OCED 5010
Hilda Wensman
September, 21-22, 2012
The following theories are the most important theories to me for the substance and information
that I have learned from them and that I can use in my daily life and business. They are, Deming
Management Theory, Digital Immigrants and Digital Natives, Iceberg Topographical Theory.
These three theories together have a broad spectrum of ideas and strengths.
The first theory that I would like to discuss is Sigmund Freud’s Iceberg Topographical Theory.
This theory is the most familiar to me. Id, Ego and Superego are used in early childhood
teaching. I have studied this theory and it has helped me in my life when I am interacting with
children. Knowing that insight about what is happening inside a child’s mind has been very
helpful. Freud has spent many years in the study of “pent up and “repressed” (Gale Group, 1998,
p.3, para3) thoughts that were not on the conscious level. Again, in early childhood the young
children that I encounter usually have “pent up” something, whether it is anger, frustration,
hunger or abuse. The ability to be able to know when a child is in this state is very important. To
give the child the room, strength and chance to release their inner “pent up” stuff is freeing for
the child and after the removal of their excess negative inner pain. The child is happier and has a
greater trust for me as a teacher.
Freud believed that the unconscious part of the mind was not directly accessible to awareness
(Neill, 2004). Freud believed that this is where we dump all of our urges, feelings, and ideas that
are related to anxiety, conflict, or pain of individuals. Freud believed that these thoughts and
feelings have not disappeared from the individual, they are still there, and hold a strong influence
of our individual actions and conscious awareness. Freud stated this is where most of the work of
the ID, Ego and Superego take place (Neill, 2004) .This is where the Iceberg Metaphor comes in.
The Iceberg Metaphor is used to help in the understanding of Freud’s Topographical Theory.
According to Feud, only Ten percent of the iceberg is visible which contains your conscious. The
other ninety percent is below water; your preconscious is allotted ten percent of the space, where
the unconscious is allotted eighty percent (Neill, 2004). Again, when I am working with my
class I do not know what the children have seen or experienced. When they walk in the room in
the morning they are bringing in everything that they have experienced, good or bad and their
families experiences, too. Knowing this theory I am more aware of what is not seen in the
children I am around. Understanding and helping them through the moment is empowering for
them and will able them to make it through another day.
The second theory is Marc Prensky’s Digital Immigrants and Digital Natives. This theory was
refreshing to me. Again, in education and definitely in early childhood the teaching method is
not the best or the most effective for the children. Presnsky (2001) states that children are raised
with the computer “think differently from the rest of us. Us being the Digital Immigrants that did
not grow up in the digital age, but have adapted to it. (2001). I could not agree more. In many
early childhood classrooms they are “going back to nature”. Being that they are not allowed to
have any plastic products or man-made equipment; everything is truly natural, from nature.
Children of lower class families have a lesser chance of getting ahead, much less catching up. I
believe that the classrooms of today should have more technology and more time to learn what
the world is doing and they should be able to experience the world that will advance them. If
third world countries children can use technology, the United States of America students should
be able to also.
My third and last theory is Deming Management Theory, written by W. Edwards Deming.
This theory caught by attention because, it broke down what Total Quality Management
(TQM).Demings’s philosophical model, technique or theory, the foundational element s that
make up TQM remains constant:…”customer focus, leadership, quality planning, and
management
based on facts, continuous improvement, human resource management, learning process
management, cooperation with suppliers and organizational awareness and concern for the social
environmental context” (Tari, 2005, p.183). Also, TQM also provides a set of tools and
techniques that can be implemented to help organizations increase quality at every organizational
level (McDonnell, 1994; Tari, 2005). This theory leaped of the page for me when I read that
Deming believed that managers are expected to serve as coaches and consultants and include all
levels of employees in the decision making process. Additionally, everyone is considered a
customer in the eyes of Deming (Psychogios & Priporas, 2007).
What a concept, in my experience with management has usually been, you have no opinion and
if you have one keep in to yourself. Staff has never been a customer or involved in any decision
concerning the employees or the company. I am on board…sign me up. I understand that not all
suggestions or request can be made happen, but to think that for once in a company you might
have a voice is so refreshing and empowering. I would have this theory as a key belief for my
company.