Teaching philosophies assignment

 Teaching Philosophies

Glen Urquhart School
Glen Urquhart School is an independent, coeducational day school in Beverly Farms, MA for students in Pre-K through grade eight.

What is the benefit of this model?
According to what I saw...., this model is beneficial because:
• Explores intellect + develops imagination
• Poses questions often + devise solutions
• Speak individually, yet work collaboratively
• Discover the best within themselves
• Respect all people and value their differences
• Act responsibly in our community + the world
•Inquiry-based learning
•Treating each child as an individual
• Coteaching with other teachers 


 I went on the YouTube channel. https://youtu.be/yCe_oMDJFvA. Here is the video.



 The first-grade teacher seems inspirational and willing to try the curriculum with her students.

This video poem, called "Owl Attack", makes this school looks like it takes a hands-on learning approach.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=aj6lWK668ys

Do I agree with some parts of this model? Why? Yes, I agree with this model and agree children should learn by curiosity, social-emotional learning and showing empathy.

 What do I think will not work from this model? Why? I do not think technology fits into their curriculum.

Would I put my child in that model? Yes, It looks fun and hands-on.

Is there a way that technology may allow for a blending of these models? No. I don't think technology fits into the model if it is hands-on exploration.

This Philosophy is  "play-based curriculum", "thematic curriculum", and social and emotional learning. The children are encouraged to be independent thinkers and be valued. I got in contact with someone. I am hoping to add more to their philosophy. 

Waldorf Education

Waldorf education

Waldorf education, also known as Steiner education, is based on the educational philosophy of Rudolf Steiner, the founder of Anthroposophy. Its pedagogy strives to develop pupils' intellectual, artistic, and practical skills in an integrated and holistic manner. The cultivation of pupils' imagination and creativity is a central focus.

 I  was not familiar with this model.

What is the benefit of this model? 

• Learn from the children themselves 
Have a connection with their environment children use
• their imaginative play. 
• I have a friend that thinks highly of school as she has her child enrolled in a Waldorf school in Colorado.
•  works on children's social skills
• Differentiated instruction is varied based on students' temperaments. I agree with Steiner that teachers need to adapt to their own temperaments. 
• It is qualitative and no letter grades
• individual academic progress.
•  incorporate multiple intelligence
• inquiry-based learning
• Elementary school science concepts are by drawings instead of a textbook. 
• noncompetitive games 
• free play for younger children
• children are free and spiritual
• This philosophy teaches a wide range of religious traditions.

There are many websites on the Waldorf approach. Here is an example:

https://www.waldorfeducation.org/waldorf-education/in-our-schools/awsna-principles-for-waldorf-schools

Do I agree with some parts of this model? Why? I agree with the children using imaginative play. I like that it uses the regular daily routine of free play, art, drawing, painting or modeling. It has circle time with songs, games, and stories. There are also practical tasks such as cooking, cleaning, gardening, and outdoor recess. The classroom is intended to resemble a home with tools and toys from simple imaginative materials used for imaginative play. Waldorf elementary school is emphasized by cultivating children's emotional life and imagination.

What do I think will not work from this model? Why? I think everything works in this model but using technology. There is a debate about if the children fail to learn scientific facts.

 Would I put my child in that model? Yes. It depends on what each individual child needs. It helps with children socially more than academics. The students are learning to be part of the community. I asked my friend who has a child in Waldorf school her opinion. She says her child is smart but struggles socially.

Is there a way that technology may allow for a blending of these models? Waldorf kindergarten and lower grades generally discourage pupils from using electronic media such as television and computers. Waldorf educators believe the use of technology conflicts with the child's development needs. Media users may be physically inactive. The media may be seen to contain inappropriate or undesirable content and to not encourage imagination.  After, watching Jillian Burgeous's blog. I agree with Waldolf that technology is a way to embrace the learning process and embraced it as a tool rather than as the teacher.

I found these two articles I listed below:


https://waldorfpeninsula.org/curriculum/media-technology-philosophy/

Waldorf Method of Teaching

The Waldorf method of teaching is a unique educational strategy which aims to create well-rounded students through a broad curriculum, including academics, art and music education, physical education, and emotional and social education. The stated goal of the Waldorf Method is to produce individuals able to create meaning in their own lives.

Book from amazon:

  This is a source I found about the school in Beverly Massachusetts:

Waldorf School at Moraine Farm

Nursery, Pre-K - Grade 8. Integrates a rich curriculum with art, music, movement and outdoor exploration to fully engage our students' intellects and imaginations

Waldorf/">https://waldorfmoraine.org/why-choose-waldorf/
I would love to see more about how this type of school runs with observation. It is interesting how Steiner believed the students in Waldorf school are grouped by temperaments, melancholic, sanguine, phlegmatic and choleric. Steiner considered children's cognitive, emotional and behavioral development interlinked. The students are not grouped by ached emic ability. I also looked this up as it good to know the difference between Waldorf and Montessori. While both Montessori and Waldorf schools believe children need a connection to the environment, they are different in that Montessori focuses on real-life experiences and Waldorf emphasizes the child's imagination and fantasy.  Before age seven, Waldorf focuses on imaginary play, learning through imitation and doing., " The overarching goals are to provide young people the basis on which to develop into free morally responsible and integrated individuals, wit the aim of helping your people go into the world to be creative beings." No independents studies have been published as to whether or not Waldorf education achieves this aim. 

