Educational Philosophy

The educational philosophy statement has become a staple in every educator’s teaching
portfolio. An elementary teaching philosophy statement captures a teacher’s reasons for
teaching, what methods he or she plans to use and examples of any teaching experience. A
teacher has the chance to impact students’ lives in a constructive manner; this is a huge
opportunity that shouldn’t be taken lightly.

As a teacher, we must hunt for an environment that encourages curiosity and

complete determination. Our classroom is a place where students feel important,
respected, cared for and believed in. A teacher must make it feasible for her students to reach
their prospective, ask questions, learn from their mistakes, give and receive feedback and try
their best.
Hence, philosophy of education is important because it explains how educational theories come
up. Philosophical knowledge may give an explanation for teaching methodologies; reveal and
challenge assumptions about the nature of teaching; and provide a language for educational
debate.

Two types of philosophy that have a great impact on elementary education are:-

Ø Play Based Philosophy — Playing to Learn/Learning to Play

Highly value early childhood programs teach children to think creatively so they may
succeed in a difficult and ever-changing world. It emphasizes the importance of play in a
child’s intellectual, social, emotional and physical development. Play is a way where
children learn the most. In a typical preschool day, children learn at their pace, through
structured and unstructured period.

Values that support learning through play include:

• Children are viewed as thinkers, reflecting about their world
• Purposeful play is when children learn through the process of their efforts
• Children gain knowledge by building on a path of ever increasing knowledge
• Children are encouraged to make choices and practice individual decision-making
 Ø Cognitive Based Philosophy
A program which is based on cognitive abilities: young children get the opportunity to
learn through active exploration in an environment which is rich in materials and also
gives opportunities to communicate, socialize, work, play and discuss with others. The
classrooms are designed well to encourage curiosity, exploration and problem solving in
an ambience of warmth and respect for each child. Children may work individually or
collaboratively, and may choose whether or not to participate in a project. All aspects of
growth and development of a child are considered — intellectual, social, emotional,
physical and creative.

Famous Educational Philosophists

A. Jean Piaget

Jean Piaget, (born August 9, 1896, Neuchâtel, Switzerland—died September 16,

1980, Geneva) the Swiss psychologist was the first to make a methodical
study of understanding in children. He is thought by many to have been the
major figure in developmental psychology. He was a student of zoology and
philosophy in Neuchâtel and received his doctorate in the former in the
1918. On the other hand, he became interested in psychology, combining
his biological training with his curiosity in epistemology.
Piaget’s interest areas were scientific thoughts, sociology, and experimental
psychology. He was the first one to discover that the mind of a child evolves through a series of
set stages to adulthood. According to him, the development of the child’s ability to think passes
through major four stages – Sensorimotor - birth to 2 years; preoperational - 2 years to 7 years;
concrete operational - 7 years to 11 years; and formal operational (abstract thinking) - 11 years
and up. Piaget believed all children pass through these phases to advance to the next level of
cognitive development.
• Stage 1: Sensorimotor ( birth to 2 years)
According to Piaget, the child during the first two years of life as being in a sensorimotor
stage, is chiefly concerned with mastering his own inherent physical reflexes and
extending them into enjoyable or motivating actions. During the same period, children
are very egocentric, which means they cannot accept others’ viewpoints. This stage is
also called as pre-language period, as focussed on motor and sensations. The major
features of this period are the following:
I. The first phase is the stage of reflex action. In this stage the child responses to
external stimulation by natural reflex action.
II. The second phase is the stage of primary circular reactions. The child repeats
satisfying actions centred on its own body. For example, babies from 1 – 4
months old will wiggle their fingers, kick their legs and suck their thumbs. These
are not reflex actions.
III. The third phase is the stage of secondary circular reactions. It generally lasts
from about 4 – 8 months. In this stage babies repeat satisfying actions that
includes object as well as action relating their own bodies. For example, the
infant shakes the jangle for the delight of hearing the sound that it produces.
IV. In the fourth phase the child with coordination reacts to secondary circular (8
months to 12 months). During this stage they start understanding object
preference. The child understands that objects continue to exist even when it is
not in front of them.
 V. The fifth phase occurs from the age of 12 months to 18months. In this stage they
start exploring things surrounding them. They constantly keep trying different
things to get different result.

