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Developmental Theory in Action

Jake Clark

EDUC 532
Dr. Ridgway
Oct 8th, 2017
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Introduction:

From my time spent observing at Southport Middle School, I have been able

to see many examples of developmental theories in action. From observing students

operating at different levels of Kohlbergs Stages of Moral Reasoning to observing

students able to apply logic to abstract ideas in the Cogitative Development, my time

spent with the students has already allowed me to see many different theories in

action. My cooperating teacher does a great job navigating the classroom of 7th

graders, a task that I was apprehensive before observing her classroom

management ideas. Students maintained focus on their journey to learn state

standards on poetic devices.

Cognitive Development:

As the school day got started, one of the keys to students cognitive abilities

to learn was being addressed. Weve learned how student nutrition is important to

help facilitate the learning experience of a student, and Southport Middle School

provides breakfast to a large percentage of their students. Studies suggest that

eating a healthy breakfast improves brain function particularly memory and

recall. This is essential for soaking up new knowledge and applying it later

(Moore, 2014). The majority of the students in the class were eating breakfast

provied by the school during the morning annoucments. This ensured that students

coming from any family structure or home life were able to start their day off in a

positive way.

Looking at Piagets Stages of Cognitive Development, students were

challenged to push their prior knowledge to have [the] ability to draw logical
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deductions about situations that have no bias in physical reality (Ormrod,

Anderman, & Anderman, 2017) Students were assessing the prose of different styles

of poetry. Lines by line, students were able to dissect the meaning behind the words

of a lyrical poem. Some students more deeply rooted in the Formal Operations Stage

of Cogitative Development were able to have more abstract thought surrounding the

meaning of the lyrics. Students were also able to use key vocabulary terms to

describe how the song lyrics created imagery for them.

For the activity mentioned above, the cooperating teacher was able to

differentiate the lesson for her students whom were working at a lower level than

that of the majority of their classmates. Vygotsky states children are most likely to

benefit from task and activities they can successfully accomplish only with the

assistance and support (Ormrod, Anderman, & Anderman, 2017). Scaffolding

methods were in place as students completed the activity both as a class and then

individually. Students who needed more support were given a document that broke

down the lyrical prose in simple stanzas. Two lines of text were separated from the

others, and the students were asked to determine the meaning of those two lines of

text. The other students were given the lyrical poem as it was written and they were

able to separate the texts into stanzas as they felt it was needed. The end result was

the same, both sets of students were interpreting the same text, but scaffolding was

in place for students who needed it.

Social/Emotional Development:

An example of Vygotskys Theory of Cognitive Development was seen in the

way the cooperating teacher created the lesson for the students to complete. This
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was also a way for the students to use their social developmental skills too. Opposed

to the students completing the activity of dissecting the meaning of the lyrical poem

individually, the teacher made the activity a class activity. Students were socially

engaged in the lesson, as their peers around them were able to share out their

interpretations as to the meaning of the prose. Vygotskys theory of Complex

mental processes begin as social activities and gradually evolve into internal mental

activities that children can use independently (Ormrod, Anderman, & Anderman,

2017). The students were operating at a level in which would be expect of their age

group. They were able to start to develop their own mental thinking processes as to

what their own personal interpretations may have been. Students social

environment around them in the classroom helped to facilitate their personal

learning growths as well as challenged the to think critically about others views of

the same text.

My cooperating teacher provided insight to the social development of the

students while I was observing the class. In wake of the tragedy that happened the

evening before in Las Vegas, the teacher was able to have a critical discussion with

the students at the beginning of each period. The incorporation of current events

was a great way for the teacher to get all of the students attention. She stayed

objective in stating only blanket statements and facts that had been publically

discussed, without applying her own biases. To me, the teacher was able to help

children to make sense of actions that might otherwise be puzzling and to respond

in ways that are most likely to achieve desired results and maintain positive

interpersonal relationships (Ormrod, Anderman, & Anderman, 2017). The

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cooperating teach allowed students to ask questions, many of which surrounded

questions as to why someone would do this or questions surrounding the same idea.

