Educational Philosophy

1. Educational Philosophy A Journey by Pamela Klem chronicled in words and images

2. A Long and Winding Road Now Here Stella Jonah Emma Sayers Piaget Maslow Bloom Yolen Steiner Montessori Holt Great Wall of China: Image from www.fantom-xp.com courtesy of Creative Commons Click on the bornesto visit the stops along the way! Go to End

3. Piaget’s Stages of Human Development • Universal stages of cognitive capacities • Stages are hierarchical - capacities in each stage build on the experiences in prior stages • Children progress as they’re ready: cannot be “rushed” through the stages Formal Operations Age 12 to Adulthood Concrete Operations Age 7 to 11-12 Preoperational Age 2 to 6-7 More Big Book Sensorimotor Birth to age 2 Back to Road

4. More On Piaget’s Stages Humans are able to think abstractly. Formal Operations Age 12 to Adulthood Children demonstrate conservation of number, can differentiate own perspective from others’, can reason deductively Concrete Operations Age 7 to 11-12 Children make mental representations of unseen objects; begin to recognize categories and patterns Preoperational Age 2 to 6-7 Babies make physical “shemes” through motor interactions with environment Sensorimotor Birth to age 2 Back to Road

5. Self Actualization Esteem Needs Belonging Needs Safety Needs Physiological Needs Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs • Universal stages of emotional development • Stages are hierarchical - individuals cannot focus on higher level needs until needs at lower levels have been met • Individuals progress through stages on their own time: cannot be “rushed” through the stages • Not everyone reaches highest stages More Big Book Back to Road

6. Self Actualization Esteem Needs Belonging Needs Safety Needs Physiological Needs More on Maslow’s Hierarchy Attainment of Full Potential Recognition & Respect of Others Self-Respect, Confidence Family Attachments; Community Ties Physical Safety; Stability, Order Food and Shelter Back to Road

7. Sayers’ Lost Tools of Learning • Universal stages of cognitive capacities • Stages are hierarchical - capacities in each stage build on the skills and knowledge accumulated in previous stages • Children progress as they’re ready: cannot be “rushed” through the stages Rhetoric (or “Poetic”) Stage High School to Adulthood Dialectic (or “Pert”) Stage Middle School Years More Grammar (or “Poll Parrot”) Stage Early Elementary Years Seminal Essay Back to Road

8. More on Sayers’ Tools of Learning Evaluating and synthesizing learnings; Expressing own ideas clearly and persuasively Rhetoric (or “Poetic”) Stage High School to Adulthood Organizing and analyzing information; Mastering mechanics of writing; Learning multistage and abstract mathematics; studying logic Dialectic (or “Pert”) Stage Middle School Years Amassing factual information; Mastering discrete skills; Absorbing stories and poetry; Developing ear for language and music; eye for art Grammar (or “Poll Parrot”) Stage Early Elementary Years Back to Road

9. Evaluation Synthesis Analysis Application Comprehension Knowledge Bloom’s Taxonomy • Classification of learning activities according to cognitive complexity • Levels are hierarchical - each level builds on information or skills of preceding level • Subsequent educators have used model to argue that higher levels are more desirable More Big Book Back to Road

10. Evaluation Synthesis Analysis Application Comprehension Knowledge More on Bloom’s Taxonomy Judge, appraise, critique Summarize, integrate Contrast, compare, differentiate Demonstrate, employ, solve Recognize, classify, identify Memorize, recall, reproduce Back to Road

11. Holt’s Organic Learning How Children Learn: • Naturally: Trust them; they want to learn and will do so organically • Independently: Give them time, space, materials and freedom -- and assist only when they ask for it • Through observation and replication: Let them observe you at your own work; they will be curious and motivated to follow your example Big Book Emma collecting bugs Back to Road

12. Montessori Method • Children “know what they need to know” • Prepared environment: physical space and materials carefully organized and maintained • Sensory materials: specifically designed to be sequenced and self-correcting • Within those parameters, students choose own activities; role of adult is to facilitate, not teach • Multiple age classes based on developmental “sensitive periods” Big Book Stella’s sensory demonstration of multiple ways to add tp 10 Back to Road

13. Yolen’s Magic • Model of life well lived • Written hundreds (literally) of books • Generous with time to schools, support to charitable causes, and credit to other authors and illustrators • Advocate of storytelling, folklore and myth for people of all ages • Medium for content, cautionary message • Hooks youngsters on narrative and primes them for classics later • Source of joy. Jonah, reading The Girl in the Golden Bower, by Jane Yolen Big Book Back to Road

14. Steiner’s Principles of Waldorf Education • First school in Stuttgart, Germany in 1919 -- subsequently grew into educational movement • Based on developmental stages of child, but: • Child centered curriculum • Teacher led instruction • Content emphasis on storytelling, myths, legends, classic literature • Method emphasis on art, music, rhythm; beautiful surroundings Abstract Learning Learning through the Eye Ages 8-12 Learning through the Ear Ages 6-7 Learning through the Hand Infancy - Age 5 Back to Road

15. Emma • Eldest – now 13 • Taught me importance of fantasy in children’s development • Classic Holt child: self-directed, intrinsically motivated • (Currently completing parenting book due to publisher by June!) Emma, directing cousins and brother in original drama Back to Road

16. Jonah • Middle – now 9 • Taught me importance of connection with nature to help kids stay grounded and calm • Thrives on order, consistent structure, teacher-led instruction – to my initial disbelief and even dismay • Struggled with reading; now successfully remediated • Forced me to re-think my natural inclination for child-led pedagogies Jonah, Last Child in the Woods Back to Road

17. Stella • Youngest – now 5 • Taught me importance of sensory learning • Classic Montessori child: loves working independently, is drawn to manipulative materials, is motivated to practice same activity over and over until she achieves mastery • Taught me not to step in and help too quickly: “children have the right to struggle” Stella, working on geometric solids Back to Road

18. Mille Bornes • Bornes is French for “roadside distance markers” • Mille Bornes, or “Thousand Markers,” is a classic card game in which players compete in an imaginary 1000k race • The theorists, educators and particularly my kids who’ve helped me find my bearings along my journey thus far have been my bornes! Back to Road

19. Synthesis & Evaluation High School ++ Logical Stage Middle School Years Concrete Stage Primary School Years Sensory Stage Infancy to age 5-6 What a Long, Strange Trip it’s Been…Where I am Now My Educational Philosophy: • Developmental stages based on cognitive evolution • Hierarchy of learning: • Background knowledge before analysis • Content before evaluation • Discrete skills before integrative ones • (puts me close to Sayers) • Simultaneous nurturing of heart and soul: • Stories, legends, myths & poetry • Drama and fantasy • Music and art • Nature • (brings me back towards, but not to, Holt) Back to Road