Tim‌‌Adorno‌ 

Educational‌‌Psychology‌  ‌
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  SEDF‌‌70500-01‌  ‌
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‌Midterm‌‌Exam‌‌1 ‌ ‌
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1.) Choosing‌‌either‌‌Vygotsky‌‌or‌‌Piaget,‌‌he‌‌discusses‌‌his‌‌ideas‌‌on‌‌the‌‌role‌‌of‌‌social‌‌
 

interaction,‌‌language,‌‌learning‌‌and‌‌development‌‌and‌‌cognitive‌‌conflicts‌‌in‌‌cognition.‌  ‌

Using‌‌information‌‌from‌‌the‌‌textbook‌‌and‌‌class‌‌discussion,‌‌identify‌‌two‌‌ways‌‌Piaget’s‌‌
 

or‌‌Vygotsky’s‌‌ideas‌‌are‌‌applied‌‌or‌‌put‌‌into‌‌practice‌‌in‌‌classrooms‌‌today.‌  ‌

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Social‌‌interaction‌‌and‌‌language‌‌are‌‌major‌‌roles‌‌in‌‌Piaget’s‌‌theory.‌‌These‌‌practices‌‌of‌‌
 

learning‌‌are‌‌used‌‌in‌‌the‌‌classrooms‌‌even‌‌when‌‌teacher’s‌‌may‌‌not‌‌know‌‌it.‌‌For‌‌example‌‌,‌‌in‌‌
 

order‌‌for‌‌students‌‌to‌‌learn,‌‌student’s‌‌must‌‌engage‌‌with‌‌their‌‌peers‌‌or‌‌their‌‌teacher’s‌‌through‌‌
 

discussion.‌‌Through‌‌language,‌‌students‌‌must‌‌make‌‌connections‌‌to‌‌text,‌‌through‌‌activating‌‌
 

schema,‌‌and‌‌having‌‌engaging‌‌peer‌‌discussions.‌‌Activating‌‌schema‌‌is‌‌a‌‌theory‌‌posed‌‌by‌‌Jean‌‌
 

Piaget‌‌which‌‌can‌‌be‌‌viewed‌‌as‌‌“the‌‌basic‌‌building‌‌blocks‌‌of‌‌knowledge.”.‌‌Through‌‌engagement‌‌
 

by‌‌discussion‌‌and‌‌activating‌‌this‌‌prior‌‌knowledge‌‌(schema)‌‌student’s‌‌are‌‌able‌‌to‌‌have‌‌discourse‌‌
 

about‌‌any‌‌given‌‌subject‌‌the‌‌teacher‌‌is‌‌trying‌‌to‌‌teach,‌‌by‌‌connecting‌‌it‌‌to‌‌their‌‌own‌‌experiences‌‌
 

whether‌‌through‌‌connecting‌‌teacher‌‌questions‌‌to‌‌text-text‌‌connections,‌‌text-world‌‌connections,‌‌
 

or‌‌text-‌‌self‌‌connections.‌‌Student’s‌‌must‌‌speak‌‌and‌‌interact‌‌with‌‌other‌‌students‌‌many‌‌times‌‌
 

through‌‌group‌‌work‌‌and‌‌peer‌‌discussion.‌‌Since‌‌student’s‌‌must‌‌do‌‌this,‌‌through‌‌discourse,‌‌
 

students‌‌will‌‌naturally‌‌learn‌‌about‌‌the‌‌experiences‌‌and‌‌the‌‌lives‌‌of‌‌others‌‌and‌‌experiences‌‌of‌‌
 

others.‌‌All‌‌this‌‌falls‌‌under‌‌social‌‌interaction‌‌and‌‌learning‌‌development‌‌which‌‌were‌‌posed‌‌
 

through‌‌Piaget’s‌‌theory‌‌or‌‌activating‌‌schema.‌‌
   ‌

For‌‌example,‌‌a‌‌teacher‌‌may‌‌be‌‌trying‌‌to‌‌teach‌‌a‌‌novel,‌‌and‌‌teach‌‌about‌‌a‌‌theme‌‌or‌‌
 

