Importance of knowledge of growth and development for Teachers

Although all children develop in their own unique fashion, as a direct result of both
hereditary and environmental influences, there is a certain pattern of development that applies
to nearly all children. It is crucial for todays educators to have a thorough understanding of
that development. An understanding of basic human developmental stages can be used to gear
the teachers lesson plans in order to maximize the success of students in both the academic
and the social realms of their lives. This understanding can also be used to minimize problems
in the classroom.
Educational Psychology helps the teacher in many ways as follows: To understand the learner
Educational psychology helps the teacher to understand the learning capacity, interest,
motivation, mental status, overt and covert behavior, and also the developmental stages
including physical, intellectual, social and emotional developments of the children.
To understand the problems of children
Educational psychology helps in understanding the learning problems associated with
mental, physical, social and emotional problems of children in the educational process and
situation.
To understand the learning process
The teacher knows how to adopt the principles, laws and theories of learning in his
teaching-learning process. Various appropriate approaches in learning are understood and
implemented in the learning process after learning of Educational psychology.
To understand the developmental characteristics
An individual passes through different developmental stages such as infancy,
childhood, adolescence and adulthood. Each stage has its own characteristics. Effective
instruction according to development stages is helping to mold behavior of pupil.
To select methods of teaching
Educational psychology helps the teachers to select the appropriate teaching methods in
a classroom based on the individual learners and learning environment. It also helps him to
develop new techniques and strategies for teaching the heterogeneous group.
To improve quality of teaching
Educational psychology aims at helping the teacher in bringing improvement in quality
of teaching.
To create conducive learning environment
Classroom climate includes setting and management which are to be set in a proper way
for the learning of the children. Educational psychology helps a teacher in creating such
learning environment to the learners in a school.
To make socialization in classroom
Educational psychology helps in developing group dynamics, teamwork, and leadership
qualities among the learners.

 To maintain discipline
Educational psychology advocates self-discipline through creative and constructive
activities. It helps the teacher to tackle the problems of indiscipline efficiently.
To identify the special needs children
The special needs children are the children who need adapted learning instructions,
adapted learning environment or adapted learning process. They may be physically disabled,
intellectually disabled or learning disabled. These children are identified and provided special
services for their learning. Educational psychology helps the teacher to identify such children.
To enable teachers for curriculum development
Curriculum should be designed based on the needs and wants of the individual to get
accommodated in the present world of development. So, Educational psychology helps the
teachers to develop suitable curriculum according to the learners.
To render guidance service
Personal guidance, educational guidance, vocational guidance and social guidance are
to be given by the teachers for the life betterment of the children. Educational psychology helps
in carrying out such a guidance service to the students.
To know the teacher himself
Educational psychology helps the teacher to understand himself what he is and how he
would be in the educational situation. It also helps him to assess his potentials and teaching
abilities. The teacher also understands his emotionality, physical comfortableness, sociability,
cognitive abilities etc., after studying Educational psychology.
To evaluate the performance
Educational psychology provides the psychological tests to evaluate the learning
outcomes of the learner.
To conduct the research
Educational psychology helps the teacher to development research attitude to conduct
researches to improve the behavior of individuals in the educational situation.