Creating learning philosophy
Teaching, or to teach, is to impart knowledge or skill to someone by instruction or example; or to give lessons in a subject. In contrast, learning, or to learn, is coming to know something, to acquire knowledge, or to find something out. Therefore a teacher is a person who imparts knowledge or skill through instruction or example while a learning facilitator is one who creates an environment in which someone can come to know something, acquire knowledge, or gain information and experience. Harapunk (2021)
I want to start this manuscript by highlighting this phrase from Harapunk (2021) that made me reflect on being a teacher or learning instructor: Be a teacher and share and impart information, that is, focus on yourself and your teaching skills. But be a learning coach, and you will be student-focused, allowing your students to acquire knowledge through suitable learning environments and experiences.
I have three children, but without a doubt, my oldest daughter has been my model of education. From a very early age, she has been interested in learning different things from children his age. At four years old, she had already decided she wanted to be a paleontologist, and was very clear about what he needed to learn. Since she was four years old, she has had advanced reading for her age. We have not limited her; we have not compared her; we have not set standards or limits for her age; we have encouraged her to learn more, creating learning environments, conducive and experimental, that encourage her curiosity, creativity, choice, and a powerful mind confident in the challenges she is capable of overcoming. In turn, she has been that learning mentor for her siblings, modeling, inviting them to curiosity and creativity, and accepting challenges despite her age.
I want to reach this point with my students. Like my children in whom he built confidence, together with my husband, we have created learning environments where they have their choice and voice and mastery of their learning. I can take my students to these same achievements in their lives.
I work in a vulnerable population with little access to technology, education, and few opportunities; this has led me to research and learn more about best educational practices and adjust them to the actual situation of my students.
This is my learning philosophy, Choice + creativity + curiosity + Growth MINDSET through authentic learning.
Creativity is not limited to the expression of art; it is also the expression of ideas. According to Dischler (2009), when children think creatively, they try to see beyond the obvious and explore different angles, engaging all their senses. However, learning new skills and expanding knowledge can be challenging, but creating an environment that fosters innovative and supportive learning, a along with the necessary resources and materials, can make a significant
BeliefS about learning:
difference. By encouraging learners to explore new perspectives and ideas creatively, they can develop problem-solving abilities and gain a deeper understanding of complex subjects.
Curiosity: Curiosity, inspiration, and creativity are closely interconnected. When we feel inspired, we develop a keen interest in learning and explore novel ways to gain knowledge. According to Dischler (2009), creativity and curiosity are inherently linked, leading to the other, which are vital components of problem-solving. We begin by trying something new (creativity) and then investigate how it works (curiosity).
Choice of choice is a powerful tool that fosters imagination and creativity, allowing individuals to tailor their learning experiences. Dischler (2009) suggests that when children are free to choose, they focus on the learning process rather than just the result. By doing so, learning becomes a manageable task that involves memorizing concepts only temporarily. With choice, learning can be a smooth and enjoyable experience.
Authentic learning is based on experiences. It refers to the opportunity for learners to select and engage in real-world learning experiences (also known as authentic learning opportunities) that enable them to make a genuine difference in their learning environments. According to Harapnuik et al. (2018), experiencing learning is an essential part; all of us need experience, and those who have positive experiences reinforce their knowledge in each project.
The concept of a growth mindset, as proposed by Dweck (2006), highlights the importance of believing in the potential growth of intellect and talent. It is important to remind all learners that we have equal opportunities. However, how we experience challenges and confront new opportunities will determine whether we have a fixed or growth mindset.
Beliefs about
the relationship
between
teaching and
learning
I´m a follower of Maria Montessori's method and in her book "The Absorbent Mind”. She explains how providing a proper learning environment can significantly impact a child's education. Education is a natural process that a child carries out independently, and it's not just about hearing words but also experiencing the environment around them (Montessori, 2018).
