Cognitive Growth Cognitive Growth ModelModel

It’s about matching It’s about matching instruction to students, not instruction to students, not students to instruction! students to instruction!

Intelligence = processing of data from Intelligence = processing of data from the environment – this changes with the environment – this changes with age/development. age/development.

Development = moving from one Development = moving from one stage to another – this is active stage to another – this is active participation with the environment. participation with the environment. The learner is the responsible party.The learner is the responsible party.

Development is a function of Development is a function of experience and maturation. This leads experience and maturation. This leads to equilibration. Through social to equilibration. Through social transmission understanding is transmission understanding is communicated.communicated.

Teaching = creation of an appropriate Teaching = creation of an appropriate environment where cognitive environment where cognitive structures can develop and change.structures can develop and change.

Learning must be spontaneous. Learning must be spontaneous. Teachable moments are paramount. Teachable moments are paramount. Problem solving is the focus.Problem solving is the focus.

Learning must match students’ Learning must match students’ cognitive structures. Students are cognitive structures. Students are not all alike, in fact students are often not all alike, in fact students are often quite different in developmental quite different in developmental structures.structures.

Verbal fluency is not “real” Verbal fluency is not “real” knowledge (figurative). Real knowledge (figurative). Real knowledge is active and evident knowledge is active and evident through presentation, or product through presentation, or product (operative).(operative).

““Real” (operative) knowledge only Real” (operative) knowledge only comes with development and better comes with development and better problem solving skills. problem solving skills. You never You never learn anything completely new in the learn anything completely new in the abstract; you only make adjustments abstract; you only make adjustments to what you’ve learned in the past.to what you’ve learned in the past.

Teaching/Learning must be rich in Teaching/Learning must be rich in sensory experiences.sensory experiences.

Role of the teacher: Role of the teacher: 1) organizer of the environment, 1) organizer of the environment, 2) assessment of students thinking, 2) assessment of students thinking, 3) initiator of group activities.3) initiator of group activities.

Management style. Logical Management style. Logical Consequences. Rudolph Consequences. Rudolph Dreikurs. Dreikurs.

Beliefs of Those Who Use Beliefs of Those Who Use the Modelthe Model

All children are not alike. All children are not alike. Development is a critical factor to be Development is a critical factor to be considered when organizing considered when organizing instruction.instruction.

The purpose of instruction is to The purpose of instruction is to increase students’ rate of increase students’ rate of development.development.

Learning is a result of what students’ Learning is a result of what students’ know as well as what they don’t know as well as what they don’t know. know.

Learning, may be accurate, Learning, may be accurate, inaccurate, or partially accurate, it is inaccurate, or partially accurate, it is the purpose of instruction to allow the purpose of instruction to allow students to see their own students to see their own inaccuracies or partial accuracies.inaccuracies or partial accuracies.

Assessment is on going and constant.Assessment is on going and constant. Long term goals are at least as Long term goals are at least as

important as short term goalsimportant as short term goals

Students are capable of asking Students are capable of asking important questions that suggest important questions that suggest level of developmental level of developmental understandingunderstanding

The “teachable moment” is critical.The “teachable moment” is critical. Working in groups is important, Working in groups is important,

because children learn from each because children learn from each other as well as from the teacher.other as well as from the teacher.