 

Montessori education

The Montessori Method of Education, developed by Maria Montessori, is a child-centered educational approach based on scientific observations of children. Montessori's method has been used for over 100 years in many parts of the world. The Montessori method views the child as the one who is naturally eager for knowledge and capable of initiating learning in a supportive, thoughtfully prepared learning environment.

What is the benefit of this model? 

• The method is child-centered. 
• mixed-age classrooms 
• student get a choice of activities 
• uninterrupted blocks of work time
•  constructivist or discovery model

•  work with materials specialized materials developed by Montessori and her collaborators
• work materials are often made out of natural, aesthetic materials such as wood rather than plastic.
•  a thoughtfully prepared environment where materials are organized by subject within reach of the child
• materials are the appropriate size for freedom within limits
•  A trained Montessori teacher who follows the child and is highly experienced in observing the individual child's characteristics, tendencies, innate talents, and abilities. 
• Abstraction Activity communication Exactness Exploration manipulation of the environment order orientation 
• Repetition self-perfection Work( purposeful activity) 
• free activity in a prepared environment Beauty and harmony,
•  cleanliness of environment 
• construction in proportion to the child and her/ his needs
•  Limitation of materials, so that only material that supports the child's development is  for students to order 
• Nature in the classroom and outside of the classroom. 
• young children are learning with the absorbent mind, senses, language, culture, and development of concepts. 
• I would like to read the book the Absorbent mind. Development:
•  Acquisition of Language: age from birth to 6 years old interest in small objects- from 18 months to 3 years order- from around 1 to 3 years sensory refinement- from birth to around 4 years old social behavior- from around 2 and a half to 4 years. 
• Montessori came up with the term normalization. Normalization raised from concentration and focus on activity which serves the child's developmental needs, and is characterized by the ability to concentrate as well as spontaneous discipline, continuous and happy work, social sentiments of help and sympathy for others. 
• The second plane of development extends from around six to twelve years old. During this period, Montessori observed physical and psychological changes in children and developed a classroom environment, lessons, and materials to respond with new characteristics. Montessori studied development and also looked at how the child is construction in adult society. Looking at culture and civilization in adult society. 

Do I agree with some parts of this model? Why? I enjoyed working at the Montessori school in Woburn. I liked how the children explored with materials rather than direct instruction and the natural and aesthetic materials. I like how the children interact with their environment feely to pick their own work. I especially liked the practical life area of spooning, pouring and having the kids wash the tables. I still incorporate the children washing the tables into my own classroom transitions. 

What do I think will not work from this model? Why? It is hard to not want to socialize with children while doing their individual work. They don't have the usual toys in the classroom such as legos. 

Would I put my child in that model? Yes, I like how the child explores their individual work on their own. 

Is there a way that technology may allow for a blending of these models? No, technology would not fit in this model as the philosophy is based on hands individual activities with real materials.

Montessori website. https://amiusa.org/about-us/ I am interested in the sources on this page.  

Montessori Book sources

https://www.amazon.com/Secret-Childhood-Maria-Montessori/dp/0345305833/ref=sr_1_5?keywords=the+absorbent+mind&qid=1571079431&sr=8-5

7 Best Books About Montessori and Child Development

There are so many incredible options out there if you want to read more about Montessori and early childhood development. Here are 7 best books on the magic of the first years of childhood, curated by the Monti Kids Learning Team.

I would like experience in the infant-toddler Montessori setting or with the older children from 6 to 12. I really liked the preschool Montessori experience and would still like more of that experience too. I would love if another opportunity comes along. I would also like to know more about the elementary peace curriculum.

 I feel we incorporate Montessori curriculum beliefs in our early childhood setting even if we do not work in that school setting with teaching sink and float, sandpaper letters and looking at nature. It is interesting that Maria Montessori only studied early childhood and Middle school and high school settings. I  do not have Montessori training but would be interested in having the certification someday if my schedule allowed.

 It is also interesting how children that go to a Montessori school may show higher achievement.

 I found it amazing what the preschoolers were learning with geography and math skills and phonics with the magnet letters when I worked in the preschool classroom.

Montessori YouTube videos

 Flipped Classroom

Flipped classroom

A flipped classroom is an instructional strategy and a type of blended learning that reverses the traditional learning environment by delivering instructional content, often online, outside of the classroom. It moves activities, including those that may have traditionally been cons

What is the benefit of this model?

•  It is more learner centered model. 
• friendly learning spaces.
•  Eliminates two out of class routines
• lesson planning and grading papers. 
• The student has to be good on learning on their own and being able to teach one self. 

