Author: Nicole Marie Sartin
Ashford University
EDU 623: Introduction to Teaching & Learning
Instructor: Dennis Lawrence
My Philosophy on Education
8/8/13
How do children learn? Based on the early research and philosophy of Jean Piaget, children learn through “play-based” activities. (2009) Years later, a number of authors and researchers investigated the impact of early childhood education relevant to the psychology of early childhood development. While some conclude that a child’s education is dependent upon good parenting and socioeconomic factors. Research shows that providing a high quality education for children before they turn five yields significant long-term benefits. (2009)
Thanks to Hillary Clinton’s famous use of the African proverb in 1996, "It takes a village to raise a child," the debate over the role of government and communities in supporting families and children has become a focal point. As an only child of divorced, minority parents my philosophy on education is similar to Piaget’s theory: “children learn by doing”. Furthermore, since all children learn differently, education is a process that must be stimulated, encouraged and fostered by parents, teachers, role models and community leaders.
My mother played an integral role in my education. She insured that my playtime was geared towards learning and development. While I had a few dolls and an Easy-Bake-Oven, most of my toys were educational. I belonged to a children’s book club which sent a new Dr. Seuss book to our home each month. My mom also took me to the library on a regular basis for finger-painting activities, reading events and puppet-shows. She was on first-name basis with the librarian and I had my own library card just as I started walking. Needless to say, I was speaking, reading and writing at an early age. During this time, I attended a private pre-school which lead to an elementary school which was known for teaching exceptional young children.
At the age of ten, my parents had divorced and I attended public school with my father from junior high until graduating high school. I must admit that public school was a lot easier for me and I did not study nearly as much as I my teachers requested. But I was still an avid reader and an active member of the drill-team, glee, speech and debate, music and drama clubs in school. Despite my academic “laziness”, several of my teachers saw fit to comment on my being an above average student. These teachers not only made sure that my parents knew that I was a good student, but they also saw to it that the administration at my school paid close attention to me. As a result, I managed to remain a good student within the top 80% of my class. I received recognition in school bulletin on a weekly basis, received numerous awards for winning speech debates, was placed in all honors classes and allowed to be an assistant teacher as well as assistant producer to the drama coach. None of these special assignments were due to my being a popular student or maintain a 4.0 GPA. In fact, it wasn’t until I ran for class president and lost that I realized that I wasn’t the only high school “sweetheart”. Needless to say, my popularity or GPA was not what helped me succeed during my junior high and high school years.
As I prepared for graduation, I was chosen to give the Baccalaureate speech at my high to the student body. It was an honor chosen by the administration, not the students. Thus, I took the leadership role very seriously. Graduation meant leaving many of our friends, favorite teachers and mentors to go to college. As I addressed my fellow students, I discussed the paths which lead us to graduation as well as the next steps leading us all to college and adulthood.
For me, college was a natural part of growing-up. Most of my role models were doctors, lawyers, teachers or business owners whom had already completed years of higher learning in order to gain the skills necessary for those occupations. Thus, my parents, mentors and friends all helped me decide which college I would attend after high school.
I chose to study speech communication at the California University of Los Angeles. The school had the best program for my major, an affordable tuition and the format was taught on the quarter system. This meant that I would not need a student loan, could live with my mother and graduate faster than those schools on the semester system. Attending CSULA was a positive learning experience for me. I was fortunate enough to have one of the teachers as a mentor to guide me through the program. During my studies, my mentor facilitated two internships for me with Fleishman-Hillard and Bozell Communications Worldwide. These experiences were invaluable. Both opportunities were paid internships which not only enhanced my learning experience while in school, but also lead to my first job just after graduation. After graduation, I was ready to put everything that I’d learned into practice on my first job.
My learning was stimulated at an early age and my education was encouraged, shaped and fostered for me throughout my entire life. Thus, my philosophy on education is still the same: “children learn by doing”. More importantly, since all children learn differently, education is a process that must be stimulated, encouraged and fostered by parents, teachers, role models and community leaders.
References:
Armstrong, D., Henson, K., & Savage, T. (2009). Teaching today: An introduction to education
(8th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.
“Long-Term Benefits of Early Childhood Education". National Education Association. 2013.
Winner, Melinda (28 January 2009). "The Serious Need for Play". Scientific American.
