Ariel Van Dyke's Ed Psych Blog

The teacher in the class I observed discovered students' existing schemas about body image and the media through a journal prompt and discussion at beginning of class asking them about their current ideas on body image and media messages. introduced disequilibrium when she showed students a video of a model saying that she is extremely insecure. This disrupted students' existing belief that models are very confident because they have nice bodies and good looks. She also introduced disequilibrium when she told students that only 5% of Americans naturally have the body type most often associated with typical beauty standards. Through discussion, further instruction, and in class activities the students realized equilibrium again because they learned that all people have insecurities and worry about their appearance even if they seem perfect and confident. They also learned methods the media uses to trick people into thinking that other people are perfect which helped them underst...

In the class that I'm observing in the teacher spent most of the lesson on media's influence on body image as the more knowledgeable other but at one point she admitted that another person would know better than her and showed a video of a model talking about body image. The lesson played into Vygotsky's Sociocultural Theory very well because it addressed specifically how our culture impacts the students' personal development and beliefs on their body image. On the other hand the lesson addressed how certain social norms can be unlearned if enough social support can be built for the topic. Hand in  hand with applying the Sociocultural Theory the teacher also used cultural tools that the students could relate to like internet ads from popular social media sites, Tweets from celebrities, and popular music videos that address body image. The teacher discovered the students ZPDs and tapped into their existing funds of knowledge through a discussion at the beginning of class...

1. How will an understanding of adolescents' physical development impact your teaching?  As a health teacher my understanding of adolescents' physical development is vital to my teaching. I need to be able to be a resource for them as they develop and have questions about their changing bodies. I also need to be an accurate source of information as I give instruction on maturation and puberty. It will also help me to be a more sensitive teacher if I can understand that the physical changes they are experiencing are going to impact their learning and I can adjust my classroom environment to accommodate their changing bodies. I can make it appropriate to move around during class, to go to the bathroom when needed, to develop safe and appropriate ways to deal with aggression or sadness. Knowing the ins and outs of physical development is going to be so helpful to me in the way I approach student needs. 2. How will an understanding of adolescents' linguistic development an...