moral‌‌takeaway‌‌from‌‌a‌‌book.‌‌The‌‌teacher‌‌may‌‌pose‌‌a‌‌question‌‌to‌‌connect‌‌student’s‌‌real‌‌life‌‌
 
experiences‌‌to‌‌the‌‌learning‌‌objective‌‌or‌‌topic‌‌-‌‌for‌‌this‌‌example‌‌let’s‌‌say‌‌it‌‌is‌‌discrimination.‌‌A ‌‌

teacher‌‌may‌‌ask‌‌in‌‌a‌‌do‌‌now‌‌question‌‌or‌‌reflection‌‌question‌‌to‌‌write‌‌about‌‌a‌‌time‌‌they‌‌were‌‌
 

discriminate.‌‌Student’s‌‌must‌‌think‌‌about‌‌their‌‌life‌‌experiences‌‌by‌‌activating‌‌schema,‌‌and‌‌
 

perhaps‌‌even‌‌share‌‌in‌‌group‌‌work‌‌to‌‌learn‌‌about‌‌their‌‌peers.‌‌They‌‌are‌‌now‌‌able‌‌to‌‌relate‌‌
 

content‌‌to‌‌their‌‌own‌‌life‌‌experiences,‌‌while‌‌learning‌‌from‌‌the‌‌student’s‌‌in‌‌the‌‌classroom‌‌who‌‌are‌‌
 

filled‌‌with‌‌“banks‌‌of‌‌knowledge!”‌‌Through‌‌activating‌‌schema‌‌we‌‌can‌‌connect‌‌real‌‌life‌‌
 

experiences‌‌and‌‌connect‌‌them‌‌to‌‌harder‌‌or‌‌more‌‌complex‌‌subjects‌‌to‌‌have‌‌a‌‌better‌‌
 

understanding.‌‌
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Another‌‌way‌‌in‌‌which‌‌student’s‌‌knowledge‌‌and‌‌student‌‌cognitive‌‌development‌‌grow‌‌is‌‌
 

through‌‌language‌‌through‌‌annotation‌‌of‌‌text‌‌for‌‌reading‌‌comprehension‌‌through‌‌observing,‌‌and‌‌
 

reflection‌‌and‌‌making‌‌connections‌‌through‌‌activating‌‌schema.‌‌Through‌‌teaching‌‌annotation‌‌of‌‌
 

texts,‌‌teachers‌‌provide‌‌support‌‌for‌‌students‌‌to‌‌cognitively‌‌understand‌‌texts.‌‌Student’s‌‌are‌‌able‌‌
 

to‌‌actively‌‌use‌‌language‌‌through‌‌writing,‌‌using‌‌symbols,‌‌and‌‌reflecting‌‌through‌‌prior‌‌knowledge‌‌
 

to‌‌understand‌‌harder‌‌topics‌‌and‌‌expand‌‌their‌‌knowledge‌‌on‌‌any‌‌subject.‌‌
   ‌

For‌‌example,‌‌Students‌‌are‌‌learning‌‌harder‌‌concepts‌‌of‌‌music‌‌such‌‌as‌‌rhythm‌‌concepts.‌‌
 

They‌‌are‌‌learning‌‌8th‌‌notes‌‌in‌‌class.‌‌Students‌‌are‌‌handed‌‌a‌‌worksheet‌‌to‌‌annotate‌‌rhythms‌‌of‌‌
 

8th‌‌notes.‌‌Using‌‌prior‌‌knowledge,‌‌students‌‌are‌‌able‌‌to‌‌write‌‌in‌‌symbols‌‌and‌‌simpler‌‌concepts‌‌on‌‌
 

the‌‌paper‌‌in‌‌order‌‌to‌‌support‌‌their‌‌understanding‌‌whether‌‌it‌‌is‌‌beats,‌‌notes,‌‌or‌‌reminders‌‌on‌‌how‌‌
 

