ABS 300 Final Paper Paper-2

Abstract

[Name] ABS 300 Final Paper As I reflect on my journey as an adult learner, I recognize how my experiences, relationships, and roles have shaped my understanding of the world and my approach to education. My life has been a combination of significant events. I experienced both personal and professional growth and the influence of the vibrant but challenging environment in which I was raised. I have developed values that have influenced my view of myself, others, and the world in general. My experiences align with Robert Kegan’s theory of adult development that includes the self–authorizing mind stage where people gain objectivity in their decisions based on values and beliefs (Helsing, 2023). My views and experiences are the result of the influence other people, particularly my family, have over my nurturing experience. My personal and professional growth has been in line with the education I have received from my parents and family in general during my personal development. Kegan’s theory demonstrates that during the instrumental mind stage of development, adults define and pursue their personal goals in life. My career path and personal life have been in line with the goals I have set in life and the experiences that have influenced my personal objectives. These moments have not only informed my values but also reflected the theories of adult development and learning I have come to study. Growing up on the South Side of Chicago, in the Woodlawn neighborhood, has given me my first lessons in resilience and adaptability. My community was full of culture and strength; however, I also witnessed the systemic challenges that many families like mine had to navigate. These experiences taught me to value hard work, persistence, and the support of those around me. My personal background and the lessons I had as a child have a significant influence on my capacity to withstand challenges in life. I learned how to view the world more objectively and to look beyond the challenges and difficulties I faced in my life. I gained significantly from the explicit and subtle lessons from my parents and other members of my family on the importance of resilience in achieving personal and professional growth. My experience has influenced my approach to resisting unfair and unjust treatment against myself and other people in the personal and professional capacities. I recognize that I may be the target of injustice and intend to stand against perceptions and actions that portray unjust treatment. Looking back, I see how Kolb’s experiential learning theory applies to my life since I have learned from my experiences during childhood. The theory shows that learning occurs through four stages that involve observing and thinking about experience. Learning and reflecting on new experiences has a significant impact on people’s perception of life. Thinking about my experiences has influenced my view of the world and interactions with other people (Wijnen-Meijer et al., 2022). I have learned to be resilient in pursuing my personal and professional goals particularly when I encounter difficulties in life. I realize now that my pursuit for further academic qualifications aligns with my resilience to seek professional success in my career. Kolb’s theory shows that learning can occur at any stage in life and influence personal views on success and approaches to life. My childhood had the most significant influence on my view of life, success, and resilience as a student and in my career. A critical turning point in my learning journey came during high school when I struggled with biology. At first, I felt overwhelmed by the subject’s complexity, particularly when studying topics like genetics and cell division. However, my teacher turned this struggle into an opportunity by using hands-on experiments and visual aids to make the material more accessible. This experience taught me the value of engaging teaching methods and made me realize that my strengths lie in kinesthetic and spatial learning, concepts supported by Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences. It also reminded me that effective teaching can transform a student’s experience perspective. My professional experiences further deepened my understanding of learning and development. After earning my degree in child development, I spent seven years working as a lead teacher in daycare. There, I applied Piaget’s stages of cognitive development and Vygotsky’s zone of proximal development to support children’s growth (Xi & Lantolf, 2021). Now, as a special education assistant for Chicago Public Schools, I collaborate with teachers and attend IEP meetings to create inclusive learning environments for students with diverse needs. This work has helped me see the value of constructivism in education—meeting students where they are and building on their strengths to foster growth. My understanding of theories of childhood development has made me a better teacher and an influencer to my students. Children acquire skills throughout their early life and incorporating theories in education improves the effectiveness of learning. In my career as an educator, I applied theories of development to increase the effectiveness of my instruction approaches and match education to my learners’ needs. Children acquire new knowledge from their education and through life experiences that influences their world view. Cognitive development occurs at an equilibrium that motivates children to continue pursuing new skills in their life. I have used theories of development to implement measures that motivate my students to learn new information that facilitates learning. Piaget’s stages show how children explore their social and physical world in the process of learning and knowledge acquisition. Educators can use the theory to better understand the world in the view of their students and increase the effectiveness of early childhood education I have formed the habit of enquiring and reflecting on my effectiveness as a teacher and the influence I have on my students. One of my goals as an educator is to ensure that the strategies I use in the classroom meet the needs of the students. My teachers throughout my life have been an inspiration for my dedication in my career and I push myself to commit to my learners as they did to my education. I feel that pursuing further studies will enable me to successfully push my students...