Piaget TIPR

For the last observation I did Miss. F introduced a new assignment to the students.  It was interesting to watch her introduce this new assignment to the kids and see them react to it.  This was a good example to me of disequilibrium because the kids had to grasp that they were being asked to do a new assignment.  The assignment was neat as well because it asks students to draw on an assignment they have done previously.  Essentially what Miss. F wants them to do in this case is create a movie poster critiquing an article they wrote an essay about in class.  After she gave instructions and allowed the kids to begin working I noticed a lot of assimilation and adaptation going on.  Students were assimilating what was required and connecting it to the ideas they had already written about in their essay.  Additionally accommodation was required because Miss. F had asked the students to use a program on the computer that they had to learn.  This program was brand new.  It was neat to watch them because I could almost see their brains working to make room so that they could use this new program.  Most of these kids are in the formal operational stage and it is interesting to see how Miss. F requires that they think for themselves and reason through problems.  Additionally during that time of disequilibrium she was always there to help students if they had questions but allowed them to struggle through it. 

With Piaget in mind I think one of the biggest things students need is time and an ability to work on things independently.  Additionally when kids are in this formal operational stage I think it always helps them think through their work if they have detailed instructions in front of them.  That way they are not worrying about whether they understand the assignment but are focusing on completing the task at hand and gaining an equilibrium again.  Additionally, I think students need to understand that Disequilibrium is normal, that everyone experiences it and that if they don't get something right off they just need to keep trying or think of it in a different way (assimilation or accommodation again).

With all of this in mind, during my mini-lesson I plan to give students the time and directions needed so that they can properly gain an understanding of a task.  I also will keep in mind that they are in a formal operational stage and give them opportunities to think abstractly and critically.  I want to allow them to solve problems on their own. 

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