reasoning very interesting, which consisted of preconventional, conventional, and postconventional. I also found the Marshmellow Test very fun and interesting. It was amazing to learn the statistics on the students that ate the marshmellow were more trouble prone, hyperacitve, not as academically successful, and had a harder time in life. The students that didn't eat the marshmellow were more successful, did very well in testing and academics, less likely to get into any sort of trouble, and were natural leaders. It's so interesting to me that that all can be determined by one small marshmellow.

So What?

It was important for me to learn so as a teache I can help my students become more socially and morally developed by incorporating it into the curriculum without them even knowing, and helping them by being aware of where they are at in life. For example their stage according to Erikson with their psychosocial development, or their stage of moral develpment according to Kohlberg. It has helped me know ways to make my classroom better by avoiding cliques, attachment, aggressive behavior, and bad morality. I now also have a better understanding of how I can also help my students develop a sense of self, good morality, finding their own identity, and developing with the social and moral aspects around them.

Now What?

I will use this information in my classroom by keeping all the things i listed above, and applying it to my everyday teaching. As a teacher I need to remember that school isn't or shouldn't be all and only about the academic curriculum. Children and students need to also learn and grow socially, personally, and morally. As a teacher I can incorporate these life lessons into my academic curriculum everyday. I can also be a good example of the way students should act morally and socially. I strongly believe children learn by example, so as a teacher it is important for me to me aware of those that are struggling with different things and give them the attention and provide them with the things they need socially. I will also use this information to help avoid different negative social groups in my classroom and encourage good social groups to help the students with a better learning environment. I will also always take into consideration, that they aren't on the same social level as I am, and I need to treat them as they need to be treated.