Students were obviously intrigued by the topic, and it was a great way for students

to be able to have a small discussion in an academic setting about current events

happening in society.

To promote healthy peer relationships, my cooperating teacher was able to

promote understanding, communication, and interaction among diverse groups [of

students] (Ormrod, Anderman, & Anderman, 2017). A vast part of students social

and emotional development happens throughout their beginning stages of

adolescent years. With the students in the class being 7th graders, many are

exploring the different social groups they may be able to fall within. One student

acted out in a verbal manor in which both the cooperating teacher and myself found

to be inappropriate. The student spoke out about something another male student

in the class had said in which he replied, What are you? A queer? The teacher

reacted to the student immediately denouncing the student for what he had said.

Teachers who effectively cultivate productive student interactions and friendships

also communicate a more general message: We must all have compassion for and

respect one another as human beings (Ormrod, Anderman, & Anderman, 2017).

This negative social interaction was a disruption to the classroom environment, but

the teacher responded in a positive manor, showing the rest of the class that the

hurtful word that they student had said would not be tolerated in her classroom.
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Moral Development:

The example of the student questioning a peers sexuality also falls into the

category of moral development. The cooperating teacher was able to reinforce to the

students the ideal of moral transgressions. Because they [behaviors] cause

damage or harm, violate human rights, or run counter to the basic principals of

equality, freedom or justice (Ormrod, Anderman, & Anderman, 2017). The teacher

was able to discuss with the student the harm that could have been caused if the

student he called queer identified as homosexual. For this student, the reoccurring

theme of lacking moral and empathetic reasoning is a topic the teacher has been

working on with the student. His peers view his as a leader and she recognizes that

these behaviors must been stopped with his so his peers dont assimilate that it is

social correct to uses the harsh vocabulary the student had been displaying.

Looking at Kohlbergs levels and stages of Moral Reasoning, students in the

classes that were observed all seemed to be operating at different stages. I was able

to see these differences when the cooperating teacher asked students to come and

participate in front of the class. In terms to the two stages that were represented,

the majority of the students that participated were operating in Level two stage

three. People will make decisions based on what actions will please others,

especially authority figures (Ormrod, Anderman, & Anderman, 2017) like their

teacher in this instance. A few students were operating in level one, stage two. The

students wanted to know their behavior would in exchange for something, in this

instance their motivation was achieving their participation points for the class that

day.
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Another example of Moral development that was observed from the

cooperating teacher to the students of the class surrounded the idea of

homelessness among peers in their school. Many of the students did not think or

believe that their peers around them didnt have adequate access food and shelter.

The cooperating teacher asked students to save any non-perishable food item from

their breakfasts so she could send them home with the students who do not have

access to food on the weekends when they do not get to eat at school. The

cooperating teacher was able to identify and provide missing resources and [help

students] experiences important for successful learning (Ormrod, Anderman, &

Anderman, 2017). It was part of the class structure for students eating breakfast

that didnt want their muffin or pop tart to put it in a basket on the teachers desk so

she could help provide meals to those in need. This shows the students that the

teacher wants to be sure they all can come to school not hungry.

Individual Differences

Students with individual differences and special needs in the classes I observed

were all students whom worked inclusion aides in the classroom. In the readings, inclusion

is a positive for different reasons, but one idea of inclusion leading to more appropriate

behavior, better social skills, and more frequent interaction with nondisabled peers

(Ormrod, Anderman, & Anderman, 2017). One of the students the classes being observed

was on the spectrum of mild autism, but before he was diagnosed recently, he was not social

with his peers. The cooperating teacher explained how he would just stare at people when

they tried to interact with him. However with his recent diagnosis, the student is able to

understand why he is a little different socially that his peers. The student had a small

discussion with me about the desk I was sitting at in the back of the room. I was in the desk
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that his inclusion teacher sat in, and he was uncertain of whom I was. I was a disruption to

his normal classroom routine, but the student was not upset. He was more interested in

learning about my purpose in being there in the classroom. I was able to relocate for the

period, and the students normal routine was put back into place, as his inclusion teacher

was able to sit in the desk near him.

