Cognitive Learning Classroom Observation Reflection/Analysis

Cognitive Learning Classroom Observation Reflection/Analysis
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Abstract
Cognitive learning involves problem-solving techniques, memory preservation, intellectual skills and the discernment of acquired information. The classroom observation analysis and reflection that is depicted in this paper focused on the interaction between kindergarten children and their teachers. Various actions, languages, and interactions between the two groups were observed so as to develop evidence on the different class practices that enhance cognitive learning in schools. Head Start that is composed of children aged between three and five years was preferred for the study due to the composition of the children in it that enabled in developing the best implications for the study. The majority of the children are of Hispanic origin while 3% are Asians. The study focused on the English subject that is offered in Head Start program since the majority of the students were learning it as their second language. Therefore, this enabled in carrying out the research on cognitive learning techniques through classroom observation.
The study observed that teachers and students have to interact with one another through respect, relevance, and motivation so as to achieve the goals of cognitive learning. On the same note, I found out that pupils need to be given time to practice the concepts that they have learned in class among themselves so as to enhance their understandability on the various texts through cognitive learning.

Therefore, the paper shall touch on the study that I carried out and provide different inferences that are based on cognitive learning.

Introduction
Cognitive learning is a function grounded on how an individual routes and views information. It gyrates around many aspects such as problem-solving techniques, memory preservation, intellectual skills and the discernment of acquired information. The act takes place both consciously and unconsciously since information is obtained and processed from time to time. Children differ when conscious learning takes place since some are visually cognitive while others learn best from hearing information from their teachers or parents. Consequently, this implies that when children portray challenges in learning, teachers need to change the techniques they apply in delivering information so as to increase the retention capability of the youngsters. Therefore, classroom observation and reflection or analysis makes teaching and learning more visible. Similarly, it encourages the class participants to collaborate so as to enhance the practice of instruction doctrines and the process of student learning and development.
Good teachers engage in self-reflection and seek the feedback of their pupils so as to be efficient and enhance the outcomes depicted by students in their studies. They search for mentoring from peers so as to reflect and expand their teaching practices in a student-centered and flexible manner. My observation will be based on the class that I currently volunteer at Head Start Program. Therefore, this paper shall carry out a classroom observation reflection on cognitive learning in a deeper analysis and reaction on the various issues that were depicted from the class under consideration. On the same note, it shall provide insinuations from the observation I made and the relation they hold towards childhood education development.
The Setting and Locality of the Study
The classroom under observation is Head start program that is composed of children aged between three and five years. The school is based within the district and is composed of apprentices of Hispanic origin who are the majority and few Asians who are estimated to hold a two percent of the total population. The subject being taught in Head Start Program that fall under the study is English as it aims at growing the linguistic abilities of the children in readiness for schooling. Similarly, in the age group that was investigated, the children have started attending kindergarten and the initiative shall help in the betterment of their cognitive capacity. The ethnic background of the children makes it difficult for them to pick up English pronunciation that varies from their mother tongue since they pursue English as their second language.
Rudiments of Effective Training and Erudition
Efficacious learners depict the ability to define their erudition goals and develop an evaluation of their attainments. On the same note, they should be in a position to apply the knowledge they have gained in solving new challenging issues that they face in their day to day activities. Therefore, the challenge necessitates that they should not only hold practical acquaintance but also portray an understanding of the essential notions and ideologies and the aptitude to examine and appraise hitches.
Flor-Maduel (2008) accentuate on the significance of the learning route through the observation of student’s awareness of their cognitive approaches. The cognitive process makes students to make a reflection on their thinking through monitoring, control, and regulation of one’s cognitive processes. It should be noted that pupils are likely to interact with their subject matter through connecting their student world beyond the school and providing them with information that is relevant to the real life. Therefore, teachers should be aware that solving tasks into distinct component skills that lack an association to anything apprentices do outside the school have a deleterious sway on inspiration. Similarly, it hinders students from being in a position to transfer the abilities that they have cultured to the tasks in the real world. Consequently, this shows that apprentices clench more tenure in the learning route when they are affianced in activities that are personally meaningful and relate to snags analogous to those they encounter in their home place (Liu & Zou, 2011). Therefore, some of the stratagems that keep apprentices involved in their undertakings and make them grasp and replicate on what they learn are argued below.
Guaranteeing Sufficient Time on Task
Successful learning requires a great venture in the time factor. Therefore, schools should cave prolonged slabs of time through heartening the application of interdisciplinary approaches. In the observation study that I carried out, I realized that classroom management stratagems are critical in certifying apprentices to devote abundant time in educational activities instead of using excessive time in settling down, transitioning between different undertakings, or interspersing. Routines should be established at the commencement of the year so as to make students stay focused in carrying out their chores in school. Similarly, I noted that the method makes pupils aware of what they anticipate and what is expected of them at the end of the process. It has been noted that when apprentices are not aware of what shall happen next, they can lose focus and become disruptive. Therefore, organization, preparation, and procedures can facilitate in reducing that time that is lost in learning in different schools across the globe.
Establishing Challenging Learning Objectives
According to Adams (2015), he says that the Bloom’s taxonomy that is based on the pyramid of cognitive spheres was advanced by a group of scholastic psychologists led by Benjamin Bloom. The taxonomy ascertains “recall, understanding, application, analysis, evaluation, and creation” as the six progressively intricate levels of cognitive assignation. Therefore, in the study that I carried out, I applied a modified version of loom’s Taxonomy by understanding the content of the observation. The perspective of the revised version focuses on knowledge and cognitive processes. I applied the six reasoning methods and the four styles of acquaintance.
Modeling Cognitive Strategies
Think-Aloud and Read-Aloud Strategies
“Think-aloud” is a system of enunciating the thought process. In the classroom reflection that I carried out, I realized that teachers model problem-solving inclines by affirming the conceptual phases that they apply as they tackle a problem. In reading, think-aloud can be applied by instructors, not just to convention conception stratagems, but to ascertain the period at which each strategy is taking place and reasons behind its occurrence (Barrouillet, 2015). Therefore, this shows that it can be exhibited as a tool that shall enable educators to scale understanding and problem deciphering abilities. Conversely, “read-aloud” takes place when an educator or an apprentice who is reading a text aloud pauses so as to take into consideration a teacher-directed question concerning the text. The analysis that I carried out depicted that a teacher can enhance the process of reading through asking questions that require the apprentices to summarize, make predictions, or make an analysis of the text. Therefore, this enables the teacher to model and support the students in taking an active approach towards reading.
“Teaching for Understanding” Technique
The technique applies Piaget’s Theory of cognitive development that is based on human thinking capacity. It requires that an educator makes overt ways of thinking about the subject matter so that the pupils can paradigm their indulgent of the material discussed in class (Barrouillet, 2015). In the analysis that I carried out, I realized that instructors could aid learners study by modeling ways that make them think, organize and remember information, and illustrate concepts in different ways. The reason behind this is because pupils grasp concepts better in diverse means, and this requires trainers to use an assortment of skills at their disposal (Tzuriel & Flor-Maduel, 2010). Similarly, I realized that teaching that is aimed at understanding takes place when teachers touch on reasoning by not only giving reasons as to why one reaction is true but also explaining why a particular answer is wrong. Therefore, teachers should model on the ways that assist students to think through a particular question before they provide their respective responses. Equally, I noted that educators should show students the methods used to tackle intricate tasks and exhibit systems of keeping apprentices on the trajectory through observing their advancement alongside different frontiers.

