Tribrid Beliefs = Tribrid Practice

    There is something that excites me about philosophy and origins of thought, considering perspectives, and reflecting on how my own ideals and practice is represented in comparison. I remember a quiz that I took during one of my first masters classes, meant to determine which historic teaching philosophies best aligned with our own. It was apparent then and still accurate now, that I represent a dichotomy of philosophical theories in my planning, values, and application in my practice. 

    

       In the 16 years that I have spent teaching in the public school system, I would say that some of my beliefs have shifted slightly over time, but more so the theoretical application represented through my beliefs alters based on my students and their needs. Only since I have started taking masters classes have I realized that I certainly draw on and include aspects of behaviourism, cognitivism, and constructivism in my teaching practice and would say that the three areas are needed and are relatively balanced in my classroom but might fluctuate from year to year based on the students. I have always and continue today to teach 'old-school' drill and practice methods all the way to student driven inquiry projects. I firmly believe that there is importance in the inclusion of all areas and that practices centered in behaviourism and cognitivism provide essential skills and organizational tools necessary for finding success with constructivist models. This is at least true for the grade levels that I teach in middle elementary

    Behaviourism represents the innate human desire for reward, and regardless of your level of ambition and self-motivation, seeking external reinforcement is something that I don't think we ever entirely grow out of. Therefore, it can result in great success especially in terms of developing positive habits that will likely aid us as we journey through life. With growth and maturity, comes the realization that hard-work and 'doing the right thing' will increase your chances of success. While I believe these sorts of methods to be necessary building blocks for character development and work ethic, solely relying on behaviourist approaches negates the responsibility we have to personal well-being because we are constantly relying on an outside source for approval. In life, the expectation for reward is not a realistic expectation and people are taken out of the moment because they are continuously seeking an end point. This mindset has likely perpetuated a high degree of mental health problems in our society; not being able to access or live up to a unattainable prescription of 'what life should be'.

    Cognitivism provides us with the framework and organizational tools necessary to navigate and organize our thinking and our lives. In elementary school grades, using tools like graphic organizers is crucial to their learning. Ultimately the goal is that eventually those organizers just translate into a persons mental ability to organize information, emotions, data etc. resulting in our ability to problem solve and take steps to plan and take action. With the notions suggested in Bloom's hierarchy of learning the importance of delving into some higher order thinking, analyzing, and interpreting information aids us in our ability to handle and organize information and knowledge.

    While abilities born of the constructivist approaches are equally important to a person's learning and life experience, the tools, habits, and organization instilled by the aforementioned approaches are essential to finding success in this realm. There is opportunity here to reach one's highest potential, not only as a learner but in the freedom to pursue and live an enriched and fulfilled life. When students are given the opportunity to explore concepts from an inquiry standpoint, the learning and engagement which takes place is not comparable to anything learned through rote memorization or lecture. The self motivation and problem solving which they encounter through this process is the most accurate to the challenges confronted in life and provide the learner with a means to explore and get to know themselves as learners and develop self-motivation.

    Until now, my experiences have lead me to believe that not only does each learning theory inform the next, but that they are all essential to the learning process.