• Preoperational (2years to 7 years)

In the second stage or preoperational stage occurs between toddler (18 – 24 months)
and early childhood (6 – 7 years). The child starts using language, imagination and
symbols. They are still egocentric but starts developing believe in others. It is the
beginning of understanding the relationship of past and future, but they still haven’t
learnt the relationship between cause and effect. Hence, they are egocentric, intuitive
and non- logical at this stage.

• Concrete Operational ( 7 years to 11 years)

Concrete Operational is the third stage, which develops from 7years to 11 years. This is
the phase intellectual development of child happens. Related to concrete object the child
starts demonstrating through logical and systematic symbols. Increases awareness of
external events and evolves concrete reference by becoming less egocentric.

• Formal Operational (11 years to 18 years)

Formal Operational is the period from adolescent to adulthood, where a child begins to
reason without concrete object and becomes capable of abstract thoughts. A child
becomes capable of thinking about solar system, scientific theories, government, etc. He
is not only thinking about the things that he has seen but also can visualize in his mind
the unseen environment.

Educational implications: Piaget did not clearly relate his theory to education, although later
researchers have explained how features of Piaget's theory can be applied to teaching and
learning. Piaget was the first one to discover that children learn best through doing and actively
exploring things. According to Piaget's theory, certain concepts are only to be taught when the
child reaches appropriate stage of cognitive development. He also believed that assimilation
and accommodation need an active learner, not a passive one, because problem-solving skills
can only be discovered not taught.
He believed that a classroom must be student centric with active discovery learning rather than
direct tuition. Therefore, the role of the teacher is to facilitate learning.
Hence, the teacher should encourage the following in a classroom:

1. Teacher must focus on the process of children’s thinking, not just its end result. In
addition teacher must give emphasis on individuality in classroom, because each child’s
thinking level is different. Appropriate learning experiences develops on children’s recent
level of cognitive functioning, Teachers role is to appreciate children’s methods of arriving at
particular conclusions, then only, they are in the position to provide such experiences.

2. Acknowledge self initiated active knowledge in learning activities. In a Piagetian

classroom children are appreciated only when they discover through spontaneous
interaction with environment. Therefore, instead of giving lecture in the classroom, teachers
must provide varied activities which will allow children participate actively to the physical
world.

3. A deep emphasis on practices aimed at making children adultlike in their thinking.

Piagetian-based educational programs accept his firm belief that premature teaching could
be worse than no teaching at all, because it leads to superficial acceptance of adult
formulas rather than true cognitive understanding.

4. Recognition of individual differences in a classroom. According to Piaget’s theory all

children go through the same developmental progression but in a different rate. Therefore,
teachers must make an effort to design classroom activities for individuals and small groups
of children rather than for the whole class. Piaget also said that due to individual differences
the assessment must be set accordingly.

B. Maria Montessori

Maria Montessori today is a global figure as one of the world’s best educator. She was born in
31st August, 1870 in the province of Ancona, Italy. She was the first female physician from
medical school (Italy) in 1896. In her medical practice, her clinical observation was regarding,
how children learn and she concluded that they learn from what they see in the environment.
Later, this scientific observation of children finally became
the most renowned Montessori Method of
education. Based on scientific Montessori’s
observation children gather knowledge effortlessly from their
surroundings and also they have immense interest in
manipulating materials. Every piece of equipment, every
exercise, every method Montessori developed was based on
what she observed children to do "naturally," by themselves, without help by adults.

This profound truth motivated Montessori's lifelong quest of educational transformation,

methodology, psychology, teaching, and teacher training—all based on her commitment to
furthering the self-knowing process of the child.

Maria Montessori died in Noordwijk, Holland, in 1952, but her work is still alive through the
Association Montessori International (AMI), the organization that she founded in Amsterdam,
Netherlands, in 1929.

