Personal Philosophy of Education Essay

Education is an important part of growth of the individual. Education can mean a lot of things. One of the definitions of education is the experience of the individual learning and gaining knowledge while inside the structured educational system. Today, one of the strongest beliefs when it comes to education is that learning starts during the early childhood years of the individual. Because of that, education philosophies have strongly revolved around this particular idea. This in turn has created many different perspectives and ideas in learning and education. The three important aspects of this philosophy on education are hinged on the consideration of children, teaching and learning. Generally, the philosophy is about the belief that children should be exposed to learning with focus on two different areas as soon as they are in the age fit for school-based learning. This usually ranges from five to seven years old onwards, depending on the mental, emotional and psychological disposition of the individual. This philosophy of education puts important consideration to the differences among individual children. This means younger children already fit for structured learning is not discouraged from starting even at a younger age. Those who are not yet fully ready are not discouraged either but will be the target of additional stimulation to be at par with the capabilities of those who are in the same age bracket as the child is. This philosophy in education is inspired by the Montessori Method. The belief of this method is that the children all possess natural inner guides inside them. The structured academic learning experience only acts as a means to provide for material and additional assistance to the children as they learn by themselves through their instincts, something that the creator of the Montessori approach recognized through observation. â€Å"Montessori developed a new philosophy of education based upon the intuitive observation of children (Lillard, 1988, p. 29). † In using the Montessori approach to creating the philosophy of education, the approach and perspective towards learning is strongly influenced by the ideals of Montessori approach. Examples are the treatment in learning, its ideas about children and the role of school and education, etc. , using the Montessori results in the consideration and inclusion of the learning theories that this particular approach entails. In this paradigm of teaching style and educational philosophy, the teacher takes the role of the mature overseer. In realization of the ability of the children to naturally learn via their experiences in the environment, the teacher makes sure that children are placed in an environment free from obstacles that could hamper, hinder, impair or impact negatively their learning experience. This approach is more focused on preparing the environment wherein the children are, for most of the time, left to their own devices to learn via experiential processes, and, when necessary providing the necessary and sufficient intervention. The philosophy of education is focused on the belief that what the children need to learn (in communication, in mathematics, in logic development, in interpersonal skills, and in other academic and non-academic components of child education) can be found in the child’s experiential learning in a controlled environment where the learning experience has the potential to reach its optimum growth and development. The philosophy of education in this particular condition puts importance in the instincts of the child, in the effort to encourage the children to develop their instincts and to not put a stupor on such natural capacity which is crucial and important for long term learning. Perspective on Children This philosophy of education sees children as individuals who are created with the natural ability for learning. However, because of their lack of experience as well as necessary knowledge to make themselves fully capable and full developed individuals, they need to undergo educational experience beginning at their young years. Children is viewed not as individuals who need to be spoon-fed with things that can improve their own knowledge and skill set. Rather, they are individuals who need to be guided especially in their learning stages so that they can develop as capable, competent, learned and mature individuals in the future. Children are not viewed as entities that are commanded to follow. Rather, they are individuals whose own self compass is sufficient for them to move in the direction they need and want to since they are created with the natural tendencies for learning and knowledge development. They are not robots with minds that are like computers programs that can be tweaked, altered and changed depending on the perspective and disposition of the educational institution. On the other hand, the main responsibility of the school and its teachers is to make sure that each of the autonomous and independent minds be able to grow and develop towards each individual’s own complex and unique entity. Children are individuals who are sufficiently equipped, physiologically, but nonetheless requires intervention if only for the sake of maximizing, harnessing and developing the potential that each child has. Perspective in Teaching The teacher or teaching component of this philosophy of education is about the role of teachers and the teaching process as a tool. It guides and provides necessary intervention sufficient enough to guide the children into learning and knowledge building but not excessive enough to dictate the educational experience and the learning process of the child. This is considering the fact that the child is depended upon to use his/her natural instincts for learning. Perspective in Learning The learning perspective of this philosophy in education revolves around the central idea that learning is something that is natural to an individual, something that he or she experiences even when the individual is at his or her very young age. In this philosophy of education, learning is something that should be experienced by the child by allowing the child to interact with his or her environment, the creation and set up of which is a result of the conscious effort of the teacher and the school. Learning is something that comes naturally. Learning results to knowledge and information set in an individual to which the school and the teacher has a strong influence on, especially in guaranteeing the absorption of information that the child needs to know during the learning process. Reference Lillard, P. P. (1988). Montessori: A Modern Approach. New York: Schocken Books.