Personal Philosophy of Education

ECF 701.001
YeaEun Schwartz
September 29, 2014
yeaeunschwartz@yahoo.com

It is better to know how to learn than to know. Dr. Seuss

My journey as an early childhood educator began almost accidentally with my
move to Shanghai in 2010. Unable to find a suitable position in my field, media art, I
some how landed a position as a kindergarten ESL teacher, and my life changed forever.
My personal philosophy of education took shape through two very different teaching
experiences in international schools in China.
Armed with a TEFL certificate, and some babysitting experience, my teaching
career was off to a terrifying start as the homeroom English teacher to fifteen
kindergarten students at the Shanghai Angel Korean Kindergarten. I was very lucky to
have the opportunity to work with the principal of the school who became my mentor and
co-teacher. With her guidance I had a very successful and rewarding experience in the
classroom and it became clear to me that teaching would be my future. The
kindergartens curriculum emphasized literacy and writing skills in Korean, English and
Chinese, with about one hour of instruction per language daily. Children over age four did

Personal Philosophy of Education

not have naptime and depending on the day had about 1-2 hours of indoor playtime. The
Korean community considered the language program to be incredibly successful as
ninety percent of our graduating students were placed in advanced English classes at
the Shanghai Korean Elementary School.
In 2013, I moved to Beijing where I continued my career in early childhood
education as the lead English teacher of a toddler class at the Ivy Bilingual International
School. I fell even more in love with the profession as I took on greater responsibility in
the classroom. I especially loved having a very diverse group of students from all around
the world, speaking a range of native languages. Ivy Bilingual was a great educational
experience because the curriculum, material, and forms of assessment were grounded in
Howard Gardners theory of Multiple Intelligences. At Ivy the childrens days were very
different from those at the Shanghai Angel Korean Kindergarten, and they had an
abundance of playtime, naps, brief circle times, and as much outdoor playtime as the air
quality permitted.
My own philosophy of education has been shaped by the positive and negative
experiences I had with the approaches used at the Shanghai Angel Korean Kindergarten
and Ivy Bilingual. I found that my personal philosophy shifted with my experiences and
understanding, very much like Elizabeth Palmer Peabody, an early childhood educator
from the 1800s (Winterer pg 310-313). Peabody initially supported infant schools, with a

Personal Philosophy of Education

more rigid literacy program, later to modify her opinion in support of kindergartens with
comparatively broad-ranging social and emotional goals (Winterer pg 310-313). I can
clearly define the Shanghai Angel Korean Kindergarten as a more traditional school, with
strict rules, little playtime, high academic goals, and a mostly teacher-directed model.
The majority of the childrens day was structured class time with literacy and writing
proficiency as the ultimate goal. Ivy Bilingual seemed to be on the other end of the
spectrum, with little importance placed on literacy or academic goals, and more
emphasis on play-based and child-directed learning. Having experienced both sides of
the spectrum, I found my own philosophy of education fell somewhere in between. John
Deweys position, as described in William Roses article The Origins of Progressive
Education, called for a compromise between traditional (teacher-directed) and
progressive (child-directed) views:
Voices for pedagogical change multiplied and formed a mighty chorus,
singing in praise of the child and insisting that a new education must
supplant an old education based on false and wicked ideasJohn Dewey
brilliantly presented the case for each side, the old and the new education, in
landmark books. (pg.3)
American society was calling for a total reform of the old education, but Dewey pointed
to the importance of a balance between the two styles of learning. In my time at
Shanghai Angel Korean Kindergarten, I witnessed incredible growth in the childrens

