Jean Piaget was one of the most successful philosophers of cognitive development. Jean Piaget centered his ideas on adaptation or the ability of organisms to adapt or survive accordingly to the environment. Piaget believed that humans have similar characteristics to animals when it comes to adapting to the world around you. However, Piaget believed humans take adaption to a higher level involving cognitive thinking. Jean Piaget believed that humans can think about and choose their reactions to the environment, and the ability to adapt will develop and change across the lifespan. This lifelong adaption was defined by Piaget as constructivism meaning individuals construct ideas and meaning to the environment around them. Jean Piaget’s most successful work was his theory of cognitive development. Piaget emphasized that development in thinking occurred throughout four stages in life: sensorimotor, preoperational, concrete operational and the formal operational.

Throughout my lifespan I have also experienced Jean Piaget’s idea of cognitive development. During the sensorimotor stage, as an infant I began to imitate the sounds of my native language Spanish throughout my environment. Also, as an infant object permanence and symbolic thinking begins to develop. During the preoperational stage, as an infant I began to imitate and see the way my parents did things throughout their life also known as egocentrism. Also, my parents showed me how to classify objects I questioned. During the preoperational stage imagination, make-believe play, and symbols also play a big role developing the brain. Next, from age seven to eleven Piaget’s concrete operational stage takes place. During this stage I began to use logical thinking to complete tasks. Also, I began to play soccer and understand the regulations between various games. Lastly, from age eleven to the present Jean Piaget’s formal operational stage evolved. During this stage I began to use abstract thought, deductive reasoning, and critical thinking. During this stage I was probably in middle school where education becomes more challenging and demanding of cognitive thinking. During this last stage social relationships began to emerge and your cognitive development is ready to be challenge in various situations.

Throuhgout my teaching career I can now understand that students cognitive development grows as they get older. The students go through object permance, egocentrism, conservation, and abstract thinking in order. Since, I plan to teach elmentary my students would probably be at the egocentrism stage. My students would not be able to understand or see the way I understand what I am teaching. The students would be closed-minded and only view things in there perspective. The best solution is for me to not get frustrated and understand that I have to help them understand what I am teaching.