Ideology of Montessori Method:

Montessori Method is surrounded by several principles. Montessori emphasised that learning is
a natural or self-directed process, followed by several fundamental laws of human nature.
According to Montessori principles, a child will naturally become accustomed to his or her
environment during the learning process provided that the environment is suitably prepared and
maintained. The vital role of adult is to prepare the environment and keep it intact. Montessori
believes that as far as the adult is successful in preparing the environment by following the
guidelines, the children will automatically engage themselves in learning procedure.

Teaching methods in Montessori classroom

The Montessori teachers must design their lesson plan in such a manner that includes all of the
individual intelligences. These include musical, kinaesthetic, spatial, interpersonal,
intrapersonal, intuitive, linguistic, and logical. Children are given the chance to explore different
activities that deals with these different areas of knowledge.
In a Montessori classroom the strength of student is between 30 and 35 with one or two
facilitators. Here, the children have the opportunity to stay with the same teacher for three to six
years because children are grouped in three years span. The classroom generally divided in
centre stations. They are categorised as:
• Daily living materials (washing station, cleaning supplies, etc.),
• Sensorial materials (sand, sound cylinders, etc.),
• academic materials (books, pencils, etc.), and
• Cultural/artistic materials (paints, crayons, markers, etc.).

The materials are carefully organized and been kept at the same corner for the entire school
years.

In the Montessori school system the most important aspect in a classroom is the usage of
materials. All the materials that are use are very specific and have specific purpose. Whenever
a new material is introduced in a classroom the teacher has to display the usage of the material
to the children. After demonstrating the material, the task of the teacher is to observe that the
children are using the material in the way it is suppose to be used. For an example, the child is
given a bowl of dried peas along with a spoon and an empty bowl. The teacher demonstrates to
the child how to spoon the dried peas into the empty bowl. The child is then told to complete this
task on his or her own. If the teacher finds the child using the peas in any other way, the teacher
has to demonstrate the task again.

Unlike traditional school system, Montessori school system provides opportunity for children to
nurture into independent and self-sufficient individuals along with love for learning.

She gave importance to what children likes. According to her:

• Children like repeatedly trying the same exercise. It has been observed that once the
child discovers something he or she tries to repeat it constantly to master that.
• Children like if they are given preference to choose.
• Children have the requirement of checking on themselves.
• Each activity they take it as a challenge.
• Children like it when they are analyzed about specific movement. For example: Is it a
beautiful movement?
 • Children favour good manners in their social behaviour.
• Children enjoy silence exercises.
• Children like a disciplined setting where everything has a fixed place, which gives them
a sense of safety and security.
• Children are very particular about their own body, for example, washing their hands and
etc.

• Children at their early childhood (2years to 6 years) learn to explore their environment
through their senses.
• Last but most crucial, children starts writing before they can read. For instance, instead
of reading picture a child first starts scribbling.

Montessori Equipments

Modern day Montessori teachers use various aids and equipments to facilitate learning and
make learning more fun. Some examples are as follows:
 Movable cursive alphabet Botany puzzle Geo Solids

Bead Frames Numbers and counters Number Rods

C. Friedrich Froebel

Friedrich Froebel, the German Educationist, was best known as the founder of Kindergarten. He
was born in 1782 in the village of Oberwebach in Thuringia, Germany.
His childhood was not easy because his mother died when he was a
baby and his father abandoned him. His strong faith in Christianity led
him to the field of education.

Friedrich Froebel’s first exposure to teaching was through a school. His

vision was to stimulate love for children, to provide a new but small world
for children to play with their age group and also experience their first
gentle taste of independence. His kindergarten system consisted of games and songs,
construction, and gifts and occupations. His system allowed children to compare, test, and
explore new things.

The Kindergarten system or children’s garden system learning is based on fun and play.
Froebel emphasized that play is considered as the “work” of childhood and also clarified that
this is the most spiritual and purest stage of human kind. Play is the highest expression of
human development in childhood for it alone is the free expression to know a child's soul. The
importance of play – is both a creative activity and through it children become aware of their
existent environment.
He developed exclusive materials (such as shaped wooden bricks and balls), a series of
recommended activities (occupations) and movement activities, and a linking set of theories.
His mainly focused on the teaching of young children through educational games in the family.
In the later years his theories became linked with the outside world as well. It is due to the
demand for the provision of special centres for the care and development of children outside the
home.