Having a curious mind is crucial for continuous learning throughout our lives; instead, when teachers feel passionate about the learning process, they acknowledge that how children approach their challenges and tests can significantly affect their learning outcomes. How children respond to frustration, problems, and challenges and how teachers can guide their students to management can impact their learning process, whether they help them to build a growth mindset. Therefore, fostering and demonstrating a growth mindset in children is crucial, enabling them to confidently tackle challenges through their learning process.
As educators, we are responsible for supporting the students with their cognitive process and helping them develop their personality. We should create an environment that promotes growth and encourages students to explore their full potential. By adopting a student-centered approach and providing the necessary resources and support to help them achieve their goals, we can influence future generations and make a positive difference in their lives. Our role is to motivate cheerleaders and guide them as coaches in their learning process.
As mentioned, my learning philosophy is about giving students the freedom to choose, be creative, stay curious, and develop a growth mindset through authentic learning experiences.
This approach should complement the teacher's philosophy, which emphasizes the importance of the teacher's attitude towards their students, as they act as a guide and mentor, providing support and acting as a role model for their students. The teaching philosophy must complement the learning philosophy by observing and preparing learning environments where "I know" is highlighted more than the teaching lead.
Beliefs on the difference between a learning philosophy vs a teaching philosophy.
To me the focus of the teaching philosophy should not be on the teacher but rather on the student. Specifically, the focus should be on acquiring skills through autonomous learning rather than teaching skills. We must stop seeking the perfect teacher, as suggested by Montessori (1973 pp. 142-143), who argues that the idea of a "good" Teacher "It means usually one who has studied all the things which do not help the child; such teachers are full of prejudices and ideas about the child which are not conducive to giving freedom to the child."
The mentality in teaching is an essential part of wanting to reformulate beliefs in front of students, stopping labeling and beginning to believe in children before the results, focusing on the path they are building of their self-exploration and self-learning, thus allowing themselves to develop.
The learning philosophy has to be based on freedom of choice. Montessori (1973)said, "Given freedom and no interruptions by the teacher, he performs full, complete, concentrated work." It would be beneficial to free the teacher from the prejudices that he may have, giving your greatest success by freeing from them. "The measure of how well they succeed is seen in how far they are still cloaked by prejudice" (Montessori, 1973)
So, it is necessary to change how we see the teaching philosophy, starting with the teacher's mind, passion, and beliefs to improve the learning methods and get a successful learning process for our students through choice, creativity, curiosity, and their mindset through authentic learning experiences.
How I´m Connected with the Learning Theories
I am a pre-k - Kinder teacher and My teaching philosophy is aligned with the theory of Humanism. (Learning theories, 2020) Humanism is a philosophy that believes that learning is seen as a personal act to develop one's potential, studying the person as a whole and their motivations. Moreover, objectives make them areas of primary interest.
Abraham Maslow and Carl Rogers are prominent influencers of the theory of Humanism. Maslow published ''Theory of Human Motivation'' "There are at least five sets of goals, which we may call basic needs. These are briefly physiological, safety, love, 'esteem, and self-actualization. In addition, we are motivated by the desire to achieve or maintain the various conditions upon which these essential satisfactions rest and by certain more intellectual desires". (Maslow, 1943, pp. 34)
My teaching philosophy has been greatly influenced by Maria Montessori, an Italian psychologist who created the Montessori method. She based her approach on Humanism, which emphasizes the importance of autonomy, free will, and the desire for self-realization.
From Maslow's perspective, learning is a relevant aspect of human needs, where information is acquired in fact and the integration of the individual in terms of self-image, feelings, behavior, and, of course, the relationship with the environment.
Maslow describes love needs: "If both the physiological and the safety needs are fairly
well gratified, then there will emerge the love and affection and belongingness needs, and the whole cycle" Maslow (1943, pp. 17). The proposal for humanist education emphasizes affective education, which focuses on emotions, feelings, interests, values, and character rather than just intellectual learning.
Imagen 1. Fullbrook, P. (2020b). Maslow’s hierarchy of needs.
