Activity 8: Piaget's Theory of Cognitive Development

This activity show me how much we would have already been practicing Piaget's theory without realizing it. It also help me to see the need to talk to my untrained teachers and remind my trained teachers about this theory as my teachers sometimes become very frustrated when they feel they are not reaching some children.
I need to remind them that not all students are at the same stage even though they are at of similar age and how they need to plan their lessons bearing in mind how students learn at the different stages. I plan to make this information available on hard copy to the teachers.

Activity 7:Collobarative Learning

I especially love this activity as I was able to see the benefits of cooperative teaching and how it can be used to enhance my lesson. I use to run  away from cooperative learning  as it seems as if it, it never worked. Now I realize what I was doing wrong. My approach was entirely wrong. Now I know I need to pay attention to factors such as the ability of the students, the arrangement of the classroom and the lesson goals for cooperative learning to effective.

Activity 6: Vygotsky- Understandingof Cognitive Development

This activity helped me to focus on the importance of social interaction in the process of learning. I have not done so before. I was able to see that activities other than the normal class discussions and questioning can assist in the process. I was able to see that activities such as drawing and  role playing can also help.
I realized that I need to pay more attention to this aspect of learning when planning my lessons.

Activity 3:Social Cognitive Theory

This activity helped me to focus on some of the behaviours we are modelling as a staff that our students might be copying. One of the biggest problem at my school is late coming to school and class by both staff and students.
 I have been constantly looking for ways to resolve this problem . This activity helped me to see a possible cause and solution. I believe that it is possible that the students are late because the teachers are late and if the teachers will come to school earlier and get to their classes on time, it is possible the students will do the same. I have already spoken to the  teachers about this idea(They generally complain about the students lateness. Can you believe it?)Now I am monitoring the results.

Activity 5: Developmental Psychology

I have learnt how much a learner's environment can affect his/ her life. I have learnt that factors such as exposure to reproductive stress, poverty, abuse of alcohol by parents and uneducated parents can adversely affect the child's physical,cognitive and psychosocial development. I have learnt that these can lead to learning and behavioural problems in the lives of these children. I was happy to learn though that it is possible for these children to go on to develop healthy personalities and have stable careers and positive interpersonal relationships with  appropriate corrective measures such as remedial work and medical care.

Activity 4: Behaviourism

This activity has helped me to focus more on the value of praise, encouragement and positive feedback in helping children learn. I was able to recall the occasions when I would have offered praise, encouragement and positive feedback to my students and the positive effect it had on their behaviours.
It also had me thinking about all the activities that the students can relate to pleasant experiences. I now try as much as possible to include praises, encouragement and positive feedback in my teaching and to use activities as far as it is possible that students can relate to pleasant experiences. I also make sure I share these useful tips with other members of my staff.