Reading the prescribed readings has highlighted a few things as I reflect on my profession as a teacher in the context of the school that I am currently teaching in and as a novice parent of two boys under the age of three.
Firstly, The description Loose (2016) provides of the revised taxonomy was very thought provoking working through the taxonomy, simplifying its process. Prichard (2009, p. 11) mentions that the learning theory Behaviourism, allows for learning to occur without fully understanding a concept challenging my initial thought that Bloom's Taxonony was a lineal process.
Secondly, some concepts covered by Pardoe, Pritchard and Johnson allowed me to reflect on some of the teaching strategies and programs currently being implemented in the school I work in. The significance of self-esteem and its positive effect on a student’s achievement (Pardoe, 2000, p. 55) is an area of action for the DEC as they are currently implementing the 'Well Being Framework' centered on the wellbeing of students. This concept raises issues of content driven curriculum or the welfare of students. Working in a low socio economically disadvantage school that caters for students of varying abilities I believe balancing a student’s welfare while meeting the educational needs being a major challenge that exists and previously existed. The behaviouralist approach alone is not en effective teaching practice as extrinsically motivating students can lead to students taking shortcuts in their learning (Pardoe, 2009, p. 54). PB4L is a program deeply ingrained in the school I work in. Pardoe's statement question my belief of the program as this program is based on rewarding students for their positive behaviour. I understand that students need to learn correct behaviours, and school is doing this well as it has high expectations of appropriate school behaviours and respect for the school, other students and teachers and perhaps this is a stepping stone to eventually encouraging intrinsic motivation and self-regulation (constructivist theory) regarding a student’s studies, particularly throughout stage 6 studies. Currently an AVID program is running in the school and I see the constructivist approach with student reflection and active engagement through group work and Cornell Note taking practices implemented throughout the delivery of content.
Fourthly, as a parent and teacher, I was very interested in the reasons that could hinder a child/students language and communication development present by Pardoe (2008, p. 19). TV, gaming and eating in isolation attribute to poorer communication skills, a skill identified as an essential skill for future success. Through modelling effective language in the classroom and home I hope to attribute to the success of current and future students as well as my own children. Furthermore, through observing the type of game students play during their recess and lunch break, it was evident that most of the games follow the behaviourist approach based loosely on Skinner's step by step process known as frame, where the learner progresses to the next stage based on correct answers. Students playing games are subject to this type of learning where they receive immediate feedback and only progress to the next level when the achieve outcomes or get the correct answer (Pritchard, 2009, p. 12)
Finally, I thoroughly enjoyed the analogy used in the prescribed text by Pardoe (2009, p. 93) for self efficacy and self regulation, a Constructivist approach. Pushing a child on a bike without the stabilisers, the teacher initially doing a lot of work, then letting them ride by themselves falling (learning) while the student is doing the work for themselves.
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