Piaget TIPR

Current Teacher Behaviors

What evidence do you see in your field experience of specific teacher behaviors that are related to Piaget's theory of cognitive development? 

Since physical education is an active class, it is directly related to Piaget's theory of cognitive development because Piaget's central idea is that children are active and motivated learners. The students are active throughout the entirety of the class and are motivated both extrinsically and intrinsically. They are required to wear heart rate monitors during the workout portion of the course. They must hit and maintain their target heart rate for at least 80% of the workout in order to receive full participation points for the day. 

I have noticed that some students are in disequilibrium when they are introduced to a new sport or exercise that they have never been introduced to before. After a demonstration and oral explanation of the specific skill, drill, or exercise, my cooperating teacher will observe his students and notice is some of them seem confused or if they seem to be in disequilibrium. When this happens, he will go up to the student one-on-one and further explain how to do the exercise safely and correctly. The majority of the students assimilate the new specific exercises and relate them to ones that they have previously learned. I have not noticed any students fall into cognitive dissonance.

He uses stage 4, formal operations, to help students explore new concepts (exercises, sports, drills, skills, etc...) 

Student Needs

What are these students' needs through the lens of Piaget's theory? 

I think that students need more information to add to their schema. Schema is how people organize knowledge into categories in their head. I think that the students should be given more explanation as to why a specific exercise is important and how it physically benefits your body which can help with any disequilibrium that students may be experiencing. I think also introducing more exercises that the students do not know so they are continuing to think abstractly and compare exercises to one another (stage 4) could be very beneficial. 

Plans for your Lesson

How will you address these needs when you teach your mini-lesson in this class?

I will address these needs when I teach my mini-lesson in this class by explaining the importance of the exercise. I think that if students understand why they are doing something, then they are more likely to participate. Also, if the students understand the importance of the exercise, then they also may continue to do it when they are no longer taking my class.