Educational Theory and Philosophy Essay

.pdf

School

Texas A&M University *

*We aren’t endorsed by this school

Course

5600

Subject

Psychology

Date

Jun 27, 2024

Type

pdf

Pages

Uploaded by PrivateThunderPheasant45

Educational Theory and Philosophy There are many various ways to teach, varying circumstances to take into account, and philosophies to apply to each classroom. In transmitting knowledge to our students, it is inevitable that we must take into account our own personal philosophies, and how those philosophies will impact our students. What was the best environment that I learned in? What were traits that I did not like in a previous teacher of mine? It’s this line of self questioning my own education that ultimately guides me to the theories and philosophies I resonate with the most. Progressivism and Constructivism essentially both have similar underlying principles that cater to the students’ individual interests and build upon their pre-existing beliefs. Both of these philosophies centralize on being student-centered, and the goal is to provide students with the best education possible by being hands on and being curious about the world around them and seeking answers to questions. Those two educational philosophies are oriented around the foundation of the subject I will be teaching, science. An educational theorist that has catered to these student centered teaching philosophies is Jean Piaget. Piaget’s theory looks at how learners construct knowledge in a cognitive manner, and build upon their previous knowledge. Progressivism is a philosophy that believes that learning should be focused on the whole individual student such as physical, emotional, and intellectual, rather than the content or teacher. Learning is based on individual needs, abilities, and interests of the individual. Focusing on the whole of a student allows for the learner to become motivated and enthusiastic towards their education. Ideas should be tested by students in forms of active experimentation, and learning by researching answers from questions. This doctrine values the scientific method, active learning rather than passive, and allows individuals to have their own beliefs, and promotes the interaction of students as valuable to the learning process (Valdez). In a classroom setting, students will be separated into small groups to draw and predict the next month’s moon phases based on the moon they observed last night. After, students will present and discuss and compare amongst their peers on their predictions. This helps students build upon their teamwork and communication skills, while actively building upon their knowledge on the content. Constructivism is a philosophy that emphasizes hands-on learning and having students actively participate in lessons. In this principle, students should be able to discover lessons on their own through participating in hands-on activities, because it is the most effective way of learning and is considered true learning. Students are actively involved in seeking out information, creating projects or theories, and working with material being presented versus just sitting and listening to the teacher (“Constructivism”). In a classroom setting, this can be used for students journaling their observations on the moon at home for the next few weeks. Everyday, a student will be asked what was their observation on the moon the previous night, what phase did they think it was in, and based on their observation what will the next phase be. While a student presents their observations, any questions asked by students will be directed back at them to research further and present their findings during the next discussion. This allows the students to be actively participating in their learning, and form an interest in the content being taught. In Piaget’s theory, every learner has an organized way of taking in information, a schemata, and our intelligence changes as we grow. He proposed 4 stages of development for children as they grow, starting from birth to adulthood. These stages of development occur in all children universally, regardless of culture and background, but some individuals may never attain the later stages. As individuals we organize and store the information as we take it in, but it can be organized differently by each individual, and we use schemas to help us “make sense” of what we see, hear and experience, and integrate this information into our cognition (Mcleod).

The developmental stages of Jean Piaget’s Theory consists of: 1. Sensorimotor Stage: birth to 2 years 2. Preoperational Stage: 2 to 7 years 3. Concrete Operational Stage: 7 to 11 years 4. Formal Operational Stage: ages 12 and up Piaget has listed suggested ages that appear for each stage, and each child will go through the stages in order as they grow but not all at the same rate. He disagreed with other scholars “regarding the idea that intelligence was a fixed trait, and viewed cognitive development as a process which occurs due to biological maturation and interaction with the environment” (Mcleod). In Piaget's own words, “children should be able to do their own experimenting and their own research. Teachers, of course, can guide them by providing appropriate materials, but the essential thing is that in order for a child to understand something, he must construct it himself, he must reinvent it. Every time we teach a child something, we keep him from inventing it himself. On the other hand, that which we allow him to discover by himself will remain with him visibly”. This theory and understanding closely ties into the teaching of science to students, and being able to develop students into scientists for the future. There is an increasing need for scientists, engineers, and innovators and schools have implemented STEM classes and programs into their curriculum to help mend this gap for future generations. Educators must utilize hands-on and actively learning activities to make science interesting, engaging, and inspiring to their classroom. Judith Fraivillig, associate professor at Rider University, says “kids tend to make up their minds about whether they like or dislike math and science by the fourth grade” (Kavilanz). Science should be a verb instead of a noun, to promote students' curiosity and active learning as they grow and develop. Teaching strategies I will use to promote science will include problem-based learning, incorporating technology into the lesson, and project-based learning (“The Importance of Learning Science: Teaching Strategies for Today’s Educators”). Although all philosophies and educational theories differ in many ways they all focus on teaching students effectively. By incorporating Piaget’s Theory into my teaching I hope to create a safe environment for my student’s to feel valued and heard. I will adhere and adapt to each student’s learning style and stage of learning. As student’s actively learn and participate, my measurement of success will be for each individual student to improve at least 1% each day. These are all attributes I seek to invoke into my classroom. As I further into my teaching career, my teaching style and philosophies will continuously develop. I hope to instill the same passion that was given to me by my teachers to my students in the coming years.

Your preview ends here

Eager to read complete document? Join bartleby learn and gain access to the full version

Access to all documents
Unlimited textbook solutions
24/7 expert homework help

Recommended textbooks for you

Ciccarelli: Psychology_5 (5th Edition)

Psychology

ISBN:9780134477961

Author:Saundra K. Ciccarelli, J. Noland White

Publisher:PEARSON

Cognitive Psychology

Psychology

ISBN:9781337408271

Author:Goldstein, E. Bruce.

Publisher:Cengage Learning,

Introduction to Psychology: Gateways to Mind and ...

Psychology

ISBN:9781337565691

Author:Dennis Coon, John O. Mitterer, Tanya S. Martini

Publisher:Cengage Learning

Psychology in Your Life (Second Edition)

Psychology

ISBN:9780393265156

Author:Sarah Grison, Michael Gazzaniga

Publisher:W. W. Norton & Company

Cognitive Psychology: Connecting Mind, Research a...

Psychology

ISBN:9781285763880

Author:E. Bruce Goldstein

Publisher:Cengage Learning

Theories of Personality (MindTap Course List)

Psychology

ISBN:9781305652958

Author:Duane P. Schultz, Sydney Ellen Schultz

Publisher:Cengage Learning

SEE MORE TEXTBOOKS

Recommended textbooks for you

Ciccarelli: Psychology_5 (5th Edition)
Psychology
ISBN:9780134477961
Author:Saundra K. Ciccarelli, J. Noland White
Publisher:PEARSON
Cognitive Psychology
Psychology
ISBN:9781337408271
Author:Goldstein, E. Bruce.
Publisher:Cengage Learning,
Introduction to Psychology: Gateways to Mind and ...
Psychology
ISBN:9781337565691
Author:Dennis Coon, John O. Mitterer, Tanya S. Martini
Publisher:Cengage Learning
Psychology in Your Life (Second Edition)
Psychology
ISBN:9780393265156
Author:Sarah Grison, Michael Gazzaniga
Publisher:W. W. Norton & Company
Cognitive Psychology: Connecting Mind, Research a...
Psychology
ISBN:9781285763880
Author:E. Bruce Goldstein
Publisher:Cengage Learning
Theories of Personality (MindTap Course List)
Psychology
ISBN:9781305652958
Author:Duane P. Schultz, Sydney Ellen Schultz
Publisher:Cengage Learning