Social learning begins the moment you realize that you want to be that person who the people around you are constantly praising and recognizing when you were just growing up. This realization is the first step in the process of social learning. When I was a kid, I remember that my parents, grandparents, and other relatives were always praising and rewarding the majority of my cousins for their excellent academic performance, as evidenced by the fact that they had received high honors at their respective schools. The same thing goes for congratulatory messages and bragging about the achievements of my other older cousins who excel in their respective professional careers.
It is accurate to say, according to Albert Bandura’s social learning theory, that our development in human cognition is connected with our behavior, such as our thoughts and feelings, our cognition growing out, and our environment, which acts as an external social stimulus. While I was growing up, I worked hard to achieve excellence with the goal of eventually earning the same rewards and recognition. This guides me in developing my sense of self-efficacy in the process of pursuing my career. However, there are a number of factors that will come into play that will prevent you from achieving your goals, which will cause you to feel unhappy and frustrated. It is a fact that throughout your life, you will encounter a greater number of setbacks than successes; however, those setbacks should be viewed as opportunities to gain valuable experience and insight. Your ability to self-regulate will, in the end, be the single most important factor in determining whether or not you are successful in overcoming the challenges you face on a daily basis.
My Models and Mentors
| Role Models and Mentors | Their Contributions |
| My Grade 2 Teacher | She was the one who understood me that I can excel on any work I put my mind into |
| My parents | I saw how hard working they are in sending us to school no matter how hard our life was when I was growing up and how kind hearted they are |
| The type of role model I want to be for others (other learners) |
| Respectful |
| Honest |
| Modest |
| Responsible |
| Diligent |
How I will incorporate models and mentors in my profession (as an educator)
For example on teaching Science – Providing students with the opportunity to learn through direct experience how the workings of a concept or the contributions of an inventor have improved their lives as well as the lives of their families and other individuals.
For Arts for example – Learning from the experts, such as personifying well-known artists by recreating their works and telling their stories through the medium of their work, which is an art piece, is an important part of art education.
Who will be my education mentor? What would my ideal education mentor be like?
My ideal mentor is someone who is enthusiastic about imparting useful knowledge to children through hands-on instruction. A guide whose sole mission is to impart their expertise to the students under their tutelage.
References
Cherry, K. (n.d.). How does observational learning actually work? Verywell Mind. Retrieved May 14, 2022, from https://www.verywellmind.com/social-learning-theory-2795074
Learning Together Now 