1. The document discusses Jean Piaget's theory of cognitive development and how it influenced Maria Montessori's educational methods. 2. Piaget's theory proposed four stages of cognitive development - sensorimotor, preoperational, concrete operational, and formal operational - defined by characteristics like object permanence and logical thinking abilities. 3. While Piaget and Montessori both emphasized how the environment shapes learning, they differed on whether the child or environment is more active in this process. Montessori may have based her methods on Piaget's cognitive constructivism theory.

1. D. Felici­Skal/Piaget 1
Dominica R. Felici­Skal
Chapter 2 Reflection: Jean Piaget
1/27/2016
SPED 6210: Learning Theory & Applications
Dr. McNeal

2. D. Felici­Skal/Piaget 2
Before reading this chapter, I did bring the prior knowledge from our previous class: “How does
theory relate to practice and vice versa how does practice relate to theory?” I had difficulty with the
words: theory versus practice because these terms had not never been explicitly taught. Thus, I
concluded many people wrongly utilize these terms interchangeably. Although I learned that what had
been explained to me as Maria Montessori’s Theory of a hands/minds­on, student led environment was
really her method, I began thinking even if Montessori had a theory of her own? Is self­discovery a
theory or practice? Would it be a theory or practice if stated Montessori believed in Cognitive
Constructivism through self discovery in a sensory, interactive and comfortable environment with the
objective for the learner to gain independence through free choice of materials at his/her own pace? Is it
possible that Montessori based her methods of practice on Piaget’s Cognitive Constructivism Theory? If
so, it could be debated that Montessori did not apply a theory of her own yet instead developed a host of
multi­sensory, hands/minds­on instructional methods or practices based upon Piaget’s theories.
‘Although both Piaget and Montessori agreed that the theory of Cognitive Constructivism placed an
emphasis on the environment of the child, as well as the experiences of the child in the environment, their
assessment of each child’s learning process differed’ (Gonzalez­DeHass, A. R., & Willems, P. P., p. 47).
Montessori believed that the environment manipulated the child while Piaget thought the opposite.
‘Piaget believed that the every child is active participant, who acts upon the environment through four
distinct developmental stages: (1) sensorimotor, (2) preoperational, (3) concrete operational (4) formal
operational’ (Gonzalez­DeHass, A. R., & Willems, P. P., p. 23). As I pondered about the application of
Piaget’s Theory of Cognitive Development, I began to wonder about assessment. I have always been a
thinker who likes to know what the bottom line before beginning my learning journey.
‘As I read one of the criticisms of Piaget’s Theory, Arnett and Kaplan concluded that Piaget may
have underestimated and overestimated developmental stages, I disagreed with that criticism from the
stance that the developmental stages were based on estimated age ranges and were not meant to be

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interpreted as benchmark scores’ (Gonzalez­DeHass, A. R., & Willems, P. P., p. 45). Likewise, if
Piaget’s Stages of Cognitive Development were examined with the absence of age ranges, would the
identified learning characteristics defined at each stage be more emphasized? In other words, would all
children either with or without special needs receive an increased amount of developmentally appropriate,
differentiated instruction?
Nevertheless, I questioned: “If the age ranges were not meant to be interpreted like benchmark
scores, what determines a learner’s progression through each stage?”. As I evaluated the sensorimotor
stage, I concluded that the measuring stick for this stage was object permanence. Until children at this
stage can achieve a sense of object permanence through trial and error, the figure of speech “out of sight,
out of mind” is reality. As I began to judge the preoperational stage, the learner will begin to learn how to
perform mental operations through the measurement of the learner’s ability to utilize language to describe
images and/or words about certain objects, to sort common similarities and/or differences of certain
objects, to dramatize pretend play time through the development of symbolic thought, as well as, the
application of social speech. Interestingly, the ability to read and write is connected to the development
of symbolic thoughts because individual symbols, as well as, a pattern of symbols represent sounds in our
English language. Thus this is an example when teaching the alphabet and phonics would become
developmentally appropriate; not a certain age but a particular level of thought. The concrete operational
stage involves the assessment of ability to apply mental operations and logical thinking through the
learner’s ability to manipulate objects. In short, the learner must be able to utilize classification, seriation,
transitivity, reversibility and conservation through the utilization of manipulatives. Lastly, the final stage
is entitled, formal operational stage which is a stage that assesses one’s ability to apply abstract concepts
through manipulation and problem solving through logic. An example of this stage applied in the
classroom typically occurs during scientific experimentation when learners are ready to manipulate one
variable at a time to draw logical conclusions. Therefore, it is my belief that the assessments of each

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stage can guide the educator with his/her own instructional methods, selection of curriculum, choice of
manipulatives and most importantly prescribed, developmentally appropriate differentiated instruction.
To conclude, Maria Montessori may have believed that Piaget’s Theory of Cognitive
Constructivism was seminal to her methods because Piaget’s theories clearly influenced her work.
Although both Piaget’s theories and Montessori’s methods may have many criticisms, the time that either
were developed is phenomenal as both are applied to today’s 21st Century Learner. Research dated more
than five years and cited is considered classic because it is still relevant to today’s future adults.
Assessment has the potential to not only guide but prescribe, differentiated instruction so that all students
are given the opportunity to be successful learners and future adults.
References

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Gonzalez­DeHass, A. R., & Willems, P. P. (2013). ​Theories in Educational Psychology: Concise
Guide to Meaning and Practice​. New York, NY: Rowman & Littlefield Education.