UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA SOUTHEAST

THEORY OF TEACHING AND LEARNING

SUBMITTED TO JEFFREY L. LOFTHUS, Ph.D.

IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR

THE LEARNER AND THE LEARNING PROCESS

ED 333

SCHOOL OF EDUCATION

BY

DAWN RAUWOLF

NOVEMBER 27, 2011

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Introduction

My interest in becoming a teacher has grown over the years. I have always loved being

around children. I used to babysit a lot when I was a teenager, and when I was a little bit older, I

taught swimming lessons to infants and to children of all ages. I loved that job, mostly because

the children were so much fun. Through the years, I have volunteered hundreds of hours at the

preschools and schools that my children have attended, and I have volunteered as an art teacher

at the local recreation center and the Southeast Alaska Discovery Center. I am an older sister

and I have always loved being around children.

I also believe that children like being around me. Whenever I am around children, they

always end up following me, trying to get my attention, or wanting to show me something they

can do or something they’ve drawn. Children end up hanging out with me and I have had so

many good fun moments spent with kids sledding, playing all types of games, reading, and

laughing. Often, kids choose to be around me. I think it is because they know that I genuinely

like them and I see them – I look into their eyes and I acknowledge them. And I like to have fun

and I like to do and say stuff that makes kids smile and laugh.

I believe that I can help children learn. I want to be a part of their lifelong learning

process and I want to inspire them to be successful and enjoy fulfilling lives. Having

opportunities for creativity and fun, while being open to new experiences and new perspectives

are so important, and these are the attributes I would strive to foster in my students.

As I look forward to becoming a teacher, I know that I can use my past experiences as I

learn to be intentional and continue to think about the outcomes I want for my students.
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Development

A teacher must be able to understand children and the current developmental theories, as

well as how to best use those theories to keep the learning and teaching relationship working

successfully. It can be a challenge to discern when children are going through different

developmental stages, but recognizing that there are stages, and realizing that I can use my

knowledge of the different developmental stage theories to better my teaching skills is

significant.

I definitely believe that healthy growth of a child begins in the womb. Birth mothers

have a big responsibility to give their babies a healthy start. While the baby is growing in their

womb, women need to take the task of growing that baby seriously, and they need to follow their

doctor’s suggestions, and use reliable sources to find out how to grow the healthiest baby

possible. Of course, mothers need to avoid alcohol, avoid drugs, as well as eat right, take pre-

natal vitamins, exercise modestly, and get plenty of sleep. Nurturing a child begins when that

child is in the womb – this will lead to the best chances for a child to be healthy, with a minimum

of developmental problems.

Knowing about predictable patterns of cognitive and social development is important for

teachers because teaching decisions are based on this knowledge. Teachers must assess their

students, and then instruct their students according to the different stages and ranges that their

students are in.

The cognitive and social development stages that children pass through can be described

using Jean Piaget’s theory of cognitive development and Erik Erikson’s psychosocial theories.
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Piaget’s theory is a constructivist theory, which describes four stages of thinking development or

growth: sensorimotor, preoperational, concrete operational and formal operational

(Slavin, 2009, p. 33). Typically, children are in the preoperational stage when they get into

preschool or kindergarten, as this stage spans the ages of 2 to 7. Kids at this stage are developing

their language skills, but their thinking “remains primitive” (Slavin, 2009, p. 34).

The next stage that children go through is the concrete operational stage. Kids at this

stage are sort of practical and not able to think abstractly. This is such a fun age! This is the age

where you can really see when children are excited about something, or are genuinely in awe, or

have a sense of wonder. Their eyes shine, and usually, kids are not self-conscious of their own

reaction to what they are seeing or experiencing.

At around age 11, children go through the formal operational stage. This is the age that

children start to think abstractly. Young adults are able to think about concepts that are

“independent of physical reality” (Slavin, 2009, p. 38-40). Piaget’s stages are pertinent for me to

understand, as I will need to understand the thinking abilities of my students to be able to discern

how to teach them.

There are 8 stages of social development in Erik Erickson’s matrix. Erickson’s view is

helpful to understand because it explains the social growing that children go through at different

ages. Most children are in stage III when they enter a school setting, and as 18 year olds, they’ve

typically reach stage V.