Personal Philosophy of Education

reading and writing skills, but at the loss of important playtime, individualized learning,
and much needed naptime. At Ivy Bilingual the children had free reign over what they
chose to play with and the pace at which they learned, but kindergarteners were
graduating without knowing their alphabet. My experiences point to the importance of
finding a balance between child-directed learning and teacher-directed learning.
I believe one of the major achievements of child-directed learning in early
childhood education is cultivating intrinsic motivation, or learning that is driven by
internal forces as opposed to external rewards (Follari, pg 36). When personal interests
are valued, it enhances a childs motivation by associating fun with learning. This in turn
leads to children taking initiative in their own learning and thinking. As educator Caroline
Pratt believed, the ideal education system would teach children how to thinknot
(emphasize) obtaining information, but rather the process of learning information (Follari
pg 36). Much like Pratt, I believe that the process of learning is one of the most important
skills fostered in early childhood education. As a teacher I work to include child-directed
learning through playtime and class time by tailoring lessons and activities for each
individual and group. By spending ample time getting to know your students, and giving
them the space to explore, as well as the time to ask questions, teachers can foster
childrens intrinsic motivation. As beloved childrens author Dr. Seuss once said, It is
better to know how to learn than to know (http://brightdrops.com/dr-seuss-quotes).

Personal Philosophy of Education

On the other hand, I believe that learning should not be exclusively child-directed,
as important learning opportunities would be lost without teacher direction. Wellstructured teacher-directed learning offers challenges and support that maximize a
childs learning experience. Lev Vygotskys zone of proximal development theory is one I
hold close to my own philosophy of education. Vygotsky proposed that learning happens
when children are set to a challenging task, beyond his or her own ability and aided by a
teacher or guide (Follari pg 42). Vygotskys zone of proximal development and his theory
of scaffolding, or a teaching technique that involves giving verbal cues, prompts on
appropriately challenging activities(Follari pg 42), are closely tied to my own philosophy
of teaching. I find that children who are not slightly challenged by supportive adults can
become uncertain or unmotivated to grow. In one case, my student, J, age three, had
never taken part in the process of getting dressed. J did not have the confidence or
motivation to try, however, with teamwork and encouragement we walked her through the
process, taking baby steps towards helping her get dressed by herself. In a few months
she was able to get dressed with very little help and this became a point of pride for her,
boosting her confidence in her abilities. This success was a teacher-directed learning
experience that was accomplished by understanding the developmental capability of the
student and taking steps towards achieving that goal.

Personal Philosophy of Education

My experiences have taught me the importance of finding a balance between the

restrictive teaching methods of the Shanghai Angel Korean Kindergarten and a free-forall classroom. This balance can be implemented by creating a routine with time and
space for both types of learning. For example, the one-hour long classes at Shanghai
Angel Kindergarten were too long, taking up the childrens day, while the fifteen to twenty
minutes circle times at Ivy Bilingual were not challenging enough. A well-structured
twenty to thirty-minute class (depending on the age group) would be a more balanced
length of class time, permitting enough time for play.
Teaching in two very different schools gave me a deeper understanding of my own
philosophy of education. I am a firm believer in balance in all aspects of education,
especially child-directed and teacher directed learning. A balanced, shared classroom
and learning experiences creates an environment of mutual respect, enhancing both the
child and teachers experience. John Dewey, like Dr. Seuss, believed that a love of
learning and a desire to continue learning ought to be the primary aims of the
educational environment (Follari pg 34). This is a vision I hope to achieve with each one
of my students, instilling a love of learning for a lifetime to come.

References

Personal Philosophy of Education

Bright Drops, 37 Dr. Seuss Quotes That Can Change the World (2014)
Retrieved from http://brightdrops.com/dr-seuss-quotes

Follari, Lissana M., Foundations and Best Practices in Early Childhood Education:
History, Theories, and Approaches to Learning 2nd Ed.

Reese, William J., The Origins of Progressive Education, History of Education

Quarterly, Vol. 41, No. 1 (Spring, 2001), pp. vi+1-24 Published by: History of
Education Society

Winterer, Caroline, Avoiding a "Hothouse System of Education": Nineteenth-Century

Early Childhood Education from the Infant Schools to the Kindergartens, History
of Education Quarterly, Vol. 32, No. 3 (Autumn, 1992), pp. 289-314, Published by:
History of Education Society, (http://www.jstor.org/stable/368547)