Activity 1.5

Preface

Talks to Teachers on Psychology and to Students on Some of Life’s Ideals, written by William James, is a compilation of his public lectures addressed to teachers and students.  The lectures prepared for teachers concentrates on the practical application of improving learning by showing the teacher how to think about learning through the mental framework of the student.  The student lectures focus on the individuality of life and morals and the implications of that in relation to the world.

Connection:  

Each student should be taught as an individual, and the discipline of psychology complements the art of teaching.  What are practical applications for teaching the individual?  One approach to teaching and learning is the utilization of student learning styles or a more accurate label learning preferences.  The three most commonly discussed learning preferences are visual, auditory, and kinesthetic.  Some teachers and students have found the use of learning styles to be beneficial in addressing the individual learning needs of the student, but they do remain controversial due to the contradictory research that exists on their validity.

David A. Kolb (1984) describes learning as, “the process whereby knowledge is created through the transformation of experience” (p. 41).  Kolb developed the Experiential Learning Theory (ELT) and later developed the Learning Style Inventory (LSI).  The LSI is used to assist the instructor as well as the student in effective teaching and learning strategies for the individual.  Learning is complex and the patterns identified in the LSI are general patterns related to individual learning (Kolb, 1984).  The practical use and application of learning preferences are viable strategies that highlight the individual mental framework of the student but should be researched and used cautiously.

Reference: 

Kolb, D. A. (1984). Experiential learning: Experience as the source of learning and

development. Englewood Cliffs, N.J: Prentice-Hall.

Chapter 1

Teachers must concentrate on their students, the art of teaching, and require only a general overview of psychology to be effective.  The successful teacher transforms the science of psychology into the individual art of teaching by apply their own originality, imagination, intellect, and talent into their instruction. 

Connection: 

The Good High School, written by Sara Lawrence Lightfoot, explores through qualitative research six high schools distinguished as providing quality education.  George Washington Carver High School in Atlanta, GA was one of the six schools Lightfoot studied as part of her research.  The superintendent appointed Dr. Hogans to take over the dysfunctional school that was scheduled to be closed.  The typical student at George Washington Carver was from the low socioeconomic black public housing community of Carver.  Under Dr. Hogans leadership, he turned the school around through discipline, authority, tough standards, commitment, dedicated teaching, and concern for the students.  He concentrated on creating a comprehensive educational environment that included both technical and academic educational preparation.  Dr. Hogans exemplifies what James lectured on in chapter one about focusing on students through the art of teaching.  As James (1962) stated, “the teachers of this country, one may say, have its future in their hands” (p. 1).  The teachers at George Washington Carver High School truly reflect the statement by James in the way they connected with their students, encouraged their interest, respected diversity, demonstrated sound teaching principles, and introduced the value of education.  The administrative leadership and dedicated teachers concentrated on the students and through the art of successful teaching turned the school into a positive educational learning environment.   

References:

James, W. (1899/2001). Talks to teachers on psychology and to students on some of life’s ideas.

Mineola, NY: Dover.                                     

Lightfoot, S.L. (1983). The good high school: Portraits of character and culture. United States

of America: Basic Books.

Chapter 2

Consciousness is a person’s internal mental process that flows and changes continuously.  The simultaneous present existence of feelings, thoughts, emotions, sensations, and experiences are complex since they are all present to some degree at the same time and reflect previous experiences and education.

Connection:

The complex interactions of consciousness may be compared to the simultaneous activities of reading, watching the news, drinking water, and exercising on the stair master that may occur during a workout at the gym.  The consciousness is a constant flow and change of simultaneous present conditions of feelings, thoughts, emotions, sensations, and experiences. This is complex because they are all happening at the same time in varying degrees.  Exercising while simultaneously engaging in other activities is challenging as the focus switches from one activity to another.  For example, an individual may stop reading when they hear a news story on television that peaks their interest, or a person next to them engages them in conversation.  However, they still continue exercising as the additional activities unrelated to the workout change.  This is similar to the array of internal mental interactions that are simultaneously occurring in a person’s conscious. The individual determines what is ‘focal’ and essential to the experience and what is ‘marginal’ and less important.  This determination is based on interactions and conditions that are present concurrently.  The array of simultaneous activities that may be engaged in during exercise is similar to the internal mental process of the consciousness.  Both represent a continuous flow and change of what is happening in the moment either in the example of the workout or the conscious.   

Chapter 3

The mind is responsible for the action, knowledge, and interaction with the environment that takes place as part of the adjustment to the world.

Connection: 

James’ talked about how the conscious is responsible for how we chose to adapt to our environment, and consciousness leads to understanding and action.  Victor Frankl is an example of a person taking responsibility and choosing how to experience the world.  While serving as a prisoner in a concentration camp, Frankl affirmed and lived out the theory of existential therapy.  Existential therapy encourages people to “accept the awesome freedom and responsibility to act” (Corey, 1996, p. 180).  Frankl decided as a prisoner he still had choices, and he adjusted to his current environment as a prisoner in the concentration camp.  He survived his time in the concentration camp where he expanded upon existential therapy and developed the theory of logotherapy.  Logotherapy’s main focus is that a person’s motivation is to search for meaning in their life (Frankl, 1984).  Frankl stated, “what matters, therefore, is not the meaning of life in general but rather the specific meaning of a person’s life at a given moment” (1984, p. 131).  Man’s Search for Meaning, by Viktor Frankl, demonstrates how the mental process affects the practical life, and the importance of the mind in adjusting and responding to the environment.

References:

Corey, G. (1996). Theory and practice of counseling and psychotherapy. Pacific Grove, CA:

Brooks/Cole Publishing. 

Frankl, V. E. (1984). Man’s search for meaning. New York, NY: Washington Square Press.

Chapter 4

The routine manner that humans function through their conduct and behavior is determined by their educational training and instruction.

Connection:

“Your beliefs become your thoughts,
Your thoughts become your words,
Your words become your actions,
Your actions become your habits,
Your habits become your values,
Your values become your destiny.”
― Mahatma Gandhi

How we conduct our lives and habits that we adopt determine whom we are.  The quote by Mahatma Gandhi provides a summary of the value, impact, and influence that a routine produces.  Your education will have an impact on your destiny through your conduct and behavior in relation to your beliefs, thoughts, words, actions, habits, and values.  The exposure to education and the changes that are realized due to new knowledge will impact an individuals daily functions.  Learning is continuous and builds upon prior knowledge.  A routine function only becomes routine or habit when repeated consistently and is ingrained in one’s lifestyle with little conscious thought.         

Reference:

Gandhi, M. (2013). Mahatma Gandhi quotes. Retrieved from

http://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/5810891.Mahatma_Gandhi