Philosophy of My Personal Learning - Essay Example

December 5, Philosophy of my Personal Learning Introduction Learning entails the transfer of relevant knowledge to thelearning. The research focuses on the different learning philosophies. The research delves on the effect of different learning strategies on the child. Child-based learning enhances the learning process. Learning Philosophy Reflecting on what I have enthusiastically learned in class, my personal teaching philosophy is grounded on the concepts espoused by several education philosophers (Kearns 56). Piaget and Vygotsky are influential to my current stand on early childhood learning. Montessori places importance on individualized teaching. Waldorf impressed on me the importance of learning during the child’s growing up years. , Further, the Jean Piaget theory contributes a significant share to my firm stand on how early childhood education personal teaching philosophy should be delivered. Piaget insisted children go through gender-type cognitive development stages in their learning of their role in the community or group. Piaget’s concept combines the concepts of operative intelligence and figurative intelligence. Child learning involves imitating, perceiving, drawing, use of words, and creating an image in the child’s mind of the topic being discussed. Thinking is action-based, not verbally inclined. Assimilation as well as accommodation enhances the child’s learning capability (Schirmacher 131). Furthermore, Lev Vygotsky delivered another important ingredient to my personal early childhood education teaching philosophy on how best teach the young hungry minds of the children. Vygotsky reiterated that children learn best by interacting with the other person, social environment’s link to cognitive learning. This is done when the child converses with another child, parent, or teacher. The language used by the different cultures effectively teaches the child the rudiments of life (Davis281). Moreover, the Maria Montessori teaching methodology hones my personal teaching philosophy with the much-needed individualized teaching strategy. The strategy emphasizes tailoring the appropriate teaching strategy to fit the learning speed and capacity of each unique growing child the learning is grounded on children’s independence within tolerable limits. Montessori teaching strategy involves adapting the learning process to each child’s social development, psychological development, and physical development stage, using the age-based learning activities. Teaching includes using the child’s using the five senses. Music and the child’s touching the object to be learned enhance the learning process, discovery learning. The process involves the child acting out to show he or she understands the lessons (Prato 1). In addition, the Rodulf Steiner-inspired Waldorf learning concept directly influenced my current early childhood education personal teaching philosophy. The concept focuses on the stages of child development. The early childhood years uses creative play in the learning process. The child develops artistic expression (creative learning) and social capabilities. Practical learning is best at this stage. Children are challenged to excitingly explore learning new lessons in life (Petrash 1). Further, my personal philosophical view emphasizes children learn best when they take active participation in the learning process (Berthelsen 96). Children best learn through experiments. The children’s senses will teach new knowledge. Compared to reading the new knowledge from books, learning by doing makes the new knowledge last longer in the child’s mind. Learning should be adapted to the child’s learning capacity and speed. Learning through play excites and catches the eager attention of the child. Furthermore, my philosophical view emphasizes the environment significantly shapes learners (Hayward 1). A noisy learning environment reduces learning capacity. A hungry child is not focused on the class lesson. Parents are the best teachers. The child’s home is the best start up learning environment. In addition, the home environment is very conducive to the young child’s learning mode. As the child eats his or her food, the child often asked questions about mundane things. The parents must have the time, understanding, encouragement, play, care, patience, and love to significantly teach our nation’s future leaders, the knowledge-hungry young children. Parents must help nurture the child on their future role in society. By lovingly taking the extra time explaining to the child, the child learns many vital lessons needed to survive and integrate in the complex adult environment (Burt 28). Moreover, the philosophical idea in relation to the role of the teacher and the family’s role is realistic. The family has an important role in teaching the child the basics of survival and daily living (Berns 228). Under the Portage model of learning, the parents are the first teachers of the child (Dare 166). The parents teach the child how to eat his food. The parents teach the child how to walk. The parents train the child how to do everyday activities. The parents teach by letting children play. As the children play, they master how to use their hands, eyes, mouth, and other senses to perform mundane daily tasks (OpenUniversity 