2/22/20
Psychological Foundation of Education (Ed 201)
Nor-hannifah B. Bagindaali
 What principle in psychoanalysis could you particularly use in the
classroom and in understanding students? Give solid examples
where Freud’s principles could be applied to a classroom
management, behavioral intervention and enhancing academic
performance
Sigmund Freud is one of the most famous names in psychology. Even though
most of his ideas have been abandoned by modern psychology, his psychoanalytic
theory formed the basis for many current psychodynamic theories. Freud was the
first to discuss the unconscious mind and its role in human behavior.
Freud gave the idea about "inner conflicts" that can affect one's behavior. The
conflicts or crises are important in a sense that they must be solved in order to
successfully and normally proceed to the next level of our development, and to avoid
fixation or maladjustment.
For instance, our pupils/students may be categorized into Phallic, Latency or
Genital stage of psychosexual development. Our role as teachers therefore, is to
assist our pupils/students solve or go through their inner conflicts on these stages.
We can actually help if we give them ample attention in their certain needs.
Play is an outlet among children where their sexual drive is being directed in the
Latency Stage. If this will be suppressed, there will be a possibility for the child to
fixate, or will continue to play even inappropriate for his/her age as an adult in the
future.
Among our pubescent/adolescent students, we must be more responsible in
discussing about topics regarding sexuality. We must be more sensitive and careful
because we know that on this stage, our students are going through a lot of crises
and confusion. Let us teach them to be sexually responsible by explaining to them
the sexual changes they are going through, and the consequences of their actions.
Let us teach them to be more critical and reflective to clarify their inner issues. Let us
not forget to offer our hands if they need our advice or to collaborate with their
parents. This is the so-called sex education.
An example of psychoanalysis in the classroom is role playing. During a role
play, the teacher exercises control over the basic setup of the scenario. Students
then act within those boundaries to produce original decisions and actions. In each
scenario, a student knows there are things she should or should not do. For
example, if the scenario involves seeing another child break a rule, the actor in the
role play must decide what to do. Should tell the teacher, attempt to punish or correct
the child himself or let the child get away with it?
Meeting a very disorganized student is a challenge to a teacher. Based on
Freud’s principle, it can be caused by during his anal stage. Knowing that for
instance, the child was raised by his’/her grandmother alone when he/she was a
child. So, the teacher has to make strategies in giving the child tasks to slowly
develop his/her self in arranging things and making his/her a well-organized person.
Regarding the different defense mechanisms, through this we can identify why
such a student is acting in this or that way and the teacher can adjust for students’
individual differences specially on their personalities. Like for example, a very poor
child was caught in her bag the missing wallet of her classmate. While asking
him/her, normally she will act or answer in a denial way. As a teacher, we know that
it is just her way of defense mechanism and so, she must be advised privately and
not to be punished in public to correct her mistake.
As my conclusion, the application of Freud ideas to teaching and learning is that it
gives us an explanation of some of our pupils/students' behavior that are manifested
inside the classroom. His principles allowed educators to get some input on their
student's psyche. Teachers could also determine the causes of disruptive behaviors
in pupils and use some strategies to help them such us the free talk therapy.