Century Psychology Series - Educational Psychology

Author: Zhang Chunxing
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-08-01
Features: What Can Educational Psychology Do for Teachers? Revision Preface What Can Educational Psychology Do for Teachers? Revision Russian Edition Since the first edition of this book was published in May 1994, it has been reprinted nine times within two years. This fact can demonstrate the book's widespread recognition, but it also increases the author's responsibility. Therefore, in the past year, in addition to collecting criticism and suggestions from Peng Chong's students who used this book as a textbook, the author specially requested Dr. Wang Rongcai, Director of the Elementary Education Research Institute at Tainan Normal University, and Dr. Chen Shujuan, Associate Professor of the Elementary Education Department at Taichung Normal University, to solicit post-reading opinions from their graduate and undergraduate students. These students read the book section by section and proposed several questions and suggestions, which were highly appreciated. After reviewing and analyzing the feedback, the author decided to respect the readers' opinions, rewrite part of the book, redesign the layout, and change the binding, listing it as one of the "21st Century Psychology Series" published by Donghua Book Company and Zhejiang Education Press. At the time of the revised edition's publication, the author would like to express special thanks to the two good friends who taught at Tainan Normal University and Taichung Normal University and their students. During the revision period, the author reflected on the following question: Under the current circumstances where the role of teachers is becoming increasingly important yet they face great difficulties, what can educational psychology do for teachers? From the perspective of the impulsive growth of the new generation in society, the role of teachers has become more important than ever before because, in industrial and commercial societies, parents are busy with their livelihoods and neglect the upbringing of their children, leading to the loss of traditional family education functions. Teachers have had to take on the responsibility of teaching both knowledge and life. The main reasons why teachers are struggling are: (1) the democratization of campuses, which has led to the loss of traditional authority in teaching students; (2) the popularization of education, which has increased individual differences among students and made it difficult for teachers to meet their needs; and (3) the decline in respect for teachers in society, making it difficult for teachers to gain cooperation from parents and support from the community, and thus hindering teaching effectiveness. Educational psychology has always been a compulsory subject in teacher training programs. In the face of the where teachers play an important role yet face difficulties, exploring how to enhance the function of this subject is essential. It is advisable to imagine the qualities teachers should possess when discussing this. From the perspective of school education objectives, an ideal teacher should have three aspects of qualities: subject professionalism, educational professionalism, and professional spirit. Except for professional spirit, which belongs to the ethical level of dedication and enthusiasm for teaching, the other two aspects can be considered as conditions for successful teachers. Subject professionalism refers to expertise in the subject being taught, while educational professionalism refers to an understanding of the nature of education, as well as the ability to understand students, apply teaching methods, and demonstrate them in actual teaching. Under the current teacher training system and qualifications for teacher employment, the lack of middle and primary school teachers does not lie in subject expertise but in educational professionalism, which enables them to teach students knowledge and life skills. The three-oriented approach emphasized in this book aims to provide teachers with the knowledge, concepts, and methods to understand the individual differences of students in terms of their abilities, personalities, needs, and bodies, and to implement teaching that suits their aptitude to achieve teaching goals, thereby enhancing teachers' educational professionalism. Knowledge and life skills are equally fundamental needs in individual growth; some children may refuse or fail to learn in group settings mainly because learning activities do not align with their own conditions. All musical instruments have the inherent ability to produce musical sounds, but only in the hands of those with musical talent can they play beautiful melodies. Similarly, all children have the potential to learn knowledge and life skills, but only under the guidance of teachers who possess both subject and educational professionalism can they be nurtured into capable individuals. It is easier to find a teacher of knowledge than a teacher of the heart; what children truly need is a teacher who is both knowledgeable and compassionate. May these words serve as encouragement to all teachers. Zhang Chunxing Dedication May 1996, Taiwan Normal University