Educational philosophy across history: Taking the best for our little ones.

My educational philosophy is embedded in a belief that all children are capable of learning; regardless of age and developmental level. Educational institutions (whether they be schools, daycares or in home providers such as homeschoolers and nannies) should be geared towards facilitating this learning based on the individual needs of each child; allowing all children to see academic, social, emotional, and personal success in their lives.

Across history, educational philosophies have continued to be presented and adapted by educators and historians alike in an attempt to identify what is important in education and learning, who should receive it, and how information should be presented. Early Homeric education was based on a philosophy that reflected the importance of the participation in culture, and the purpose of education was to transmit cultural information from one generation to the next (Gutek, 1995); information that included moral modeling and teaching virtues. Plato believed that education should not only be about imparting knowledge, but should facilitate the recognition of truth; the environment was key to Plato’s philosophy of education and successful learning (Gutek, 1995). Quintilian’s model in Roman education reflected teaching in a way that held the learner’s interests, and identified that education should be “appropriate to the learner’s ability and readiness” (Gutek, 1995, p. 70).

There are other educational philosophers who were influenced by their own educational and life experiences, and these are what shaped their philosophy. Friedrich Froebel (1782-1852) grew up in the age of ideology (Gutek, 1995), where ideals such as romanticism, liberalism, conservatism and socialism were prominent and had significant influences on educational aims. According to Manning (2005), Froebel took on a more romantic and idealistic view; believing that education should be natural and that learning occurs through children’s interactions with objects.

My educational philosophy as a Nanny is based on a combination of ideas and experiences much like those who have presented their philosophies throughout history. I believe, much like Froebel, that learning should begin early, and natural learning should play a significant role in education. My philosophy is also based on an idea that education should be available to each and every child. Regardless of their developmental age or ability, class or gender; individual differences should be celebrated and incorporated into the education plan. I hold the belief that education should take into account the individual abilities and needs of each learner, and should be aimed at promoting holistic development. All children have the potential to be successful learners; the environment and teaching style must be adapted to ensure all children are being reached in the classroom in a way that facilitates their academic, social, emotional and personal development.

Education should begin early for children, with the purpose of early learning being to develop a love of learning and foster children’s natural desire to explore and discover the world. Froebel’s development of the first kindergarten in 1837 (Gutek, 1995) was, in my opinion, instrumental in signifying the importance of early education. This idea that children should be surrounded by educational objects in an environment that fosters support and care is one that I regard highly in my philosophy. The purpose of educators is not merely to pass on information to its children, but to motivate and engage them in the learning process; encouraging independence and ensuring they can not only repeat the information but understand it.

Montessori (Gutek, 1995) reflects this view in that her insights indicate that learning happens best when children are engaged and using instructive materials; promoting confidence and competence in completing real world activities. We should be providing an environment that allows children to flourish as individuals and members of a larger community; the philosophies of Froebel and Montessori mirror this. Montessori also expresses that learning will only occur when a child is ready, reinforcing that educational institutions should work towards allowing students to work at their own pace and be provided with resources that reflect their ability.

Having said this, I also think that children need to be challenged and guided in their use of materials at home and school, and so I also see great value in Vygotsky’s work and educational philosophy. Rather than letting students completely decide on what activities they will complete during their day like Montessori suggests (Gutek, 1995), I agree with Vygotsky’s work (van Kuyk, 2011) that shows how teachers can guide students, through techniques such as scaffolding, that allow children to be challenged and supported in the learning process; they still set the pace but are encouraged to try new things that may challenge their comfort.

Rousseau’s natural education (Gutek, 1995) echoes my view of using experience and nature to enhance learning, whereby students’ interests are taken into account and used to actively engage them in their work. These more progressive styles are what I apply to my teaching, and influence the environment I provide for the children in my care, where an effort is made to reach children at a deeper level that promotes holistic development; through real world experience and attention to individual differences.

My philosophy is dependent on teachers and learners forming quality relationships. I feel it is our role as educators to facilitate learning and know our children well enough to determine how effective our techniques are for reaching each and every one. This is one of the many reasons I love Nannying. The relationship between teacher and learner should be one of support and trust; without these learning is affected, as the learner does not feel comfortable or confident to try for fear of failure. When children feel supported, they feel confident and motivated to put in the effort as they can be reassured that it is ok to make mistakes and move on.

No matter the philosophy you lean towards, be sure to look at where such ideas came from and the values they were developed from. Times have changed and so have our views on best practices, as they will continue to do. I feel it’s always best to not take philosophies and pedagogy to their extremes; do your research and find which parts make sense based on what we know about child development. We want to make sure we’re setting children up to be avid learners who love to explore their world and continue to flourish and grow; emotionally and socially as well as physically.

References

Gutek, G. L. (1995). A history of the western educational experience. Prospect Heights, Il: Waveland Press, Inc.

Manning, J. P. (2005). Rediscovering Froebel: A Call to Re-examine his Life and Gifts. Early childhood education journal, 32 (6)

van Kuyk, J. J. (2011). Scaffolding - How to Increase Development?. European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 19 (1), 133-146.