A constructionist teacher will find examples of careful and systematic thinking about how children learn that can guide him or her in the classroom. Piaget and Vygotsky (Gredler, 2002) give us solid examples of what children are ready for and at what ages they are most likely to benefit from specific kinds of instruction. Piaget's theories help the constructionist teacher be aware that although children think about what they're doing, they go through cognitive developmental stages. Respecting the types of cognitive thinking a child is likely to use at a given age is another way to teach the child respectfully -- by neither teaching below their abilities or by demanding that they perform as little adults.

Maria Montessori might serve as an excellent role model for such a teacher. Montessori looked at children developmentally (2) and constructed specially-made instructional aids that encouraged children to explore the world carefully and systematically. She also treated the children with respect uncommon for the age, treating learning not as if every lesson were a new and challenging burden, but rather, presenting new information as a precious gift passed on from one generation to the next.

Most recently, Howard Gardner, Ph.D. has developed a framework that fits well with today's schools, environments, and existing curricula. He has formulated a theory of "multiple intelligences," the idea that different children will learn in different ways. He argues that our schools tend to produce students who learn information but don't always know how to apply it in new situations (Shaughnessy, 1994). An example of this might be the high school student who seems to be an excellent reader but who does not really understand what the instructions on a bottle of aspirin say. The ability translate mastered skills into new situations has been under-emphasized,...

He encourages teachers to both teach and evaluate learning in multiple ways. So, while people may focus on the eight ways Gardner says children can be "smart," his final goal is for student to make connections between what they know and they don't know. He sees this as most likely to happen when teaching reflects multiple ways people may learn. This means that just because a child is, perhaps, a kinesthetic learner, he should be taught only in that way. If the information is presented through multiple modalities, the child's understanding of the material will broaden beyond his natural tendencies (Shaughnessy, 1994).
This makes teaching much more than the simple job it was once of presenting information and then having the students return that information on some form of examination. A constructivist teacher will have to be able to create a learning environment that encourages exploration, but be ready to provide guidance along the way. Montessori's materials provided much of that structure, but in most classrooms, the materials will teach children well if used well, but allow them to coast at a superficial level without making important discoveries if the students are not guided well. At the same time, the teacher will have to have intermediate and long-term curricular goals in mind as well as the goals of the current activity. So, as in the example of tasting and handling foods, the exercise could be little more than snack time, or be tied to cultural understanding as well as practical application of food groups in a balanced diet. It is up to the teacher to make sure that constructivist teaching results in broad, balanced and complete education.

SOURCES

Author not available, "Montessori, Maria." The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition 2004.

Gredler, Margaret E. 2002. "A review and analysis of constructivism for school-based practice." School Psychology Review, Jan. 12.

Shaughnessy, Michael F. 1994. "Educating for understanding (Howard Gardner Interview)." Phi Delta Kappan, March 1.