According to Maslow (1943, pp. 18), ¨The esteem needs all people in our society (with a few pathological exceptions have a need or desire for a stable, firmly based, (usually) high evaluation of themselves, for self-respect or self-esteem, and the esteem of others". Most people have a natural desire to have high and stable self-esteem, as well as the esteem of others, based on real achievements, skills, and recognition. Cultivating the desire for strength, achievement, adequacy, confidence, independence, and freedom from the world is important. Fulfilling our need for self-esteem creates a sense of worth, confidence, strength, and usefulness in society. However, failing to meet these needs can result in feelings of inferiority, weakness, and helplessness. These negative emotions can lead to discouragement and even unhealthy behaviors. "The need for self-actualization. -- Even if all these needs are satisfied, we may still often (if not always) expect that a new discontent and restlessness will soon develop, unless the individual is doing what he is fitted for" Maslow (1943, Pp. 19)
"Education should no longer be based on a study program but on the knowledge of human life" (Montessori, 1973, Pp. 11). It refers to the environment and how the child learns; everything around the child is a stimulation and learning motivation; the child's brain is absorbent and with an adequate learning environment capable of choosing and expressing its motivations and learning preferences."It is the child who, taking advantage of everything he finds around him, shapes himself for the future" (Montessori, 1973, pp. 13) Allowing children to experience authentic, student-centered learning environments can help them acquire knowledge through unique experiences and their own opinions. As adult teachers and parents, we must not fear granting them freedom; instead, we should provide guidance and support to help them learn.
"Throughout life it can be said that one of the
main cognitive functions of education is the neutralization of apparent dangers through
knowledge;for example, I am not afraid of thunder
because I know something about it"
(Maslow 1943 , pp. 35).
According to María Montessori (1973, Pp. 6), "Education is a natural process carried out spontaneously by the human individual. It is acquired not by listening to words but through environmental experiences. The teacher's task then becomes not that of speaking, but rather that of preparing a series of motives for cultural activity spread in a specially prepared environment’'. As for the position that we teachers should have, it does not mean that the teacher should leave the child to his own devices; the teacher should have a very active task from another perspective, including preparation, orientation, and later “inactivity.” Whether the teacher presents or not, the child can continue functioning under his motivation, as proposed by Maslow, and not under external motivations, as suggested by other theories such as behaviorism.
“To begin with, we could say that the teacher's first step is self-preparation. Must prepare your imagination and your faith in the child” (Montessori, 1973, Pp. 226). This supports Maslow's theory regarding the need for love, where values and a different civilization under construction are needed to focus on internal values. and not external.
Maslow's theory suggests that building strong student-teacher relationships is more important than focusing solely on lesson or curriculum structure (Fulbrook, 2020). It is not enough to have the best resources and well-planned lessons; teachers must also demonstrate enthusiasm, passion, and empathy to help students feel their needs are being met. This theory is also supported by Carl Roger's who states that the teacher is viewed as a facilitator of learning rather than just a conveyor of knowledge. The teacher's success is in building positive relationships with students. (Fulbrook, 2020a, pp.33) he highlighted: “The role of the teacher is to facilitate learning in the student by providing the conditions that lead to significant or meaningful self-directed learning. The goal is to develop a group, including the teacher, into a community of learners. In such a community, curiosity is released, the meaning of investigation is opened, and everything is open to questioning and exploration.”
According to Rogers, there are three main conditions, qualities, or attitudes that facilitate learning when present in an interpersonal relationship. These conditions can be applied to classroom learning.
Realness is the facilitator
of learning:
Learning occurs when teachers act as themselves instead of conforming to the educational system's expectations. A teacher should be natural, without any professional facade, expressing their emotions without hiding or projecting them onto students. Using their unique personality when teaching helps establish trust between teachers and students. A teacher needs to convey their feelings. Modeling is essential for early childhood, making real connections with their students.
(Cecil Holden Patterson, 1977, p. chapter 5)
Prizing,Accepting, and Trusting.
To create a positive learning environment, the student should be respected as a unique individual with inherent worth, and their feelings, opinions, and person should be appreciated. There should be a sincere concern for their well-being without expecting the student to change or conform to be accepted and respected. This attitude is based on a trust in the human organism and its ability to grow and develop towards fulfilling its potential, given the opportunity.
