Vygotsky TIPR
THE QUESTION: "What evidence do you see of specific teacher behaviors that are geared toward Vygotsky's theories of cognitive development? Cite specific examples and make clear connection to Vygotsky's work. Be thorough in your coverage of the theory, addressing multiple concepts to demonstrate your understanding. Be sure to include a reference in your response."
As I contemplated the use of Vygotsky's theories I realized that the teachers I'm observing are falling short in their use of his concepts. Vygotsky places emphasis on culture, social factors, and language. He discusses the zone of proximal development. It is the ZPD that I would like to focus on and analyze as a part of my thoughts. To get an understanding of this concept, here is an overview: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zone_of_proximal_development from Wikipedia. This concept really struck me as something that rings true in my own experience as a student. I was a smart enough student to do some AP courses but sometimes the content being taught was too simple so I would disengage and miss assignments, my grades suffering in the class. Similarly, if I felt the subject was too challenging I would also zone out and once again my grades would suffer. I never realized that there was theory for students like myself.
I observe Mrs. O in her Theatre courses. As I previously related, Mrs. O introduced the concept of picking a monologue to her students on a day I did not observe. The class period the following day was one that I did observe and it seemed to be utter chaos. Students had not completed the assignment, misunderstood the assignment and overall seemed completely lost on the task they had been instructed to undertake. What I saw, using terms from our content, was a lack of scaffolding and the more knowledgeable other not actually guiding or mentoring her students through the sweet space of the zone of proximal development. The task she had given them was actually a challenge. They were supposed to pick a monologue that fit competition rules and they were supposed to try and pick it from a play. From my understanding, she did not show them how. She gave them instructions and expected them to follow through. The scaffolding that could have been provided that could have helped these students immensely would have been a list of works available for free on the internet that they could read through. Another guided help could have been what works were available in her personal library. She also did not go through and show students how to read a play or cut a work from it. Doing these things may have been just the thing to guide these students through the challenge placed in front of them so actual learning could occur.
As I contemplated the use of Vygotsky's theories I realized that the teachers I'm observing are falling short in their use of his concepts. Vygotsky places emphasis on culture, social factors, and language. He discusses the zone of proximal development. It is the ZPD that I would like to focus on and analyze as a part of my thoughts. To get an understanding of this concept, here is an overview: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zone_of_proximal_development from Wikipedia. This concept really struck me as something that rings true in my own experience as a student. I was a smart enough student to do some AP courses but sometimes the content being taught was too simple so I would disengage and miss assignments, my grades suffering in the class. Similarly, if I felt the subject was too challenging I would also zone out and once again my grades would suffer. I never realized that there was theory for students like myself.
I observe Mrs. O in her Theatre courses. As I previously related, Mrs. O introduced the concept of picking a monologue to her students on a day I did not observe. The class period the following day was one that I did observe and it seemed to be utter chaos. Students had not completed the assignment, misunderstood the assignment and overall seemed completely lost on the task they had been instructed to undertake. What I saw, using terms from our content, was a lack of scaffolding and the more knowledgeable other not actually guiding or mentoring her students through the sweet space of the zone of proximal development. The task she had given them was actually a challenge. They were supposed to pick a monologue that fit competition rules and they were supposed to try and pick it from a play. From my understanding, she did not show them how. She gave them instructions and expected them to follow through. The scaffolding that could have been provided that could have helped these students immensely would have been a list of works available for free on the internet that they could read through. Another guided help could have been what works were available in her personal library. She also did not go through and show students how to read a play or cut a work from it. Doing these things may have been just the thing to guide these students through the challenge placed in front of them so actual learning could occur.
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