What? We discussed Erikson’s model of psychosocial development which described eight stages through which people proceed over the course of development. Each stage presents a unique developmental task, and how an individual addresses it influences the person’s overall development. 
Trust vs. mistrust(infancy)
Autonomy vs. shame and doubt (toddler years)
Initiative vs. guilt (preschool years)
Industry vs. inferiority (elementary school years)
Identity vs. role confusion (adolescence)
Intimacy vs. isolation (young adulthood)
Generativity vs. stagnation (middle age)
Integrity vs. despair (retirement years)
We also talked about Kohlberg’s stages of moral development. He proposed that the development of moral reasoning is characterized by a sequenced of six stages grouped into three general levels of morality: preconventional, conventional, and postcoventional.
Preconventional morality- Lack of internalized standards about right and wrong’ decision making based solely on what is best for oneself
Conventional morality- Uncritical acceptance of society’s conventions regarding right and wrong.
Postconventional morality thinking in accordance with self-developed, abstract principles regarding right and wrong.
We also learned about the marshmallow study. Which was a study done by Stanford where they took four year old children and placed a marshmallow in front of them and told them they could eat the marshmallow at any time but if the marshmallow was still there when they came back, the child would get two marshmallows. 1/3 of the kids ate the marshmallow 2/3 waited to eat it.

So What? Having knowledge of this information can help know what kind of dilemma our students may be going through mentally. So we can assess them better and also understand them better. We can use this information in our class room to help us teach. In essence, we will know better were our students are coming from, from a mental standpoint.  
 
Now What? Considering I will be a psychology teacher I will be using this information a lot. I will be teaching it to my students. But I will also be using it to assess my students on a mental level so I may help them the best I can. As a history teacher I will be doing the same but the student may not know because I will not be teaching it to my history classes. Ha ha on them. J.k. I find this in formation useful and very important I believe in Erikson’s and Kohlberg’s theories all but the age limits. I consider myself as a Freudian Eriksonist. Where I believe in most of what these two say. Some things I think are to far fetched and have also been disproven so; anyway you get the idea, hopefully. I feel I know what I need to be able to apply it in my classroom but knowledge never hurt anybody so gaining a further understanding would not hurt. 

This week we have discussed Vygotsky and Piaget’s theories of cognitive development. We also discussed assimilation and accommodation. What are the differences between the two, how does this apply to the students in our class room and so on. Assimilation is absorbing knowledge given to us. Where accommodation is when you adjust the knowledge you know to what you just learned.  
 Piaget had his stages of cognitive development and had his cognitive tests that would test a child’s level of cognitive development based on his stages. In Vygotsky theory, adults play a bigger role in a child’s cognitive development. An adult gives their child tasks and activities that allow the child to grow cognitively. 
 It helps to know this information because as teachers it will help to know what level of cognitive development your student is at. If you do know then you can teach accordingly.
 I feel a further understanding of these theories would benefit me greatly. I plan to use then in my teaching or at least use them to help facilitate me in my teaching styles in my different classrooms. 
 

Learning about the research types was a much needed review. I the one I have not study was action. I learn all about the others in my psychology class, but obviously I forgotten a lot so I needed this. 

I find this an important topic ecspecially the action reseach because as a teacher we will need to do some research to find a new way if something does not work, or if the students do not like something find out why and change accordingly. 

I need a deeper understanding of each form of research if i am to apply them in real life. I feel I have the basics and could explain them to someone but to use them in a real life situation I will need more information to get a better understanding. I plan to use this information to help perfect my teaching and although I understand that I will never be the perfect teacher I will still need to keep a optimstic view in that I can always get better.   

We discussed multiple intelligence and how the are relevant to us as teachers. We went into the computer lab and took a intelligence test then we came back to class where Professor Cox had taped a sheet of paper to the wall with each intelligence on them. Then we were asked to stand by the sheet of paper that was our highest intelligence level then our second highest then our third. We discussed as a class how our individual intelligences influence how we learn and how that should influence how we teach our students.
 This knowledge is important to know because as teachers we must know that our students are individually different, so we must teach them as such. Each student will learn differently then their peers. So we must adapt every year and try not to get in a pattern and teach every class the same.
 I hope to apply this to my teaching, especially since I have been saying this to my self ever since I was in Junior high school. “If I was a teacher I would do it differently.” I have plans on how to do it differently but I do not know what the best way will be just yet. I will assess my student any other way then just tests. Not to say I will not give one but I will do each unit different so my students who do not test well, what ever the reason may be, will have a chance in the class.  
 

This week in class we learned about the brain. About the different parts, like the cerebellum and the brain stem ect. We split off into pairs and we eached studied a portion of the brain. After a few minutes the pairs split into two groups and and we all talked about our portion of the brain. Regretfully, I do not remember much due to the fact that I was sick. But what I do remember I look forward to using it in the class room.  

I find it important to know at least the basics about the brain. The human brain is intresting and since we all have one, it is nice to know a little about it. As teachers we can use this knowlegde about the brain to help teach our students in our own subject areas. For example, if your subject area is math and you are teaching your students about times tables, than you can use the knowegde you know about the brain to teach them in the best way possible so they can remember them.  

1.Why are you here (in the teacher education program, in this class, at UVU)?

I am in the teaching program to become the best teacher I can be. Teaching has good reward with it. My parents are teachers, so i grow up see how benifical teach was and how it cam be for me. This is something I have wanted to do for a while just had to try other things first. I am in this class because I need it to graduate and I want to learn more about me. I have a BS in psychology and one of my favorite things about psychology is you learn so much about yourself then in other subject. I a what to take what I learn in this class and what i already know it to my end goal, which is becoming a school Counselor. I am at UVU because I was in the progam at the U of U and I did not like it so I came here. 

2.What motivates you?

My family motivate me. I want to give them what I feel is the best of me and of this world. My wife supports me in everything and she keeps me going. My daughter is the cutest. I would anything for her. She also keeps me going

3.Why do you succeed?

I suceed  because I want to. I succeed because I try hard to. I work hard. I succeed because I will not let myself fail. My family again helps me to push myself and get me where I need to go.

 4.Why do you fail?

If I fail It is either because I did not try hard enough, I did not feel it to be important, I took on to much, or I failed on purpose. It can also be a combonation of the things I said above. I usually do not fail because I do not like to.

5.How do you need to change your motivations and mindset for this class in order to become a great teacher?

I believe my mind is where it need to be. I just need to stay focused and  stay posotive. Sometime I think that assignments are supid and a waste of my time. I need to still do my best no matter what I have before me. Once a again my family helps me do so.   

Educational Psychology
20. Jan. 2009
Course Contract

 

List 2-3 specific goals you have for this course.
1. To learn something New and apply it to my teaching and my life
2. To  try my best  on all assignments
3. To  become a better teacher
 

Describe your weekly preparation plan. Be specific. What will you do each day of the week to prepare for this course.
I will do my assignments  on time and do my best on all of them. I will  read what is required of me before class. I will help my fellow class mates when ever possible. I will try to do all of my homework without alienating my family.
 

 Outline the study strategies that you will use to understand the material.
I have my own way of studying that works for me and I can not explain it very well.
 It is the best way to balance my time and still get the grade I want

 Explain the process you will follow if you do not understand a topic.

I will ask other students in the class if they do not know i will asked the teacher.

If I think it will be in the syllabus I will read it. In some cases I will go straight to the teacher.

Complete the following statement:

I will reach my goals in this course by,

trying my hardest to reach them without sacrifing to much of the important things.