Introduction
Throughout development, a child experiences numerous cognitive, physical, and mental changes. For example, a child in the second grade will significantly differ from a teenager in the eighth grade in terms of knowledge and worldview. Thus, while a child’s abilities differ at each developmental stage, a teacher must be aware of them to use appropriate learning strategies. This essay will discuss Piaget’s theory of cognitive development in the classroom and how it will influence my teaching profession in the future.
Application of Piaget’s Theory to Classroom Education
Table 1. Stages of Child and Adolescent Development Matrix
Knowledge can offer direction for putting suitable learning techniques into practice to fulfill all students’ needs. Teachers can modify learning opportunities for students based on their stage of cognitive development (Sanghvi, 2020). Moreover, a teacher must understand where, in terms of knowledge, each class member is for equal progression. Thus, a teacher must be aware of the developmental stage of students, as well as their accumulated knowledge, to optimize their methods.
The use of milestones can guide a teacher in meeting the diverse needs of all students. According to Piaget’s theory of cognitive development, children in the preoperational stage can only concentrate on one item at a time. Thus, setting concrete milestones in their education can speed up the process (Carpendale et al., 2020). Thus, the usage of milestones can focus a student’s attention on one thing at a time, thus increasing the learning speed of younger students.
Moreover, it is imperative to keep the students engaged to increase their learning capabilities. Thus, a teacher must be aware of the cognitive stage that a student is in to know what is engaging for them. For example, students in the preoperational stage are more inclined to be interested in drawing and symbolic play, so utilizing these practices in learning may grab their attention (Carpendale et al., 2020). Hence, with a student’s cognitive stage in mind, a professional teacher can keep their attention on learning objectives, thus increasing the speed at which they learn.
I can improve my teaching methods with the knowledge I have gathered from Piaget’s cognitive development theory. Applying this framework will allow me to customize my teaching methods to keep students engaged in class and increase the speed at which they understand new concepts. Moreover, I will be able to keep the whole class at the same level of knowledge, with no one lagging. I will, therefore, tremendously benefit from using the “Stages of Child and Adolescent Development” matrix in my future profession as an educator.
Conclusion
Thus, Piaget’s cognitive development theory has a broad array of applications in education. It can be used to tailor instruction to a specific student’s present cognitive stage or to better understand what motivates them and how to maximize their learning. To summarize, understanding this framework is imperative for any individual preparing for a career in education.
References
Sanghvi, P. (2020). Piaget’s theory of cognitive development: a review. Indian Journal of Mental Health, 7(2), 90–96. Web.
Carpendale, J. I. M., Lewis, C., & Müller, U. (2020). Piaget’s Theory. In S. Hupp & J. D. Jewell (Eds.), The Encyclopedia of Child and Adolescent Development (1st ed, pp. 1–11). Wiley-Blackwell.