Educational Philosophy

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Educational Philosophy

• A Journey
• by Pamela Klem
• chronicled in words and images

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A Long and Winding Road
Now Here
Stella
Emma
Jonah
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 bornes to visit the stops along the
way!
Go to End
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Piagets 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 theyre 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
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More On Piagets 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
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Maslows 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
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More on Maslows Hierarchy
Attainment of Full Potential
Recognition Respect of Others Self-Respect,
Confidence
Family Attachments Community Ties
Physical Safety Stability, Order
Food and Shelter
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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 theyre 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
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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
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Blooms 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
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More on Blooms Taxonomy
Judge, appraise, critique
Summarize, integrate
Contrast, compare, differentiate
Demonstrate, employ, solve
Recognize, classify, identify
Memorize, recall, reproduce
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Holts 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
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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
Stellas sensory demonstration of multiple ways
to add tp 10
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13
Yolens 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
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Steiners 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
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Emma

• Eldest now 13
• Taught me importance of fantasy in childrens
  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
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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
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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
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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
  whove helped me find my bearings along my
  journey thus far have been my bornes!

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What a Long, Strange Trip its BeenWhere 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)

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