Theory to Practice
I assumed theory was for people sitting in rooms surrounded by open books asking questions about the world...
what I learned is that theory is all around us, and is essential to put into practice,
especially working those in the field of higher education.
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Students are ever evolving, personally, and as a generation. Theory assists practitioners in understanding a student's background and gives us a framework to determine how to best help them at that time in their life.
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Theories that I find myself engaging in on a regularly basis include
Ego Identity (Marcia 1966), Challenge and Support (Sanford 1962), Marginality and Mattering (Schlossberg 1989).
EGO IDENTITY
Erikson 1956, Marcia 1966, Cross 1971, Smith-Phinney 1989
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Created by Erik Erickson and revised by Marcia, he laid out four statuses of Ego Identity Development
which are split into either Exploration (crisis) or Commitment.
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By understanding the four statuses and keeping in mind that identity formation involves a process of reflection, student affairs professionals can help aid a student in the reflection process to move them through the stages.
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In addition to Marcia, William Cross and Jean S. Phinney explored how students of color
formulate their sense of identity through their theories of Nigrescence and Pan-Ethnic Identity.
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CHALLENGE AND SUPPORT
Sanford 1962
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Throughout my time as student teacher, manager of a retail store, admission advisor, and supervisor of student employees, I have applied Sanford's Challenge and Support Theory to help develop the students I work with through providing opportunities for growth. I will pose a challenge, or task in which they are unfamiliar, and then will assist them in completing that task while they take the lead.
MATTERING & MARGINALITY
Schlossberg 1989
I use Schlossberg's theory of Mattering and Marginality most frequently as a way to point me back to true North when working with students. Each of us wants to feel valued, heard, understood, and engaged with.
When students are in a lecture-style classroom, I do not believe these needs are met.
It is within engaging classroom settings and extracurricular involvement,
through programs and services provided by Student Affairs, that I see mattering needs met.
This is just another reason why I love working within Student Affairs!
