Teaching Philosophy
The poem below by Loris Malaguzzi has deeply inspired my teaching philosophy:
It is my belief that teachers have the capacity to change the world for the better each and every day through their partnership with their students and their families. I know this is possible having been a student of several dynamic and motivating teachers and professors. I think teachers have a moral imperative to develop both the minds and hearts of young children and I aspire to do that everyday as an early childhood educator.
I believe that children learn best when they feel free to explore and collaborate with their peers and educators, a belief also held by Lev Vygotsky. In order to reach that point though children need to have their foundational needs met according to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. If any of their needs are lacking it is essential for teachers to discover what it is and adequately address it so that children can begin to attain their full self-actualization. Additionally, I think children can become inspirations for each other along the way and serve as teachers themselves. My educational philosophy aligns most closely with the beliefs of Loris Malaguzzi and Reggio Emilia inspired schools. They believe in the following core principles as read on School Within School at Goding's website:
Another principle that is a part of the approach and a belief of mine is that of Teacher as Researcher. Teacher as researcher is the way a teacher functions in the classroom by observing and reflecting on what children think about through documentation of learning. In addition to a Reggio Emilia-inspired teaching philosophy I also incorporate elements from Responsive Classroom's curriculum and mindfulness ideas to develop a positive classroom culture and self-discipline in students. When there is a need to guide behavior in the classroom I try to remain constructive and calm implementing logical consequences, reminders and second chances. I also incorproate Anti-Bias, Culturally Responsive Teaching and Global Competency techniques into the classroom to make sure each student feels seen, heard and understood on a fundamental level related to who they are and where they come from. Additionally, I believe that families should be an integral part of the classroom and welcomed to share their own knowledge base, especially if they come from different cultures than our own. This creates an undeniable sense of community and provides a vision for what the world could look like: diverse groups of people all working together to create a love of learning and growth. Ideally, everyone feels supported and inspired to fulfill their highest potential both academically and personally and create progressive, positive change in the world around them. My philosophy of education is one of social change, inspirational growth and deep beliefs in the capability of young children. In order to accomplish all of these teaching aspirations I'm inspired by my school's motto that says: "Nothing Without Joy!" Truly at the heart of all learning are relationships and the joy of discovering new truths about oneself and others. I hope to carry that joy with me and experience it with my students each and every day. |