He categorised Kindergarten into three essential parts:

o creative play, which Froebel called gifts and occupations
o singing and dancing for energetic activity
o nurturing and observing plants in a garden for inspiring consciousness of the
natural world

Froebel categorized his move towards to education as "self-activity". This concept allows the
child to go by his or her own interest and to freely explore them. Hence, teachers act as a
guidance rather than lecturer.

Froebel's kindergarten was designed to meet each child's need for:

ü creative expression
ü the experience of living among others
ü physical activity
ü the development of sensory awareness and physical dexterity
ü satisfaction of the soul
ü the pleasure of singing
ü exploration of ideas and concepts

Froebel’s Kindergarten curriculum

Froebel research includes multiple intelligences (different learning styles). They are as follows:
§ play-based,
§ child-centric,
§ holistic education,
§ parent involvement/training,
§ educational paper folding,
§ use of music, games, and movement activities for education.

Froebel believed that the gifts bring their actual physical appearance and also a hidden
symbolic meaning. Therefore, as discussed earlier, in Froebel’s kindergarten curriculum he
included gifts and occupation. They were to inspire the child to bring the primary concept that
they represented to intellectual consciousness. Froebel's gifts items were:

§ Six soft, coloured balls

§ A wooden sphere, cube, and cylinder
§ A large cube divided into eight smaller cubes
§ A large cube divided into eight oblong blocks
§ A large cube divided into twenty -one whole, six half, and twelve quarter cubes
§ A large cube divided into eighteen whole oblongs: three divided lengthwise three divided
breadth wise
§ Quadrangular and triangular tablets for arranging figures
§ Sticks for outlining figures· Whole and half wire rings for outlining figures
§ Various materials for drawing, perforating, embroidering, paper cutting, weaving or
braiding, paper folding, modelling, and inter-acting

Paper, pencils, wood, sand, clay, straw &sticks for use in constructive activities, he considered
as occupation. The activities are basically designed to assist sensory, physical and social
development. All over world in kindergarten Schools children are encouraged to inter act with
other children under the guidance of a loving and caring educator.
D. Reggio Emilia Approach

The Reggio Emilia approach emphasises on teaching children through community. In its most
fundamental form, it is a way of observing what a child knows
or curious about and what challenges him/her. Teachers
evidence these observations to reflect on developmentally
suitable ways to help children develop their academic and
social potentials.

Founded by the creative thinker teacher and charitable, Loris Malaguzzi, the Reggio Emilia
approach refers to the philosophy of elementary education that originated in Reggio Emilia, Italy
after World War II.

The Reggio Emilia approach was conceived, covered and executed the theoretical contributions
of thinkers, as, Dewey, Piaget, Vygotsky and Bruner.

The Reggio Emilia approach curriculum models are child-centric as a child is a competent
learner. Teacher gives importance to child’s interest rather than focused instruction in reading
and writing. According to Reggio approach children learn through
interaction which includes parents, staff and peers in a friendly
learning environment. In this approach, children are observed
regarding their knowledge, curiosity and what challenges them.
Teachers record these observations to reflect on developmentally
accurate ways to help children expand their academic and social
potentials.

Reggio’s vision is to create an appropriate environment for schools of elementary education.

The philosophy suggested that lessons should be held in a big classroom which has sufficient
light, space and real plants, unlike tradition classroom. So, that the children develops interest in
exploring things from early childhood.

The principle strongly believes that the entire society is responsible for a child’s development.
Therefore, along with educators, parents and peers are also given importance. The school
which follows Reggio’s principle involves parents not only in homework but also in school
activities. They give full privilege to the parents to give feedback regarding school curriculum
and policy.

