Personal Philosophy of Education
It is essential that student teachers have an extensive knowledge on the theories of education. These theories should be applied to a classroom situation where possible. From the research it is evident that discovery learning is extremely beneficial for students as they engage more with the content than they would if they just followed the teacher’s information. Students should be encouraged to complete their own independent research into a topic along with the notes given in class by the teacher.
John Dewey believed that people learned more by actually completing tasks. When teaching MTW or CS I will try and get the students to complete projects what will aid their understanding to a topic. This is in line with John Dewey’s theory of active or hands on learning. Piaget developed schemas and stages of cognitive development. Schemata are units of thought within the nervous system. When I am giving demonstrations in MTW or CS I will only demonstrate a few steps at a time to the students. When students get too many steps together they will forget steps or get mixed up. A number of short demonstrations will eliminate this. Lev Vygotsky developed the theory of scaffolding and the zone of proximal development. Scaffolding is where the teacher reduces the amount of support they give the students as they become more familiar with the topic. The most learning occurs when students are with the zone of proximal development. If the students are completing tasks that are too difficult no learning occurs. Similarly if tasks are too simple no learning occurs either. Tasks which are just outside the student’s current ability are within the ZPD. When I am teaching I will ensure that the student tasks are within their zone of proximal development.
John Dewey believed that people learned more by actually completing tasks. When teaching MTW or CS I will try and get the students to complete projects what will aid their understanding to a topic. This is in line with John Dewey’s theory of active or hands on learning. Piaget developed schemas and stages of cognitive development. Schemata are units of thought within the nervous system. When I am giving demonstrations in MTW or CS I will only demonstrate a few steps at a time to the students. When students get too many steps together they will forget steps or get mixed up. A number of short demonstrations will eliminate this. Lev Vygotsky developed the theory of scaffolding and the zone of proximal development. Scaffolding is where the teacher reduces the amount of support they give the students as they become more familiar with the topic. The most learning occurs when students are with the zone of proximal development. If the students are completing tasks that are too difficult no learning occurs. Similarly if tasks are too simple no learning occurs either. Tasks which are just outside the student’s current ability are within the ZPD. When I am teaching I will ensure that the student tasks are within their zone of proximal development.
For more on my personal philosophy of education see the essay below that I wrote in 3rd Year in GMIT Letterfrack