3). The children eagerly obey their loving and caring parents’ teaching instructions. In addition, the inclusion idea dictates education helps the incapacitated child learn to survive in a capacitated world. Children with special needs must learn in an environment filled with children having normal learning abilities (Bruce 1974). The special needs child has the right to learn in the same learning environment as normal children with normal learning capacities. The teaching program does not separate the special learning needs child from the normal learning children (Drifte 25). Further, my advocacy idea is to tailor my teaching strategies and methodologies to each unique child’s learning capacity, student-based teaching process. Adapting the learning speed and time to fit the child’s learning progress ensures better absorption of the topics. My student-based teaching strategy is grounded on relevant early childhood learning research. The teaching process should fit the behavioral learning styles of child. The child’s diverse cultural background influences the child’s learning speed, interest, desire, attention, attention aspects of learning (Hilliard 370). Furthermore, the early intervention idea delves on teaching the child the rudiments of life at the earliest possible learning age (Drummond 75). The Head Start teaching program adheres to the early intervention teaching and learning strategies (Hyson 67). The program is a home –based child learning program. The program places importance to the role of the family in teaching the child the basics of survival. The teaching staff and the parents help teach the children within the child’s home environment. The home culture and social temperament influences the child’s learning capacity and speed. In addition, the accessibility of childcare idea focuses on placing the child in the favorable learning environment (Berns 228). The child must have access to learning. The special learning needs child must not be prohibited from joining classes filled with children having normal learning capabilities. A sick child is not interested in reading books. A hungry child is not interested in the teacher’s discussion. A noisy learning environment distracts the teaching process. Teachers must tailor fit the best teaching materials and tools in order to speed up the child’s learning process. The parents and teachers must help place the child in a learning –adapted environment. Further, early child learning intervention must include teaching the children the basics of life. Teachers in the high/scope learning program must focus on the honing the child’s problem-solving capacity. The program emphasizes delivery of high quality education within the scope of the young children’s learning capacities and situations (Arce 11). The teachers and family members must train the child to be better at interpersonal communication (Whalley 174). The communication skills learning program involves the cooperation between the child learner and the teacher (parent or classroom teacher). Conclusion Based on the above discussion, learning is basically the transfer of relevant knowledge to the eager child. The above learning philosophies enhance the learning process. Children learn best when they participate in the learning process. Learning should be adapted to the speed and capacity of the child. Evidently, the child-centered learning process significantly enhances the learning process. Works Cited: Arce, Eve. Curriculum for Young Children. New York: Cengage Learning, 2012. Print. Berns, Roberta. Child, Family, School, Community Socialization and Support. New York: Cengage Learning , 2014. Print. Berthelsen, Donna. Participatory Learning in the Early Years. New York: Routledge Press, 2009. Print. Bruce, Tina. Learning Through Play. London: Hachette Press, 2011. Print. Burt, Jennifer. The Effect of the Home Learning Environment and the Parental Self-efficacy on Child Emergent Literacy. Nebraska: Proquest Press, 2008. Print. Dare, Angela. Good Practice in Caring for Young Children with Special Needs . New York: Nelson Thornes Press, 1998. Print. Davis, Mark. Essential Psychology. New York: Sage Press, 2010. Print. Drifte, Collete. Early Learning Goals for Children with Special Needs. New York: Routledge Press, 2014. Print. Drummond, Mary. Assessing Childrens Learning. New York: Routledge Press, 2011. Print. Hayward, Bronwyn. Children, Citizenship and Environment. New York: Routledge Press, 2012. Print. HilliardIII, Asa. "Behavioral Style, Culture, and Teaching and Learning." Journal of Negro Education 61.3 (1992): 370-378. Print. Hyson, Marilou. The Early Years Matter: Education, Care, and the Well-Being of Children. New York: Teachers’ College Press, 2014. Kearns, Karen. Frameworks for Learning & Development. New York: Pearson Press, 2010. Print. OpenUniversity. The Role of Play in Childrens Learning. Buckinghamshire: Open University Press, 2011. Print. Petrash, Jack. Understanding Waldorf Education. Boston: Gryphon House Press, 2002. Print. Prato, Mary. Montessori for You and Your Child. Indianapolis: Dog Ear Press, 2011. Print. Schirmacher, Robert. Art and Creative Development for Young Children. New York: Cengage Learning, 2011. Print. Whalley, Margy. Involving Parents in Their Childs Learning. New York: Sage Press, 2007. Print. Read More