One student that had special needs needed extra resources to be able to participate

in the class just as her classmates were able to. This particular student had a visual

impairment, where she was not able to view the Smart Board where the teacher was doing

the lesson with the class. The student was paired with another student in the class who was

a positive leader. This student was able to share a computer screen with the student so she

could see up close what information had been written on the Smart Board. The teacher was

able to find a way to adapt the instruction by way of grouping the two students together.

Another way she was able to help this student was by way of giving her a paper copy of

their reading they were completing on their computers, where the font was larger for the

student. This was something the student and the teacher agreed to do to help facilitate the

students learning.

Conclusion

By way of using the experience from observing three different seventh grade

classrooms at Southport Middle School, I was able to see many of the developmental

theories in action. Being able to put an example of different theories weve studied allowed

me to make connections with how our resource toolbox will grow the more we understand

the reasons behind the way students learn and behave in our future classrooms. Seeing

multiple means of scaffolding for the same lesson from a teacher with more experience than

myself allows me to have the resources to steal later in my career when I may face similar

issues from student in my classes. So much goes into facilating students learning, and this is
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just the beginning of what is to come. There is so much to be learned from the many

experiences that have yet to come in the journey to become the best teacher I can be for my

future students.

Works Cited:

5 Reasons Your Teen Needs Breakfast. (n.d.). Retrieved October 9, 2017, from
http://www.eatright.org/resource/food/nutrition/healthy-eating/5-
reasons-your-teen-needs-breakfast

Ormrod, J. E., Anderman, E. M., & Anderman, L. H. (2017). Educational psychology:

developing learners. Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc.
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Research Report : Developmental Theory In Action!

Teacher Name: Dr. Ridgway

Student Name:______Jake Clark________________________

CATEGORY 8-6 points 4-5 points 2-3 points 0-2 points

Cognitive Paper offers multiple Paper offers multiple Paper offers multiple Paper offers few
Development 3+ examples of the 2+ examples of the 1+ examples of the examples of the
application of application of application of application of
cognitive cognitive cognitive cognitive
developmental developmental developmental developmental
theories in settings theories in settings theories in settings theories in settings
with learners with learners with learners, or with learners
examples are not
appropriate
Social/Emotional Paper offers multiple Paper offers multiple Paper offers multiple Paper offers few
Development 3+ examples of the 2+ examples of the 1+ examples of the examples of the
application of application of application of application of
social/emotional social/emotional social/emotional social/emotional
developmental developmental developmental developmental
theories in settings theories in settings theories in settings theories in settings
with learners with learners with learners with learners, or
examples are not
appropriate
Moral Paper offers 3+ Paper offers 2+ Paper offers 1+ Paper offers few
Development examples of the examples of the examples of the examples of the
application of moral application of moral application of moral application of moral
developmental developmental developmental developmental
theories in settings theories in settings theories in settings theories in settings
with learners with learners with learners with learners, or
examples are not
accurate
Individual Paper offers multiple Paper offers multiple Paper offers multiple Paper offers few
Differences 3+ examples of the 2+ examples of the 1+ examples of the examples of the
application of meeting application of application of application of
diverse learners needs meeting diverse meeting diverse meeting diverse
(MI/learning mod, learners needs learners needs learners needs
special needs/ELL) (MI/learning mod, (MI/learning mod, (MI/learning mod,
special needs/ELL) special needs/ELL) special needs/ELL)
Mechanics No grammatical, Almost not A few grammatical, Many grammatical,
spelling or grammatical, spelling spelling or spelling or
punctuation errors or punctuation errors punctuation errors punctuation errors
Organization Information is very Information is Information is Information appears
organized with well organized with well organized, but to be disorganized
constructed constructed paragraphs are not
paragraphs and paragraphs well constructed
subheadings
New Rubric Row Name and cohort
detailed on paper
(2pt)