Here are the key features of Reggio Emilia's elementary education:

a. The role of the environment-as-teacher

• Within the Reggio Emilia schools, environment is often regarded as “third
teacher”. Therefore, the greatest concern of this type of school is of looks and
environment of the classroom. Hence, the educator design their curriculum
keeping in mind the school environment.
• Child’s respect and their learning environment are the aesthetic beauty within
school.
• The environment in the classroom is considered to be playful and joyful.
• Teachers categorize environments into promises and provocations that
encourage the children to undertake unlimited exploration and problem solving,
often in small groups, where cooperation and disputation blend pleasantly.
• Documenting children’s work, plants and collections that have been created by
the former and displaying them at the children's and adult’s eye level are an
important task for an educator.
• Common space must be accessible to all children in the school which includes
dramatic play areas and work tables for children coming from different
classrooms to merge.

b. Children's multiple symbolic languages

• Harmonizing with Dr. Howard Gardner's idea of schooling for multiple
intelligences, the Reggio approach calls for the combination of the graphic arts
as tools for cognitive, linguistic, and social development.
• Using the arts as a symbolic language to articulate their understandings in their
assignment.
• Presentation of concepts and hypotheses in various forms such as print, art,
construction, drama, music, puppetry, and shadow play are viewed as crucial to
children's understanding of skill.

c. Home-school relationships
 • Programs in Reggio are family-centric: idea of an "education based on
relationships" focuses on each child in relation to others and seeks to activate
and support children's mutual relationships with other children, family, teachers,
society, and the environment.
• Children, teachers, parents and community are interrelated and work together.
Constructing a community of inquisition between adults and children.
• Child’s inquiry and theory building about their own environment deepens through
communication and interaction with adults and children.

d. Documentation as assessment and advocacy

• Teachers act as documenters for the children, helping them trace and revisit their
words and actions and thereby making the learning evident.
• Documenting and displaying the children's project work, is necessary for children
to convey, revisit, and create and recreate their feelings, ideas and
understandings.
• Pictures of children occupied in experiences, their words as they discuss what
they are doing, feeling and thinking and the children's understanding of
experience through the visual media are displayed as a graphic presentation of
the dynamics of learning.
• Similar to the portfolio approach, record of children's work in progress is viewed
as an important device in the learning progression for children, teachers, and
parents.

e. The teacher as researcher

• Teachers are devoted to reflection about their own teaching and knowledge.
• The teacher's role within the Reggio Emilia approach is intricate. Working as co-
teachers, the role of the teacher, first and primary, is to learn along with the
children. The teacher is a teacher-researcher, a resource and guide and she/he
lends proficiency to children.
• Classroom teachers need to be working in cooperation, sharing information and
mentoring between personnel.
• As a teacher-researcher role, educators cautiously listen, observe, and
document children's work and the development of community in their classroom
and are to incite and inspire thinking.
It may be noted that each of the above approaches has its own pros and cons. Reggio
approach is not a formal model with definite methods (such as Waldorf and Montessori),
teacher certification values and accreditation processes. But rather, the teachers in Reggio
Emilia verbalize of their growing "experience" and see themselves as a provocation and
reference point, a way of engaging in dialogue starting from a strong and rich vision of the child.
In all of these settings, credentials were explored as a means of promoting parent and teacher
indulgent of children's learning and development.

The Reggio Emilia schools produce an educational world in which children work and play in
communities and learn to respect other persons and contradictory points of view. Teachers lead
children through critical inquiry. Pedagogy includes building structural art objects that require
critical thinking skills using linguistic and mathematical processes and the capacity to work in
cooperative groups. The curriculum includes long-term projects in a variety of media that
promote connections between school and the home, family, and community and develop
consciousness and pleasure for regional, national, global cultural heritage.
 Interesting fact: advent of “progressive” education

John Dewey was a progressive American educator. According

to John Dewey (1859-1952) learning being dynamic and schooling
was long and restrictive. He believed that children came to school to
do things and live in a society which gave them real, guided
experiences which fostered their capability to contribute to society.
For example, Dewey philosophy said that:

• Students should be encouraged to real-life tasks and challenges.

• Math could be learnt through learning proportions in cooking or figuring out how long it
would take to get from one place to another by mule
• History could be learnt by experiencing how people lived, geography, what the climate
was like, and how plants and animals grew, were important subjects
Dewey had a contribution for signifying activities that captured the centre of what his classes
were studying. Dewey's education values helped forwards the "progressive education"
movement and the development of "experiential education".