to‌‌play‌‌a‌‌new‌‌piece.‌‌This‌‌language‌‌that‌‌students‌‌are‌‌able‌‌to‌‌write‌‌on‌‌the‌‌page,‌‌will‌‌support‌‌them‌‌
 

in‌‌their‌‌learning.‌‌They‌‌use‌‌prior‌‌knowledge‌‌of‌‌simpler‌‌content‌‌to‌‌aid‌‌them‌‌in‌‌new‌‌studies‌‌in‌‌
 

music.‌‌
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2.)‌‌Referring‌‌to‌‌the‌‌studies‌‌presented‌‌in‌‌the‌‌beginning‌‌of‌‌the‌‌textbook,‌‌discuss‌‌how‌‌teachers‌‌ 

make‌‌a‌‌difference.‌ ‌Provide‌‌two‌‌or‌‌three‌‌examples‌‌(from‌‌the‌‌textbook,‌‌your‌‌own‌‌ 
experiences,‌‌or‌‌your‌‌fieldwork)‌‌of‌‌good‌‌teaching‌‌and‌‌how‌‌and‌‌why‌‌they‌‌could‌‌be‌‌adopted‌‌ 

by‌‌teachers‌‌in‌‌your‌‌subject‌‌area.‌  ‌

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According‌‌to‌‌the‌‌text‌‌Educational‌‌Psychology,‌‌one‌‌way‌‌teachers‌‌make‌‌a‌‌difference‌‌through‌‌ 

providing‌‌equitable‌‌teaching‌‌and‌‌equal‌‌opportunities‌‌experiences.‌‌From‌‌my‌‌own‌‌experience,‌‌I ‌‌

have‌‌tried‌‌to‌‌be‌‌an‌‌equitable‌‌music‌‌instructor.‌‌Some‌‌students‌‌may‌‌not‌‌have‌‌access‌‌to‌‌technology‌‌ 

or‌‌a‌‌printer,‌‌or‌‌even‌‌access‌‌to‌‌obtaining‌‌books.‌‌I‌‌personally‌‌bring‌‌material‌‌to‌‌the‌‌classroom‌‌or‌‌
 

student‌‌myself,‌‌not‌‌expecting‌‌students‌‌to‌‌have‌‌access‌‌to‌‌them.‌‌I‌‌will‌‌personally‌‌print‌‌out‌‌music‌‌ 

sheets,‌‌download‌‌PDF’s‌‌of‌‌music‌‌books,‌‌and‌‌make‌‌them‌‌shareable‌‌to‌‌my‌‌students.‌‌I‌‌provide‌‌
 

quality‌‌teaching‌‌to‌‌my‌‌students,‌‌and‌‌have‌‌high‌‌expectations‌‌for‌‌them‌‌to‌‌succeed‌‌because‌‌I ‌‌

provide‌‌all‌‌material‌‌that‌‌they‌‌will‌‌need.‌‌I‌‌do‌‌not‌‌ask‌‌them‌‌to‌‌print‌‌things‌‌at‌‌home,‌‌or‌‌find‌‌videos‌‌ 

for‌‌instruction‌‌at‌‌home,‌‌because‌‌I‌‌do‌‌no‌‌assume‌‌all‌‌student’s‌‌have‌‌access‌‌to‌‌these‌‌materials‌‌so‌‌I ‌‌

provide‌‌everything‌‌they‌‌will‌‌need‌‌in‌‌our‌‌private‌‌lessons.‌‌I‌‌would‌‌adopt‌‌this‌‌in‌‌my‌‌subject‌‌area‌‌in‌‌
 

a‌‌public‌‌school,‌‌by‌‌realizing‌‌that‌‌not‌‌all‌‌students‌‌may‌‌have‌‌the‌‌same‌‌knowledge‌‌experiences‌‌or‌‌ 

materials,‌‌but‌‌allow‌‌my‌‌lessons‌‌to‌‌be‌‌inclusive‌‌to‌‌all‌‌students,‌‌provide‌‌what‌‌I‌‌can‌‌for‌‌them‌‌
 

through‌‌free‌‌educational‌‌materials,‌‌and‌‌by‌‌having‌‌high‌‌expectations‌‌of‌‌my‌‌students‌‌to‌‌do‌‌well‌‌ 

with‌‌what‌‌I‌‌provide‌‌them.‌  ‌

Another‌‌way‌‌teacher’s‌‌make‌‌a‌‌difference‌‌is‌‌through‌‌student‌‌teacher‌‌relationships.‌‌
 

