Applying Developmental Theories to Teaching Practice

What You Will Learn

Great teaching requires more than subject matter expertise. It demands an understanding of how children grow, think, and behave at different ages. This course gives educators a working knowledge of developmental theories and shows them how to put that knowledge to use in real classrooms. Teachers will explore psychoanalytic, cognitive, and behavioral theories, moving from foundational concepts to hands-on strategies they can implement right away.

The course will begin by exploring the psychoanalytic work of Freud and Erikson, with a focus on Erikson’s stages of psychosocial development. You will learn how conflicts at each stage shape students’ behavior and emotions, and you will walk away with age-appropriate strategies for nurturing social and emotional growth. The course will review the areas of cognitive theory, including Piaget’s stages of development, Vygotsky’s ideas about scaffolding and the Zone of Proximal Development, and Kohlberg’s theory of moral reasoning. Importantly, these frameworks help teachers design lessons that meet students where they are developmentally.

The course will also examine Pavlov’s classical conditioning, Skinner’s operant conditioning, and Bandura’s social learning theory. Here, teachers will learn that positive reinforcement is more effective than punishment for lasting behavior change and that students constantly learn by watching the adults around them. Throughout the course, classroom scenarios will bring these ideas to life, and by the end of the course, teachers will be able to refine their lesson planning to reflect everything they have learned about developmentally appropriate instruction, thoughtful classroom management, and meaningful social and emotional support.

You Will Learn:

• The three categories of developmental theory and their relevance to classroom practice.
• Erikson’s psychosocial stages and practical techniques for supporting social and emotional development across age groups.
• Piaget’s cognitive stages and how to design instruction that matches students’ thinking abilities.
• Vygotsky’s scaffolding strategies, including modeling, gradual release, and the Zone of Proximal Development.
• Kohlberg’s moral development theory and how students’ reasoning about fairness changes over time.
• How routines, signals, and positive reinforcement create effective classroom environments and the power of teacher modeling in shaping student behavior.
• How to identify developmentally inappropriate practices and refine lessons to better match students’ needs.

Course Guiding Question:

How can I incorporate knowledge of developmental theories into my lessons and classroom practices to ensure developmentally appropriate growth for my students cognitively, behaviorally, and social-emotionally?

Professional Development Credits

At the conclusion of the course, you will receive a certificate for 20 Professional Development Hours (Clock Hours, CPEs).

Model Teaching Professional Development Courses are pre-approved in many states, and we provide easy-to-use approval forms for submission to your licensing authority if required.

If you are a teacher seeking license renewal and wish to verify acceptance of our Professional Development Courses, please view our PD STATE REQUIREMENTS PAGE to learn more about your state’s requirements.

Also, consider taking our UNIVERSITY-PARTNERED, ACADEMIC CREDIT COURSES to earn regionally accredited units or credits, accepted by most states for teacher re-licensing and salary advancement.

Approval Information About This Course for Teaching License Renewal & Continuing Education

Model Teaching has helped thousands of teachers across the country meet their relicensing requirements.

This course is pre-approved in the following states for License Renewal and Continuing education:

• Texas – CPE’s, TEA-Approved
• New York CTLE’s – NYSED-Approved
• Pennsylvania DOE – ACT 48-Approved
• Montana Office of Public Instruction (OPI) – Approved
• Nevada DOE
• Tennessee
• Other States As Well

If you do not see your state listed here, this course may be pre-approved in your state as well. Chat with us or leave a ticket for our recommendations.

For More Information About Your Specific State Requirements, Please View Your State Requirements

Please confirm your specific district or state requirements for license renewal prior to registering, and feel free to reach out to us with any questions you may have about our courses.

Topics Covered and General Course Outline

Section 1 – Defining Development Theories

• The meaning of developmental theories
• The differences between psychoanalytic, cognitive, and behavioral theories
• Why it is important for teachers to have an understanding of these theories and how they can be applied to teaching and learning

Section 2 – Exploring Psychoanalytic Theories

• About Freud’s psychosexual theory
• About Erikson’s 8 stages of development, with a focus on the first 5 stages
• How the social conflicts presented in both theories impact a child’s social development

Section 3 – Supporting Student Social-Emotional Development

• How theories like Freud’s and Erikson’s impact social-emotional development
• Practical ways to use this knowledge in your classroom

Section 4 – Exploring Cognitive Theories

• About Piaget’s and Vygotsky’s Theories of Cognitive Development
• About Kohlberg’s Theory of Moral Development and how it impacts cognition

Section 5 – Supporting Student Cognitive Development

• How the theories of Piaget, Vygotsky, and Kohlberg impact cognitive development
• Practical ways to use this knowledge in your classroom

Section 6 – Exploring Behavioral Theories

• About Pavlov’s Theory of Classical Conditioning
• About Skinner’s Theory of Operant Conditioning
• About Bandura’s Social Cognitive Theory

Section 7 – Supporting Student Behavior Development

• How the theories of Pavlov, Skinner, and Bandura impact student behavior and classroom management
• Practical ways to use this knowledge in your classroom

Section 8 – Classroom Application

• Review your Section 1 Knowledge Pre-Check to determine what you have learned
• Consider the big picture of how your new knowledge can and should impact the social skill development of your students, your lesson planning process, and your classroom management systems

Helpful Resources & Templates Included With the Course

The course includes 25 templates, tools, and graphic organizers ready to use in your classroom!

These Include:

• Developmental Theories Graphic Organizer
• Knowledge Pre-Check with Sample
• Erikson’s 8 Stages Graphic Organizer
• Reflection on Student Social-Emotional Skills with Sample
• Social-Emotional Skills Action Plan with Sample
• Cognitive Theories Reference Guide
• Reflection on Student Cognitive Growth with Sample
• Enhanced Lesson Planning Action Plan with Sample
• Behavior Theories Reference Guide
• Reflection on Student Behavior with Sample
• Classroom Management Action Plan with Sample
• Knowledge Post-Check with Sample
• Effectiveness Rubric
• Implementation Observation Checklist with Sample

Register for the course Applying Developmental Theories to Teaching Practice