A thought leader is an expert in their field and has studied, examined, and questioned that
field to such an extent they not only share but explain that information to others. A Christian
thought leader goes a step further and involves sharing their expertise of God’s word with others
and models a Christ-centered life. As a Christian, it is important to continually examine one’s life
to ensure that we are living a life centered around God’s word and applying His truths in our
daily lives. As Christians, we are not only called but commanded to share the truth of God with
others, as mentioned in Matthew 28:19-20 (New International Version Bible, 2018).
I enrolled in the Ph.D. program for developmental psychology not only for personal
growth but, with the hope of becoming a thought leader in language acquisition with a more
solid Christain foundation. As a Spanish teacher, this area of concentration will not only help in
the improvement of my lessons but in the building of positive relationships with students,
teachers, and parents. As language teachers, we look to thought leaders for guidance and
expertise. Past thought leaders of language acquisition have impacted how and what I teach. For
example, Lev Vygotsky introduced the zone of proximal development (ZPD) which emphasized
the method of scaffolding instruction. I incorporate this daily when teaching students new
vocabulary or grammatical structures both in English and Spanish. Students will not learn new
information if they do not have a solid foundation upon which to build. Vygotsky also stressed
the importance of imitation. Students learn more and do more, when they are instructed by a
more knowledgeable source, making both learning and imitation indispensable to education
(Newman & Latifi, 2020). Over the years, I have seen our district change methods in the
instruction of language acquisition from full immersion to communicative, to our current trend of
project-based learning (PBL). I quickly realized that theories are constantly changing and
improving and thus the need for continuing education.
Presently, our educational system is in a dismal state and is heavily influenced by politics,
mainstream media, and current trends. Popular opinion, elected officials, school board members,
and stakeholders such as parents, teachers, and local businesses all play a role in policymaking.
Those mentioned and the policies that are passed also determine what truths are taught in the
classroom and which are banned. Money or the lack thereof also influences the truths taught in
the public school system. Current funding approaches often leave schools with large populations
of minority and low-income families at a disadvantage. Additionally, outside influences such as
natural disasters or a pandemic will influence what or how we teach. Since Covid19 for example,
we have increased the use of technology in the classroom exponentially.
Delving into the study of developmental psychology, my intention is to expand my
knowledge of language acquisition and to better understand the individual needs of each student
so that I can be a more effective teacher. It is important to have knowledge about my students’
brain development so that I can better determine an appropriate method of teaching that will
promote success in the classroom. As Johnson et al. (2010) mention, we live in a world where
secular thoughts and theories are at the forefront of education, and our religious truths are
relegated to the private sector. I want my students to see a teacher who lives, acts, and speaks
differently than those in the world so that I may share the truth of Jesus with confidence when
asked what makes me different.
References
Johnson, E. L., Myers, D. G., & Jones, S. L. (2010). Psychology and Christianity five
views. InterVarsity Press.
Newman, S., & Latifi, A. (2020). Vygotsky, Education, and teacher education. Journal of
Education for Teaching,47(1), 4–17.
https://doi.org/10.1080/02607476.2020.1831375
Zondervan Publishing House (Grand Rapids, Mich). (2018). Holy Bible: New International
Version. Zondervan.