Encouraging‌‌student’s‌‌and‌‌believing‌‌in‌‌them‌‌is‌‌very‌‌important,‌‌even‌‌if‌‌they‌‌are‌‌“marked”‌‌as‌‌a ‌‌

“bad‌‌kid”‌‌by‌‌other‌‌teacher’s.‌‌Even‌‌if‌‌a‌‌student‌‌may‌‌seem‌‌unmotivated,‌‌you‌‌must‌‌encourage‌‌your‌‌ 

students‌‌and‌‌change‌‌your‌‌perspective‌‌of‌‌the‌‌student.‌‌Having‌‌a‌‌positive‌‌teacher‌‌and‌‌student‌‌
 

relationship‌‌is‌‌an‌‌effective‌‌way‌‌to‌‌gain‌‌respect‌‌from‌‌your‌‌student.‌‌When‌‌you‌‌are‌‌sensitive‌‌to‌‌a ‌‌

student's‌‌needs,‌‌life,‌‌and‌‌experiences‌‌-‌‌student’s‌‌will‌‌react.‌‌When‌‌you‌‌provide‌‌student‌‌feedback‌‌ 
in‌‌assessment,‌‌provide‌‌additional‌‌support‌‌and‌‌even‌‌get‌‌to‌‌know‌‌student‌‌background‌‌-‌‌it‌‌makes‌‌a‌‌ 

difference.‌‌Investing‌‌in‌‌your‌‌student‌‌(even‌‌those‌‌with‌‌behavioral‌‌issues)‌‌will‌‌go‌‌a‌‌long‌‌way.‌‌ 

Giving‌‌them‌‌extra‌‌support‌‌through‌‌tutoring,‌‌mentoring‌‌and‌‌encouragement,‌‌showing‌‌them‌‌that‌‌ 

they‌‌are‌‌able‌‌to‌‌succeed‌‌and‌‌building‌‌their‌‌confidence‌‌through‌‌going‌‌above‌‌and‌‌beyond‌‌with‌‌ 

language‌‌and‌‌your‌‌demeanor‌‌can‌‌change‌‌a‌‌student’s‌‌life‌‌and‌‌perhaps‌‌even‌‌the‌‌course‌‌of‌‌their‌‌
 

career.‌‌There‌‌are‌‌many‌‌examples‌‌of‌‌teacher’s‌‌changing‌‌a‌‌child’s‌‌life‌‌by‌‌being‌‌an‌‌amazing‌‌teacher‌‌
 

through‌‌their‌‌words‌‌and‌‌actions‌‌-‌‌and‌‌how‌‌they‌‌were‌‌engaged‌‌and‌‌animated‌‌in‌‌the‌‌classroom,‌‌
 

and‌‌the‌‌life‌‌lessons‌‌they‌‌taught‌‌beyond‌‌textbooks‌‌and‌‌studies.‌‌Some‌‌of‌‌the‌‌“worst”‌‌students‌‌can‌‌
 

have‌‌a‌‌change‌‌of‌‌heart‌‌about‌‌education‌‌and‌‌may‌‌even‌‌become‌‌a‌‌teacher‌‌themselves‌‌one‌‌day.‌‌The‌‌
 

language‌‌we‌‌use,‌‌opportunities‌‌to‌‌succeed‌‌we‌‌give,‌‌and‌‌mentality‌‌and‌‌relationship‌‌with‌‌students‌‌ 

is‌‌key‌‌to‌‌making‌‌a‌‌difference‌‌in‌‌a‌‌student’s‌‌life.‌‌You‌‌may‌‌be‌‌the‌‌only‌‌positive‌‌leader‌‌in‌‌their‌‌life.‌‌   ‌

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