Reflection 2

REFLECTION # 2

A REFLECTION PAPER ON THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE BEHAVIORIST LESSON PLAN AND THE CONSTRUCTIVIST LESSON PLAN

The process of Education is developed on various ways. When the lesson plans were implanted, it was received as an effective tool for the teachers. The Behaviorist and the Constructivist methods are different but both are important to guide the students in the educational process. The teacher is free to make his/her choice to use that one which is more suitable, depending on the topic to be presented.

The Behaviorist Plan presents information, which the students must memorize, understand and assimilate.

The process is passive, where the students get some knowledge from what they received without own experience. They just receive the information because it exists. It is kind of “follow me” method of teaching. Somebody else has the information, and it is transmitted from generations to generations. The approach is concerned with changes in behavior. Usually the activities are, reading, reviewing, analyzing what is provided, i.e. text, material, book etc. In the end a test is applied to demonstrate how much was assimilated. Bellow an example of a Behaviorist Lesson Plan format. It may vary from school to school, from teacher to teacher.

Purpose and Objective – What the students will be able to do, to learn from the material

Input – the vocabulary, the skills they need to know.

Guided practice – the teacher leads the students all the time. They can’t go out of that guide

Checking for Understanding – The teacher is always observing to see if they are following his/her steps

Review – check it out to fix the concepts on mind

Test – An evaluation is applied to test their knowledge.

The Constructivist Plan involves more participation. The students will absorb the lessons by using their experiences. The teacher creates situations where the students can use creativity to solve problems. The process is more active and more effective, for the students not only receive information, but also they can discuss the issue and they can make their own conclusion. The teacher formulate questions that lead the students for discussion and they are encouraged to build questions in order to develop their capacity of thinking. This method is very , very effective. Let’s see some points that are presented in this kind of lesson plan.

Situation – created by the teacher for the students to explain

Grouping – students and material

Bridge – it connects what they know to what they will discover

Questions – to guide them to discussion

Explanation – they have a chance to explain what they are learning

Reflection – what kind of lessons were learned during the discussion

As we saw in reflection #1, both methods have their value in the process of education, it depends on the type of subject that is being presented in class.