Theoretical Foundations for Constructivist Teaching

I have learned about Vygotsky and Piaget many times in my studies with Elementary Education. However, every time I read about them I take something new from it. When reading this article I really understood the importance of language and communication in the classroom. Constructivist teaching requires the teacher to be mediator and a support system while students learn through talking, questioning and exploring the content. I love the idea of teachers scaffolding students to find the correct answer rather than given them the correct answer. I think the best approach that I have observed and learned in a classroom is the "Think, Pair, Share" activity. Through these three simple steps a student is able to first think for themselves about a given topic. Next each student pairs up with another classmate to share thoughts and idea. This step is crucial because the students have a zone of proximal development between them. They are able to support their peers' knowledge by explaining new thoughts and ideas in a way that makes sense. It can be hard for a teacher to do this because many times the knowledge about the subject being taught has been in their bank of knowledge for so long that they can't even remember what it was like to not know the information. Having the students teach one another provides a fresh approach to teaching. Finally, in the end the students are able to share with the entire class their new findings with confidence because they have just had support in the conversations with their classmate. I think challenging students to think on their own rather than just focusing on the right answer is the most effective way of teaching and that is what the constructivist approach is all about.