Necessitating Apprentices to Exhibit Cognitive Ploys
In the class that I observed, I realized that educators are accountable for insistent for understanding when they ask quires or set tasks that aim at making the apprentices contemplate what they are schooling from the different undertakings (Shabani, 2016). Therefore, this shall enable the pupils to articulate their understanding on the different concepts that they are thought. Therefore, this technique assists teachers to ensure that the students prove that they have grasped the texts through giving explanations in their words, equating responses, or making recognition as to why something is correct or incorrect.
Strengths and Weaknesses of Teachers under Observation
The teachers I observed portrayed many strong points as compared to weaknesses as they delivered knowledge to the children. They were able to model problem-solving tactics by asserting the cerebral phases that they apply as they develop information. Similarly, they made overt ways of thinking about the discussions that they carried out in class so as to make the pupils comprehend the material that they presented. On the same note, the teachers applied classroom management stratagems so as to enable the pupils to devote their time to educational materials (Logue, 2007). One of the weaknesses is that the teachers failed to create a platform for the children to interact among themselves.
Conclusion
The above discussion on cognitive learning classroom observation analysis depicts different ways and methods that should be applied by both teachers and students so as to enhance their understandability on the materials covered in class. The paper touched on the various rudiments of effective teaching and learning and the effects they have towards the pupils in the development of their schooling goals. Therefore, the above study can be used by teachers, parents and other researchers who may wish to have a knowhow on cognitive learning process among young children across the globe.
Similarly, the interaction of children with adults has an effect on the process of cognitive learning. Teachers and parents should employ the best techniques when upbringing children since the knowledge they gain at the earlier age affects their edification process in their entire life. Thus, this implies that teachers should make children depict a cognitive reflection of what they anticipate and what is projected from them in their journey to gain knowledge. Therefore, the above discussion has made a deep analysis and reaction on the various issues that were depicted from educators and pupils in the classroom under study.
References
Adams, N. (2015). Bloom’s taxonomy of cognitive learning objectives. J Med Libr Assoc, 103(3), 152-153. http://dx.doi.org/10.3163/1536-5050.103.3.010
Barrouillet, P. (2015). Theories of cognitive development: From Piaget to today. Developmental Review, 38, 1-12. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.dr.2015.07.004
Flor-Maduel, H. (2008). Relationship Between Early Writing and Phonological Working Memory Among Kindergarten Children: Dynamic Versus Static Assessment. Journal Of Cognitive Education And Psychology, 7(2), 296-297. http://dx.doi.org/10.1891/194589508787381791
Liu, Y. & Zou, X. (2011). Observation and Reflection on Problem-based Learning. TPLS, 1(10). http://dx.doi.org/10.4304/tpls.1.10.1383-1387
Logue, M. (2007). Early Childhood Learning Standards: Tools for Promoting Social and Academic Success in Kindergarten. Children & Schools, 29(1), 35-43. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/cs/29.1.35
Shabani, K. (2016). Implications of Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory for second language (L2) assessment. Cogent Education, 3(1). http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/2331186x.2016.1242459
Tzuriel, D. & Flor-Maduel, H. (2010). Prediction of Early Literacy by Analogical Thinking Modifiability Among Kindergarten Children. J Cognit Educat Psychol, 9(3), 207-226. http://dx.doi.org/10.1891/1945-8959.9.3.207