As I've been reading a chapter on the Psychodynamic Model, I've come across some interesting tidbits of information. I'd really like to know what you guys have to say about any or all of the following (either individually or all in conjunction with one another):
In the early part of the 20th century, conformity in the classroom came to be viewed by some educators as detrimental to a child's natural development.
Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs:
Basic Needs -- Deficiency Needs: safety, hunger, satiation, affection, security, and self esteem
Meta-Needs -- Growth Needs: justice, goodness, beauty, and unity
Only a very few, select people are characterized by autonomy, spontaneity, democratic values, creativity, and a resistance to conformity. They are able to transcend rather than tolerate the environment, which is the final step in becoming full human.
Carl Rogers:
Learning should be self-initiated and congruent with personal experience
Classrooms should offer a climate for experiential learning and teachers should facilitate the learning process
Karen Horney:
A Neo-Freudian who focuses on anxiety and the basic need for conformity. She feels that conflicts such as arrogance, hostility, and anxiety can be avoidable if a child is reared in an atmosphere of security, warmth, love, trust, and respect.
What's your take?
I would have to say that I'm more inclined towards Carl Rogers with self-initiated learning. From working with my youth a lot of times I see that some of the most rewarding moments are when they figure something out for themselves instead of me telling them. God gave them brains that can do more than regurgitate information that is being thrown at them. Another wonderful thing is that we are all individuals, and I love finding ways for students to express that. The key is to find ways to help them learn that they are individuals, but we can all work together and we all need each other. They can't do everything on their own, they do need help sometimes.
ReplyDeleteKaren Horney is correct that a child should be in an atmosphere of security, warmth, love, trust and respect. I 100% agree with that. However, I think we also need to deal with the reality that being in an atmosphere like that will not always happen. So we need to help students learn how to deal with things such as arrogance, hostility, and anxiety. Sometimes the only way for them to learn this is through self experience. Do we WANT them to experience this in their lives? Of course not, and I don't think that we need to create environments like that in the classroom. I don't think conformity is the answer though, because each student is different, so why should we force them to be like everyone else?
What I think we need to help students learn is that there is a difference between conformity and being unified. You can work together as a group, be loving and supportive, and everyone being treated equally, without conformity. People can be individuals while still being unified and working together.
Emily, I always enjoy and appreciate what you have to say and not just because I tend to agree with you but because it is sound, founded opinion.
ReplyDeleteI do, however, have a few questions I'd like to pose in regards to the "always positive" environment as suggest by Horney (and really these are open for anyone, not just Emily):
Does this suggestion leave from for error?
Are there any negative aspects?
How would this perspective be applied to discipline? Is there such thing as positive or encouraging discipline?
In regards to self-directed learning, it brings to mind the concept of Montessori schools. In Montessori schools, there are two groupings of children (I believe 2-6 yrs and 6-12 yrs) and the idea is that the more advanced will "teach" those who are a little lagging. You have an environment built and designed for self-directed learning and there is not much intervention on behalf of the teacher other than overall guidance, direction, and redirection. The purpose is to take advantage of a child's curiosity to fuel their learning. Should more classrooms emulate this?