Teaching and Learning as a Part of Modern Education - Essay Example

Learning Theories Affiliation Learning Theories Teaching and learning are an intrinsic part of modern education. The learning process starts right from infancy. Children below two years of age are capable of learning from their environment. Young minds are highly impressionable in that they are quick to pick up habits, traits, and mannerisms from the events transpiring in their environment. The science of learning can be explained by a consideration of the physiology of young children. Infants are usually born with fully-developed brain cells. Nevertheless, the brain cells are mostly aligned in a random pattern. As the children learn new concepts, their brain cells form synapses among themselves (Ghaye, 21). Gradually, these connections define the knowledge base of infants. As shown, learning can occur from a very early age regardless of the background or social status. Therefore, such children should also be actively taught by their guardians. Good manners should be among the first things that children get to learn. Such excellent forms of conduct can form cornerstone for the development of character and personality. Language is yet another aspect that can be learned and taught from infancy. Children learn to speak like their parents or guardians. In many instances, children under five years of age show admirable ability to speak the entire language system (Ghaye, 32-35). However, teaching and learning ought to extend beyond the basics of language and articulation. Elementary schools are the first step towards proper teaching and learning. They imbibe children with valuable speaking and writing skills. Each language has certain rules that govern its speakers. Language rules ensure uniformity and consistency. They also facilitate proper understanding and communication between regular speakers. The alphabet forms the fundamental part of language. Subsequent teaching and learning depends on the grasping of all language rules inclusive of the alphabet. Other subjects such as mathematics hinge on the foundation laid by learning and teaching of language. Other languages have modified forms of the alphabet to guide their speakers. For instance, Chinese-speaking persons rely on characters instead of an alphabet (Jadrich and Bruxvoort, 56-59). In addition, other languages focus on phonetic sounds rather than individual letters. Teaching and learning ought to be a gradual and continuous process. This implies that teachers have to be careful not to impart too much information. Learners too need to exercise restraint so as not to attempt to grasp much more than they can comprehend and retain. In order for learning to be effective, teaching has to focus on bits and pieces. Such a slow and deliberate process will ensure that the information becomes consolidated in the mental faculties of learners. It is easy to build upon blocks of information rather than bolster up torrents of endless information (Jadrich and Bruxvoort, 72-74). Therefore, teaching and learning needs to be undertaken in a controlled and intelligent manner so as to gain the optimum level of benefits from the process. In some circles, teaching and learning has been mired with plenty of misconceptions. For instance, many learners presume that learning should only be for the mentally incompetent. Such kind of misconception implies that teaching and learning is connected to intelligence. Granted, teaching and learning is relatively easier for persons with high intelligence. They can make sense of educative procedures and learning methods better than other less gifted students. Prideful persons may contend to be exempt from the necessity of teaching and learning. However, teaching and learning should not be defined by intelligence. Each person can be able to benefit from education regardless of their intellect or understanding. In the same vein, certain people may consider themselves too old to learn new things. Some may also consider themselves too young and inexperienced to be able to impart knowledge to others. Nevertheless, teaching and learning is never bounded by age on both sides of the spectrum. The capability of young persons to teach is matched by the ability of older persons to learn. Such a consideration highlights the importance of humility to teaching and learning (Ozdemir, Gunesyu, and Tekkaya, 74). Furthermore, teaching and learning never ends. It continues as long as a person is alive and in full control of their mental faculties. Gender differences have a strong effect on the teaching and learning processes. Male and female persons are naturally endowed with different physical and emotional characteristics. These differing traits affect the learning process both directly and indirectly. Male children portray a knack for intense concentration and focus. Consequently, they understand concepts quite differently to female students. On the other hand, female students have a natural instinct of paying keen attention to particular details of a matter. Such a heightened sense of concentration stands them in good stead concerning intensive lessons (Ozdemir, Gunesyu, and Tekkaya, 76). Therefore, gender differences have an indelible influence on the learning process of both sexes. Culture and cultural awareness also play a crucial role in the learning process of both sexes. The cultural background of a learner and teacher define the educative process. Firstly, learners will always grasp facts and experiences within their environment. Therefore, their base of knowledge is limited to the circumstances and events within their environment. In many instances, teachers are inspired by the occurrences within their environment. Consequently, they may be forced to teach whatever appeals to them most. In this manner, cultural aspects are shown to have an undeniable effect on the teaching and learning process. Moral development also forms an integral part of the teaching and learning process. Morality is concerned with personal values integrated into the character and personality of learners and teachers. Moral development defines the character progression of an individual. Excellent traits and qualities can be learned and perfected through time. This implies that a person can make a conscious effort to learn various personality aspects through the application of character modifications (Ozdemir, Gunesyu, and Tekkaya, 77). Behavioral theorists have devised methods of explaining the behavior of various learners and teachers in the educative process. Different motivation theories abound for various forms of instruction, classroom management, and learning. Classroom management is crucial to group students in a manner that pays heed to their unique qualities and traits. Sitting arrangement can be undertaken using a pattern that enables various students to benefit from the strong qualities of fellow students. Classroom management is also critical for teachers to control and oversee their students in a fine and unbiased manner (Ghaye, 76-77). Proper oversight helps students to focus on their core responsibilities within the classroom setting. Instructors can formulate various strategies for the purpose of helping students to develop self-motivation. Students learn in the classroom based on the application of various learning theories. The teacher can decide to progress at the learning pace of more capable students. The other students can be motivated to catch up to the pacesetting of the more intelligent students. Another theory includes the action of the teacher focusing on the less capable students. The full application of such learning theories enables the learning process to progress smoothly. References Ghaye, Tony. Teaching and Learning through Reflective Practice: A Practical Guide for Positive Action. Routledge: London, 2011. Jadrich, James., and Bruxvoort, Crystal. Learning and Teaching through Scientific Inquiry: Applications from Research. Arlington: National Science Teachers Association (NSTA), 2011. Ozdemir, Pinar., Gunesyu, Sibel., and Tekkaya, Ceren. Enhancing Learning through Multiple Intelligencies. Journal of Biological Sciences, v40, n2, p. 74-78, 2006. Read More