Understanding that certain behaviors exhibited by children that seem foreign to us as

adults are normal for children goes a long way in being patient. I love that caring and generosity

comes from understanding the social and emotional lives of children. This is an area that I know

I am really good at. I can sense what children need, and being able to name some of the stages,
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and understand the range of the social and emotional stages is really helpful in assessing the

needs of children. Kids need to be able to experience their lives freely, and they need to be able

to fully explore their personal power, their boundaries, their emotions and their changing self-

identity. The University of Alaska Southeast School of Education Conceptual Framework states

that “learning is a social process requiring intensive responsiveness and interaction among

teachers and learners” (SOE, 2010, p. 15). This is helpful to remember because it highlights that

what happens in a classroom is a relationship between a teacher and the students.

Learning Theory

My theory on learning begins with research about brain functions. It is very exciting that

this is a growing area of study for educators. I think children are naturally curious and this leads

to children being natural learners. The constructivist approach to teaching and learning is the

method that I gravitate toward using as a teacher. Student learning is the result of mental

construction, which means that students gain knowledge by figuring out how to integrate new

information with what they’ve learned in the past.

Constructivist teaching and learning, which integrates brain research, should include

patterning techniques (Caine, 1991, p. 81). Learning for children shouldn’t be based on

memorization of facts, but instead, should be based on the connection of ideas, which can be

encouraged by the idea of whole body learning. Children should be allowed to move around in

the classroom, touch things around them, and find personal meaning in the subject matter. Brain

research shows that each person’s brain is unique, and that means that each child will learn at a

different pace. This also means that a teacher must be able to use a variety of strategies to reach

each individual student (Caine, 1991, p. 82-85).

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The other learning theory that blends well with the constructivist theory is Gardner’s

Multiple Intelligences. Gardner (2006) says that people can have a combination of strengths and

weaknesses among the different intelligences. This theory really goes along with how I envision

my classroom to function. I want to be able to give my students an enriching environment, and

this theory sort of gives me permission to let the teaching focus go to wonderful dimensions. I

like that different subjects lend themselves to different types of lessons taught, and Gardner’s

theory will give me an acceptable way to stimulate and motivate the various types of learners in

my classroom.

The way to motivate kids is going to be different for each student, however, I think that

having a classroom that is fun, safe, and well-organized helps to keep students on track and

motivated to learn. I think children naturally want to learn, and a teacher’s job is to continually

nurture that innate need to understand the world around us. As the education researcher Stanford

Ericksen (1984) says, “Students learn what they care about and remember what they understand”

(p. 51). A motivated student is also a student who will learn much, so it is best if I can keep

students motivated, without losing their interest or attention.

I know I will use incentive and rewards to motivate students. I am definitely the type to

give out stickers, gold stars, and ribbons to celebrate achievement. I also think that it is

important for every child to feel loved. I am naturally good at recognizing the signs of children

who need some attention, and I am able to get down on their level to talk to them, or read to

them. I am also really good at giving out praise, and noticing when students are on task, or doing

productive work; however, I am aware of giving out false praise, and I try to not do that, because

children can sense the emptiness of that. I think another way I can motivate students is by giving
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them attainable, but challenging goals. When the students succeed, then they will be more apt to

continue to reach other goals.

Standards and Assessment

I really like the idea of assessments that inform the teacher of what the students already

know, and then as content gets taught, more quick assessments to see if the students are learning

what they need to be learning. As Slavin says, assessments are important for teachers because

they can see how effective their teaching has been (Slavin, 2009, p. 417). Using quizzes and

short writing assignments are two good ways to assess students’ grasp of the subject matter.

Evaluations and assessments are useful for students and parents as well. I think when

students experience success or mastery of subject matter, then they can remain motivated to

learn, and they can continue to be excited about school. The objectives and standards that

teachers must teach are there for a reason, and I think it is helpful to remember that. I trust that

the standards that are set in place are fair, and have been rigorously examined and carefully laid

out, so I don’t have a problem with aligning my teaching to help every student attain the larger

district and state goals.

