Katherine Hicks
Internationally Minded.
Spartan Educator.
Life- Long Learner.
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Learning Theories
Welcome to the 4th grade forest, where we learn by “doing.” When I look back on my educational career, I think about the moments I remember most. Regardless of the grade, I always remember the experiences more than the lessons. Yet 85 percent of my time in school, was spent sitting at a desk listening to my teachers lecture. I knew from a young age that I was going to follow in my parents footsteps and become an educator. But as I moved through school, I also became determined to break the mold of the “traditional” classroom. I wanted my students to wonder, explore, hypothesize and experiment. Instead of placing the emphasis on regurgitation, I wanted my students to learn by experience. Now that I have a classroom of my own, I’ve been able to make this goal a reality.
When reflecting on the learning theories as they pertain to my classroom, I primarily use a combination of Constructivism and Cognitivism. My philosophy as an educator, lies mostly with constructivism as I believe that ‘active engagement” is an extremely powerful approach to learning. Creating cognitive dissonance within the learner and then allowing them to adjust their thinking, encourages the student to constantly maintain an open mind and be accepting of change. For example, when learning about colonial times, I had students choose a profession from the era and go on an individual exploration for information. They each made or found clothing, tools or products that might have been produced/ used in that profession. Finally, we transformed our room into a “blast from the past,” where students could share their learning with their peers.
In my experience thus far, just because a child alters their thinking or “learns” a new concept, doesn’t mean that this changed mindset will transfer to the next day. Therefore, I also employ a Cognitivistic approach when it comes to retention. I frequently provide graphic organizers, mnemonic devices, songs and visual aids, to allow students to chunk information together and continually refer to previously explored topics, allowing for further growth.
In general, I disagree with Behavioristic approaches to learning, because I think that positive/negative reinforcements promote repetition rather than understanding and those ideas aren’t necessarily indicative of one another. However, I find that it can be beneficial to employ Behavioristic strategies when setting up classroom expectations, classroom management or grabbing the students' attention. For instance, throughout the year, I use the “callbacks” “Go Green (teacher) Go White (students)” and “1-2-3 eyes on me (teacher)” “1-2 eyes on you (students).” My call triggers a pre-assigned response. The students know that when they hear “1-2-3 eyes on me,” their voices are off, bodies still and eyes looking at me. They know that when they do this, they will receive a marble in our collection jar. This positive reinforcement is behavioristic in nature, but is aimed at creating a safe space.
The final learning theory, Connectivism, is closely tied with Cognitivism in my classroom. Connectivism indicates that it’s more about knowing where to look, than being able to recall information. In my class, when students are exploring and learning through experience (Cognitivism) they are also learning where to look to find information about that topic. Throughout the year, I explicitly teach research skills including how to navigate reference and technology tools. The intention is that as they explore, if they find something that needs more explanation, that they know how/ where to find an answer.
It’s my hope that students from the “fourth grade forest” will walk away being more open-minded, accepting and aware of the world around them. This quest for understanding can be seen through my encouragement for examination of new ideas, the love of travel/ places I infuse into the classroom culture, and the constant reminder that we are a classroom family and will stand strong by one another despite our flaws and differences.