Journal 2

Teaching Mathematics is not an easy task for teachers. Teaching is very challenging

especially math because teachers should be well prepared both mentally as well as with proper

materials. It is important for us teachers to have clear knowledge about two theories that will

assist us during our teaching carrier. These two theories have been used by many teachers around

the world. In this journal, I will be explaining how the Piaget and Vygotsky theories can be used

to teach mathematics.

First, I will be explaining what these two theories are all about so that during this journal

we will have a better overview of the theories. According to Jean Piaget's theory of cognitive

development, children's intelligence evolves with age. A child's cognitive development involves

more than just knowledge acquisition; the child also needs to create or develop a mental model

of the world. Children go through several stages as they develop cognitively, which is influenced

by both innate abilities and environmental factors. Piaget also outlines the different stages that

people go through during their development. These stages are Sensorimotor stage: birth to 2

years during this stage, is evident in the child's increasing ability to locate objects even after they

have been moved out of his line of sight. Preoperational stage: 2 to 7 years. This stage's traits

include an improvement in language skills, symbolic thought, egocentric perspective, and limited

logic., Concrete operational stage: 7 to 11 years Children's language development and

acquisition of foundational skills dramatically accelerate during this stage, which is distinguished

by remarkable cognitive growth. Children at this age use their senses to learn, and they can now

think in two or three dimensions simultaneously rather than sequentially. Formal operational

stage: ages 12 and up, at this age, a child can form hypotheses and determine potential
outcomes. On the other hand, according to Vygotsky's social development theory, social

interactions can direct and mediate a child's cognitive development and ability to learn. His

theory, also known as Vygotsky's Sociocultural Theory, contends that learning is fundamentally

a social process rather than a solitary quest for knowledge. He elaborates on this by saying that

having someone in the community who is more knowledgeable, like a parent or teacher, to lead a

child's learning is very beneficial. In addition, kids absorb and pick up on the values and attitudes

they see in the world around them. Vygotsky thought that culture had a significant impact on

how people developed their cognitive abilities and that this had a culturally based effect.

These two theories are very important for us teachers to know because having a good

understanding of the theories will allow us to create good lesson plans, develop fun activities,

and communicate with them efficiently. Lesson planning is crucial in the teacher’s carrier

however teachers should consider the two theories when planning. Planning should always be

done according to the stage of development of children, for instance as teachers we cannot teach

children to do problem-solving when they are in the sensorimotor stage since their mind is not

fully developed or vice versa. The Vygotsky theory also plays an important role when it comes

to planning, teachers should also take into consideration students’ cultural backgrounds. Many

students come from different cultural backgrounds in wich us as teachers should be prepared for

those circumstances. Activities are also important especially when teaching math, referring to

Piaget’s and Vygotsky’s theories children have different ways of learning depending on the stage

they are in or the environment they come from. Creating fun math activities will increase

students’ cognitive development rapidly meaning that students will be able to learn faster since

they will have the opportunity to learn things based on their learning stage. These two theories

will also allow both teachers and students to communicate efficiently during math lessons or all
other lessons. As teachers, we must learn how to communicate according to students’ stages of

development or their social environment. For example, as a teacher, I cannot teach infant

students about angles geometry, and algebra because nowhere in the world they would

understand me. In other words, every single lesson or activity planned should be done always

taking into consideration children’s different ways of learning according to Piaget and

Vygotsky’s theories.

In conclusion, understanding Piaget's and Vygotsky’s theories aid the teacher in planning

activities that are age- and stage-appropriate to keep students engaged. This will also facilitate us

teachers in properly choosing Learning Outcomes that will improve each student’s mathematical

skills as well as strengthen their cognitive skills.