Foundations

For me, teaching starts with a genuine love for children, and a passion for giving children

the best childhood possible. Because children are naturally curious, and eager to learn, teaching

can be really satisfying as well as fun. Knowing and understanding the different cognitive and

developmental theories makes me feel confident that I will be able to understand students’

behaviors, needs, and idiosyncrasies. Understanding children will make the job easier because
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there won’t be as much frustration or bewilderment when I’m met with children’s’ behaviors that

otherwise would seem annoying. I also think that teachers need to have patience, or learn

patience. Teacher should be able to see the good and the wonderful in each and every student,

without looking at children’s’ outer features or mannerisms, or attire. It is important to

remember how influential I can be in the lives of the students, and this leads right to how crucial

it is for the teacher to make every part of the school day meaningful and relevant.

Discussion

I feel that I have had a great learning life. I remember having wonderful teachers – some

of whom I am still in contact with. A handful of my teachers really helped me as a young kid,

and I will always be grateful for their guidance and for their acceptance of me. I guess I did feel

loved, and important. What a wonderful gift they gave to me! I think I may be able to do that

for the children I teach.

I’ve always been a high-achieving student, and it has been really interesting to read

through the educational psychology texts to try to figure out why I have been so keen on doing

well in school. I am not sure what it is, but something motivates me to want to do well, and to

get perfect grades. In high school, I was the valedictorian, and I remember working really hard

to achieve that. Funny thing is, it never really made much of a difference in my life. Now that I

am in college as an adult, I am again motivated to excel, and I am not sure why. I think I’ve

learned some important lessons though; I’ve learned that if you work hard at something, then it is

possible to achieve more than you first thought possible. I’ve also learned that other people

don’t really care about my achievements, and so it is good to just keep it to myself. I’ve also

learned that making mistakes is OK. I want to be able to connect with students who have
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different abilities than I do, and I want to be able to inspire the students who are not motivated in

the same way I am. I know that I learn best by reading and writing, which has served me well in

college, but I know that not everyone learns best by those methods. I hope that I will be able to

help students realize their full potential, while also keeping the classroom fun, bright, positive

and inclusive.

Diversity

I identify myself as a Latina, and I understand that there are many ways of knowing and

learning. It feels really good that Alaska’s teachers must be aware of cultural standards. The

great thing about the standards is that many of the suggestions are so easy to want to follow;

anyone who is a keen learner will naturally gravitate towards being open to alternate Native

Alaskan ideas, beliefs, values and methods.

All students should feel accepted as they are, and should feel free to express their

individual identity without the fear of being ridiculed or teased about it. Understanding student

diversity in a broader sense is important for teachers because there are potentially many lines or

boundaries that can separate students. When some students are from low income families, or

have disabilities, sometimes those students feel that it is harder to fit in. A loving teacher will be

aware of this, and strive to make the classroom a safe place to be.

The Alaska Teacher Standard 4c states that teachers should “demonstrate the ability to

acquire an in-depth understanding of the knowledge system indigenous to the place in which

they are teaching and apply that understanding in their practice” (Alaska Native Knowledge

Network p.12). This standard is wonderful because it is a good reminder to take a look outside

of the classroom, and to go out into the surrounding environment to learn. For me, this means
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that learning about the flora and fauna of a location is worthwhile, just as learning about Native

Alaskan history and ways of knowing is valuable.

Closing

I will seek to be an intentional teacher, and I will strive to master pedagogical skills. I

enjoy life, and I know that I can share this joy with children, while simultaneously being an

effective teacher. I believe that having a solid background in educational psychology can inform

my decisions as a teacher, and because I consider myself to be a lifelong learner, I know that

keeping up on relevant research will remain a key part of my professional growth and

development.
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References

Alaska Native Knowledge Network. (1999). Guidelines for Preparing Culturally Responsive
Teachers for Alaska’s Schools.

Caine, R. N. and G. Caine. (1991). Making Connections: Teaching and the Human Brain.
Alexandria: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Ericksen, Stanford C. (1984). The Essence of Good Teaching. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Gardner, H. (2006). Multiple Intelligences: New Horizons. New York: Basic Books.

Slavin, R. E. (2009). Educational Psychology: Theory and Practice. Columbus: Pearson.

University of Alaska Southeast, School of Education. (2010). Conceptual Framework of the

Center for Teacher Education.