Philosophy of Education: Preceding Viewpoints and Contemporary Credence - Essay Example

Philosophy of Education: Preceding Viewpoints and Contemporary Credence Scholars and thinkers are of the view that education leads a person towards adequacy. This view can be elucidated in two major ways; one being that education is important for an individual to become ample enough to understand what has been put forth by the surroundings, and second being that education is essential for a person to be able to survive in the society of this current epoch. Every child is a future leader which is why every child must be provided education appositely. As Krogh and Slentz (2011: pp.132) evaluated that early years of education are meant to evaluate the strength of a child to learn things and to adopt what is right and wrong. It is not just about putting a child into primary level education or fostering a child into the secondary level; providing education shall be more of a formulation of how much a child can understand and carry on with strength and application. In accordance to a characterized perspective, early childhood knowledge is developmental as it is spontaneously modifying; such beliefs and values regulate on the basis that this knowledge shall be fed in accordance. Thus, it can be evaluated that the most important aspects of early years of education that need to be considered and re-constructed include, as mentioned by Bertram and Pascal (2002: pp. i) are the establishment of effective parental-teacher relationships, curriculum appropriateness and utilization of assessment strategies for young students. As per the principles that underline early childhood education, it can be verified that it is very apparent that childhood programs far above the ground in eminence always provide such an environment that is safe and fostering. It has been specifically mentioned by the National Child Care Association (2007: pp.2) that the two C’s play a vital role in formulating positive results of early childhood education or even any stage of educational performance. The two C’s are namely; coordination and choice. Therefore, it has been elucidated that education when provided must be supplied in an environment where coordination is maintained between teachers and parents for the betterment of the students. Also the students shall be provided a choice to learn and adapt what they can better carry around and comprehend for further application. It can be stoutly agreed upon with ETS (2008: pp.3) the principles that determine an effective early childhood learning include: classroom management strategies, promotion of positive relationships by cooperation, and purposeful learning. It has been specified that Erden (2002: pp.1-5) has promoted the idea of constructing courses for the students of early years of education that shall establish basics of various formulations of knowledge. Even though this portion of the propagation can be ultimately and utterly agreed upon but as it is further supported that an overview of the history of the basics shall also be taught; it is somewhat disagreed upon by me. In accordance to Erden it has been evaluated that the teachers shall be provided with courses that expand philosophical, psychological, and social foundations of early childhood education which in my standpoint are not necessarily important if all that is pondered upon is the fixation of knowledge in the minds of the young learners. Many institutions believe that in the early years of education children shall begin mounting their own ideas of learning and should put forth results. It is a fact that the stage of children when they are under eight gives teachers the plus point of them having enormous potential for growth and development. Many times age appropriateness and individual appropriateness is also associated towards the assemblage of children when it comes to early year education. This point although cannot be completely agreed upon, whereas, Shepard, Kagan, and Wurt’s (1998: pp.11) theory of children’s assessment is more acceptable. Education needs to be provided to children in the early stages on the bases of assessment of their learning skills and capabilities of grasping what is taught to them. Key events that were experienced by me as an educator were those at which parents gladly came up and elaborated what their child had learned and how strongly held on to that knowledge. This always has a long lasting impact on an educator as it clarifies what is necessary and what is not for a child. Also it clarifies the point of education being extremely vital for every child equally. Similar was the case experienced by Froebel (1887: pp.332) when he opened his first kindergarten book and the verification that has been presented directs towards the fact that education is the bottom line for humans, the only thing that needs to be developed is the appropriateness of its distribution. Similarly, Vygotsky’s belief of education provided by Dolya (2010: pp.3) helps a great deal in the examination of an educator’s role as the adults in a classroom. This theory helps educators in seeing themselves as partners of the children in the learning journey. The statement provided by Hoy and Spero (2005: pp.343-356) that multiple quantitative estimations of efficacy shall be used for the teachers who play a role in the early year’s education, can be ultimately approved. This is due to the fact that the statement corresponds with the conviction that the usual distinctiveness of children can be only gained by the assessment of these unique individuals. Furthermore, it is considered that such a curriculum shall be based for education which is a developmentally appropriate and is correctly tailored. Brudenell (2004: pp.26) has therefore verified that education shall keep the inner life of the learner intact by providing an understanding of how things work in the surroundings. Therefore, it can be elucidated that if education is provided without taking care of these aspects, it is no less than putting the children and their parents into poverty. The above mentioned aspects play a vital role making education as well as the children rich with knowledge that can be held and applied by learners in their life as it gives them a chance to change their stance any time anywhere. References: Bertram, T. and Pascal C., 2002. Early years education: An international perspective. [Pdf] Available at: http://www.inca.org.uk/pdf/early_years.pdf [Accessed 9th February 2012]. Brudenell, I.M., 2004. Advanced early years care and education. Oxford: Heinemann. Dolya, D., 2010. The Vygotskian approach to early years education. [Pdf] Available at: http://www.wingsseminar.ch/content/2010/dolya_wings10_handout.pdf [Accessed 11th February 2012]. Erden, F.T., 2002. Introduction to early childhood education. [Pdf] Available at: http://www.metu.edu.tr/~tfeyza/pdf/syllabus%20ECE100.pdf [Accessed 9th February 2012]. ETS, 2002. Principles of learning and teaching: Early childhood. [Pdf] Available at: http://www.ets.org/Media/Tests/PRAXIS/pdf/0521.pdf [Accessed 9th February 2012]. Froebel, F. and Hailmann, W.N., 1887. The education of man. American Psychological Association, pp.332. Hoy, A.W. and Spero, R.B., 2005. Changes in teacher efficacy during the early years of teaching: A comparison of four measures. Teaching and Teacher Education, 21(4), pp. 343-356. Krogh, S.L. and Slentz, K.L., 2011. Early childhood education: Yesterday, today, and tomorrow. New York: Routledge. National Child Care Association, 2007. Six principles in early childhood education: A new public policy debate. [Pdf] Available at: http://www.co.larimer.co.us/compass/six_principles_early_childhood_education.pdf [Accessed 9th February 2012]. Shepard, L., Kagan, S.L. and Wurt, E., 1998. Principles and recommendations for early childhood assessments. [Pdf] Available at: http://govinfo.library.unt.edu/negp/reports/prinrec.pdf [Accessed 9th February 2012]. Read More