Faith Development Theory
James Fowler’s theory of faith development is another theory that I found useful and directly in line with my own faith, beliefs, and desired line of work. Evans et al. (2010) claim that faith is shaped from unconscious structures with stages of faith development and that there is a distinction between content and structure. “Individuals at the same stage can hold beliefs that are vastly different (content) while their ways of thinking about and making sense of their beliefs (process) are similar. […] Some individuals never reach the more advanced stages” (p. 197). Fowler’s theory was quite evident during my emerging adult interviews and it was in the area of faith development where I heard the most diverse responses. “Is faith a significant
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In this light, Chickering’s theory of identity development can be very useful in my own personal quest for success within educational counseling. According to Chickering and Reisser (1993) there are three admonitions that underscore the creation of educationally powerful environments: (a) Integration of work and learning: will allow me to maintain collaborative relationships and integrate work opportunities into the campus and produce ways for students to find internships and eventually jobs (b) Recognition and Respect for Individual Differences: will help me to be cognizant of the different backgrounds and needs of students and allow me to adjust my approaches to meet those needs. And (c) Acknowledgment of the Cyclical Nature of Learning and Development: will assist me to recognize that I will face difficult times and that new experiences and challenges will arise granting me new perspectives and a more complex understanding of how to provide opportunities to challenge individuals’ thought processes to gain a deeper understanding of them (Evans et al. 2010, p. 71). The aforementioned model and theories will help guide me and illuminate who I am and where I am going; remind me to create an environment for meaningful discussions with those I counsel, and to utilize and embrace the resources that are available to me to help one student at a time--equally and
In this light, Chickering’s theory of identity development can be very useful in my own personal quest for success within educational counseling. According to Chickering and Reisser (1993) there are three admonitions that underscore the creation of educationally powerful environments: (a) Integration of work and learning: will allow me to maintain collaborative relationships and integrate work opportunities into the campus and produce ways for students to find internships and eventually jobs (b) Recognition and Respect for Individual Differences: will help me to be cognizant of the different backgrounds and needs of students and allow me to adjust my approaches to meet those needs. And (c) Acknowledgment of the Cyclical Nature of Learning and Development: will assist me to recognize that I will face difficult times and that new experiences and challenges will arise granting me new perspectives and a more complex understanding of how to provide opportunities to challenge individuals’ thought processes to gain a deeper understanding of them (Evans et al. 2010, p. 71). The aforementioned model and theories will help guide me and illuminate who I am and where I am going; remind me to create an environment for meaningful discussions with those I counsel, and to utilize and embrace the resources that are available to me to help one student at a time--equally and