• The flipped classroom has: video collections, digital slide show(powerpoint) 
• Students use discussion with teacher/student online communication. 

 Do I agree with some parts of this model? Yes, I agree with the benefits listed above. I do agree this model may work more at a college level. The students are watching the lectures on courses at home on the computer.

What do I think will not work from this model? Why? I feel students need the personalization in the classroom of being with their teacher to learn and having the social skills with peers.

 Would I put my child in that model? No, As I still think children need social skills with peers personally and interaction with their teacher and not just online. Student's fear of teaching oneself, obtaining greater importance of academic work and confusion on topics is discussed.

Is there a way that technology may allow for a blending of these models? Yes, technology is blended into online learning. The students watch online lectures, collaborate in online discussions. It is online as presentations are shown by the teacher.

Here is a video. the source you can go to if you want more information.

https://www.khanacademy.org/partner-content/ssf-cci/sscc-intro-blended-learning/sscc-blended-learning-models/v/sscc-blended-flipped

Book Source:

 https://www.amazon.com/Flip-Your-Classroom-Reaching-Student/dp/1564843157/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=Flip+your+classroom&qid=1571076115&sr=8-1&fbclid=IwAR23cnQPYZ7tlc6vHTrAfB4exKTZ9qGZS1CY36wcRmFjPnVrg600opbgC38

 For technology in the flipped classroom when reading I learned about  https://moodle.org/- open-source learning system children can use for technology hands-on learning. It looks like Beverly middle school uses it

The  Pedagogy of the Oppressed

Go to link : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pedagogy_of_the_Oppressed

I found this model very confusing.

I had to read another classmate's blog to see if I could get help understanding the philosophy. I felt lost as we missed that class due to the power outage.

I didn't catch the part about the student being a creator of their own knowledge rather than an empty tank that needs to fill. This approach looks at what the child already knows and goes from there. Education should be a practice of freedom. 

What is the benefit of this model? 

I could not find the benefits of this model as I do not understand the philosophy.

 Do I agree with some parts of this model? Why? No, I do not believe in this model at all.

What do I think will not work from this model? Why?  I do not think anything works in this model but maybe it was because I didn't understand it.

Would I put my child in that model?  I don't agree with as the teacher controls all the children's thinking and is very passive but think I am wrong now as the view is students are the cocreators and build student relationships as I learned from Katie McTigue's powerpoint.

 Is there a way that technology may allow for a blending of these models

? No, As I do think this model belongs in the classroom but after seeing the idea in Katie's powerpoint presentation I may think differently about the view.

Democratic Schools

No Teachers, No Class, No Homework; Would You Send Your Kids Here?

Democratic schooling may be the most radical experiment in education of the past 100 years. In Massachusetts farm country, not far from Boston, a group of about 200 students of all ages are part of a radical experiment. These students don't take any classes they don't specifically ask to have taught.

What is the benefit of this model? The students can learn without classes and can spend their time doing whatever they want. It has the children explore their own interests. The title caught my eye of having No Teachers, no class, No homework. Would you send your kids here? The idea of no homework attracted my interest.

 Do I agree with some parts of this model? Why? I disagree with the model as there is not structure and cannot be run by the kids themselves. I feel the children need an adult to help them to learn. The adult needs to assist children to learn the rules of society and scaffold the learning but children can still explore on their own. I do agree with the idea of Gray's book Free to Learn. I like the idea of classrooms having mixed ages to have the young kids learn from the older kids and the older kids learning how to care and nurture. I also agree with the part of the zone of proximal development. I had to relook up the theorist, Vygotsky as a reminder about this theory about what the children can do without help. I agree with the part of education helping children to be themselves and how it helps them in the adult world in their careers.

What do I think will not work from this model? Why? I do not agree with all age mixing and do not think the school can work without teachers.

Would I put my child in that model? No, I feel children need a teacher to learn from. I would also not enroll the children in these schools due to the tuition of &7,8000. If I was aa parent I agree with the worry about children falling behind and the lack of discipline in this school. In the United States, we cannot picture this type of schooling. The quote in the article that sticks out me is, " The fact that in the United States today we have virtually no models of people who have made it without conventional schooling. Consequently, we have a nagging feeling that such schooling, whatever its defects, must be one of the essential ingredients of success." This as an American parent would not believe in this type of model.

 Is there a way that technology may allow for a blending of these models? Technology would be in this model as children can do whatever they want. Democratic school may come into society if computer learning takes over the classroom and if there is a balance of children to explore on their own and have the democratic school belief but not have it be the whole way of teaching. I still think the children need to explore on their own but would need to have a teacher online if computers take over as the facilitator. The book is below that caught my interest in learning more about the Democratic classroom.

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Conclusion

I feel we need a mix of all the curriculum models we studied and a parent can decide which one they believe is best to enroll their child in the school. It depends on the age of technology should be included.