Question

Research supports Piaget’s view that children actively try to understand the world around them and organize their knowledge (Flavell, 1996), and this view has been a rich source of ideas about ways for teachers and parents to foster children’s development. The theory identifies several specific conditions that promote cognitive growth:

Cognitive growth occurs as children construct their understanding of the world, so teachers should create environments in which children can discover how the world works. A teacher shouldn’t tell children how addition and subtraction are complementary but instead should help children discover the complementarity themselves.

Children profit from experience only when they can interpret this experience with their current cognitive structures. The best teaching experiences are just ahead of the children’s current level of thinking. As youngsters begin to master basic addition, teachers and parents should not jump right to subtraction but instead should go to slightly more difficult addition problems.

Cognitive growth can be particularly rapid when children discover inconsistencies and errors in their thinking. Teachers should encourage children to look at the consistency of their thinking. If a child is making mistakes in borrowing on subtraction problems, a teacher should encourage the child to look at many errors to discover what he or she is doing wrong.

If you are a preschool or elementary school teacher, how will you use the work of Piaget to structure and design your classroom to promote maximum cognitive growth in your students?

Answer 1

Cognitive development refers to the term like the thought process, remembering, problem-solving and decision making from childhood to adulthood.

Piaget's theory states that mental development is the result of biological maturation and environment, Piaget's opined that how a child behaves, communicate, how they make sense of verbal or non-verbal transaction in everyday life, that children gradually understand by their experience. Acquisition and understanding does it does not happen overnight,

A child's mind is like a blank slate. The environment, experience, and opportunities make them understand. In a classroom, the teacher should create such an environment that helps the child to try to understand and solve the problems by themselves early childhood teachers are required to make plan stimulating and challenging atmosphere. The early childhood education is the base for future education.

The child is born with the very basic mental structure on which future foundation is kept. If a child is given to solve the sum of addition or subtraction. It is not expected from the child to do all the sums correctly, being a child he is going to make mistakes, at this juncture as Piaget says it is the basic building blocks of such cognitive models that enables to form a mental representation and same way a child will be able to form his mistake and make use of the information for better experience in future. A teacher shouldn’t tell children how addition and subtraction are complementary but instead show the child to find the mistake and correct it themselves. A helping hand will take them in the right direction

These problem solving are called schemas. Schemas are actually the pattern of thoughts or behavior which is based on our experience of life. A child is learning from his mistake. The parents and teachers should force a child to jump from one type of sums to another, let him first get perfect in addition. With mental experience and learning the sum of subtraction will automatically become easier. The climbing first step is always difficult, but later on climbing it becomes easier.

As a preschool teacher, it has to be kept in mind that a classroom should be made in such a way that it attracts a child. There has to sufficient space, and the design of the classroom should be such that it attracts the child.

1. Attention should be given to the physical space and design to the classroom.

2. Meeting space. Provide one area of the classroom for the children to interact with each other, develop the skill and have group activity.

3. Classroom decor. An attractive classroom decor is a must.

4. Furniture. In a classroom, the furniture should be such that it provides adequate space for all students to move safely around the classroom.

5. Clear clutter.

6. Place signs and symbols around the room that point out exit and entryways in case of an emergency.

The attitude of the teacher is utmost important. A teacher should motivate the young students. A positive approach and friendly caring atmosphere should be provided.