"It is easier to fight for one's
principles than to live up to them." (Alfred Adler) This statement sums up
Alder's theory of personality in a nutshell and supports without doubts
the Significant Individual Learning model (SIL).
Alder calls his theory Individual Psychology
because he felt each person was unique and no previous theory applied to all
people. The Significant Individual Learning model (SIL), was developed by
Nir Golan, educational and leadership expert, in order to help teachers to
develop the uniqueness of their student. SIL model is about the significant
learning of the individual in order to reformulate his unique identity.
The significant individual learning model
assumes that the distinction between children and adults is no longer relevant in
the digital age and that each student should be treated as a 'whole' individual
person irrespective of his age.
Anthropogogy: The study of human learning
(Greek) – Anthrop (άνθρωπ) means people and Agy
(άγω) means to conduct / lead.
Adler's theory included four aspects: the
development of personality, striving towards superiority, psychological health,
and the unity of personality.
Nir Golan offers a new definition of
Anthropogogy as: "Leading a person (regardless of age) throughout
significant individual learning towards behavioral change, which can
be implemented immediately as a part of his unique identity." (Golan,
2014)
This significant individual learning
model provides tools for the teacher to assimilate the Anthropogogy approach in
six steps, throughout which the teacher uses dialogue in order to guide the
learner.
The six steps are:
1. Action- doing
2. Behavior- conceptualization of the action
3. Norm- transformation of the behavior to a
norm
4. Value- defining the value in the behavior
5. Redefinition- redefinition of my unique
identity
6. Teaching- Using the Anthropogogy model to
teach the other
Details of the six stages of the Anthropogogy
significant individual learning model:
1. Action- carrying out an action for the first
time in response to an internal or external need. The teacher identifies and
reflects the need of the learner: leading him/her to do what they did not do
previously. The learner performs the action for the first time together with
coaching from a professional person. The learner then experiences the
consequences of his/her action and evaluates his/her response.
• The result of Step 1: Recognizing by the
learner his/her need and the actual carrying out of the action for the first
time (alongside reflection).
2. Behavior- conceptualization of the action:
The learner repeats the action using clear
quality and quantity measurements. Adler wrote, ". . .in every mental
phenomenon we discover anew the characteristic of pursuit of a goal, and all
our powers, faculties, experiences, wishes and fears, defects and capacities
fall into line with this characteristic" (Ansbacher & Ansbacher,
1956). The learner then describes the action, helping him/her to improve the
repeated action and transfer it into standard behavior.
• The result of Step 2: Conceptualizing
behavior and standardizing it according to the expectations.
3. Norm- transformation of the behavior into
the norm:
Norm is defined as "a standard of
achievement or behavior that is required, desired or designated as normal."
These standards of behavior are "shared by members of a social group to
which each member is expected to conform." Adler declared that each
individual has an incomparable way of life, some are negative and some are
positive. In this step, the behavior is transformed into norm and expected
behavior.
• The result of Step 3: Understanding by the
learner of the benefits of turning the behavior into the norm in order to
reinforce the behavior in a social context.
4. Value- defining the value in the behavior:
The meaning of the behavior is defined to the
learner as well as the benefits that may be gained from the norm to the learner
and to his/her surroundings. The value then becomes the guiding principle to
making future decisions connected to the behavior; helping decide when and how
to use this behavior. In this manner, the behavior becomes more significant.
Adler claimed that every person had an idea
about what their perfect self would be like (Cloninger, 1996). He named this
image the fictional finalism. Fictional finalism applies clearer direction to
decisions that are to be made concerning oneself. Although individuals may have
an idea about their image, but they hardly ever understand it. Although the
image may be altered, the common direction throughout one's life stays the
same.
• The result of Step 4: Defining the value of
the behavior by making it significant.
5. Redefinition of my unique identity-
self-identity redefined
Alfred described this as feelings of lack
of worth. He wrote, "We all wish to overcome difficulties."
"We all strive to reach a goal by the
attainment of which we shall feel strong, superior, and complete".
(Ansbacher & Ansbacher, 1956)
The values are acknowledged by the learner and
assist in redefining his/her unique identity. The learner knows how to describe
their newly unique identity and explain what their unique contribution is to
those around them. Although the learning process affected one behavior, it
helped to redefine his/her whole identity to him/herself.
Personality difficulties are rooted in a
feeling of inferiority deriving from restrictions on the individual's need for
self-assertion.
• The result of Step 5: Reformulating a unique
identity by the learner.
6. Teaching- Using the Anthropogogy model to
teach the other
"It is easier to fight for one's
principles than to live up to them (Alfred Adler)." Alder was known
to use the word superiority complex. This complex developed when a person tried
to conquer their inferiority complex by suppressing their existing feelings. He
felt that people were constantly trying overcoming their feelings of
inferiority to reach superiority.
The learner becomes the teacher
("Melamed"). The learner uses his/her personal experience as a role
model and teaches the other using his/her own unique identity. He/She applies
the Anthropogogy model to lead a new learner to significant learning.
• The result of Step 6: Continuity of the
learning process according to the Anthropogogy model to achieve significant
learning for the learner and for the teacher.
The significant individual learning model (SIL)
assumes that the distinction between children and adults is no longer relevant
in the digital age and that each student should be treated as a 'whole' person
irrespective of their age, people are focused on maintaining control over
their lives. Many psychologists accepted Alfred's popular idea of
self-actualization. Adler believed in single "drive" or motivating
force behind our behavior, claiming that the desire we have to fulfill our
potentials becomes closer and closer to our ideals.
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