(Cecil Holden Patterson, 1977, p. chapter 5)
Empathy
Empathic understanding is not your typical evaluative understanding based on an external diagnostic analysis. Instead, it requires immersing oneself in the student's shoes to comprehend their reactions from their perspective and experience their perceptions and feelings about the situation. It is a rare approach in the classroom that involves looking at the world through the student's eyes and understanding their viewpoint.
(Cecil Holden Patterson, 1977, p. chapter 5)
These philosophies can influence my innovative project by making it more humanistic. Starting a blended learning project in my community is something tacit and challenging; it requires a change mainly in the mentality of my audience as leaders, coaches, and other teachers; this philosophy helps me focus not only on my students but also on the growth of the teacher as a being in every sense.
Both the teacher and the student (will be) exposed to new learning and rest, and we both require learning environments that allow us self-exploration. Developing our mentality, creativity, and curiosity will play an important role in the project's development. Freedom and dynamism will be fundamental pillars of development.
In conclusion '“We, the human teachers, can only help the great work being done, as servants help the master. If we do so, we shall witness the unfolding of the human soul, to the rising of a New Man who will not be the victim of events but who will have the clarity of vision to direct and shape the future of human society .” I center my teaching philosophy on the responsibility of each person for their learning and development, Support and recognition of the need for love and a sense of self-worth, and The role of the teacher as facilitator.
References
Cecil Holden Patterson. (1977). Foundations for a theory of instruction and educational psychology (p. chapter 5). New York Harper & Row. http://www.sageofasheville.com/pub_downloads/CARL_ROGERS_AND_HUMANISTIC_EDUCATION.pdf. Chapter 5, CARL ROGERS AND HUMANISTIC EDUCATION.
Dischler, P. A. (2009). Teaching the 3 Cs: Creativity, Curiosity, and Courtesy. Corwin Press. ttps://www.google.com/books/edition/Teaching_the_3_Cs_Creativity_Curiosity_a/Ijgwvh57RQMC?hl=es419&gbpv=1&dq=why+students+lost+curiosity+learning&printsec=frontcover
Dweck, C. S. (2006). Mindset : The new psychology of success (p. 186). Ballantine Books
Fullbrook, P. (2020a). An Introduction to Learning Theories : 15 of the most influential learning theories, simplified and explained. Independently Published (12 Feb.
Fullbrook, P. (2020b). Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. In P. Fullbrook (Ed.), Imagen 1.
Harapnuik, D., Thibodeaux, T., & Cummings, C. (2018). COVA. https://gallery.mailchimp.com/1bdbac4d4fbdff334a642eb11/files/8b18ae2a-8696-4d58-9b80-192f4cc6624c/COVA_eBook_Jan_2018.02.pdf
Harapunk, D. (2021). Learning philosophy. Harapnuik.org. https://www.harapnuik.org/?page_id=95
Learning theories. (2020, March 3). Humanism - Learning Theories. Https://Learning-Theories.com. https://learning-theories.com/humanism.html#contributors
Maslow, A. H. (1943). Theory of human motivation. In Psychological Review (Vol. 50, pp. 18,). Wilder Publications.
Montessori, M. (1973). The Absorbent Mind. Translated From the Italian by Claude A. Claremont. New York, Holt, Rinehart And Winston.
Oyarzun, B., & Conklin, S. (2021). Learning Theories. In edtechbooks.org. EdTech Books. https://edtechbooks.org/id/learning_theories
Robinson, K. (2010, May 24). Bring on the learning revolution! | Sir Ken Robinson. YouTube. https://youtu.be/r9LelXa3U_I
Schunk, D. H. (2020). Learning theories : An educational perspective. (6th ed.). Pearson.
Thomas, D., & John Seely Brown. (2011). A new culture of learning : cultivating the imagination for a world of constant change. Douglas Thomas And John Seely Brown.
Annotated Bibliography
