Learning Theories

This week, we were required to read from this article, The Banking Concept, and then write about one learning theory , and compare it to this concept.

One of the learning theories that I want to look at is the the Montessori Schools. The ideas behind this schooling involve an emphasis on independence and freedom within the limits of child's psychological, physical, and social development.

Classrooms for this type of schooling mix ages of children, depending on their development, freedom of movement is emphasized, and student choice of activity is highly looked at.

Mary Montessori developed this type of education in 1897 while in school at the University of Rome. In 1907, she opened her first classroom, where she began to use this type of schooling. Montessori schools came to the United States in the 1900’s, however, the ideas created a conflict. Montessori education is basically a model for human development. They engage in psychological self-construction by interacting with their environments , and that children under the age of six follow a path towards psychological development. This type of schooling also involved free activity with a prepared environment. In this sense, the education was tailored toward human characteristics and development or each individual child and all of the classroom as a whole.

I think the Montessori school system is a great idea when it comes to education in the schools. I like that it allows students of different ages to interact with each other, while also focusing on the development of each individual student and how they are choosing to learn. Aspects of this type of learning are used in schools today. Although teachers have to follow a common core when teaching students, they still require the students to develop certain skills, tested by projects, tests in class, and tests by administrators, and if the child has not developed these skills, often times they will repeat the grade again, to make sure they are getting the best education they can.

The article we also had to read involved reading about the Banking Concept. This concept states many things, but basically it says that a teacher teaches, a students learned with out consulting what they want to learn, and the teacher has all the authority in the classroom while the students are simply objects who know nothing. In a way, the banking concept discourages the power of creativity, wanting all students to learn the same and adapt to be the same. When comparing it to the Montessori education beliefs, I think that some thing might be the same, but they have very different values. The Montessori schools want to help students succeed and develop into the best students they can be, addressing issues regarding all subjects, and creating students who do not all think the same. The teacher is mostly the one teaching and students are learning, just like a banking concept, but often times, teachers can learn from students, looking at how they react to different lessons.