Student ID# 2947 Test Section IV--- Philosophy of Education Question 2 Page 1

Should education be child-centered, focusing on children’s interest and needs or teacher

centered?

Education should involve both child-centered, and teacher centered. Both teacher and student

should be fully engaged in the students learning. The teacher can present concepts or skills like

the teacher-centered approach, but the students should be able to use and apply the content many

times during the lesson, which is like the student-centered approach. A good education does not

focus on just the teacher or just the student. It takes both to make learning successful. Both the

teacher and the student need to feel a sense of accomplishment. When students are using prior

knowledge, and activities that the students complete are meant to give them the opportunity to

understand the material on their own terms. This learning process is the motivation for both

sides.

Students are more interested in learning when they can interact with one another and

participate actively in their own education. Students in the class learn to work independently and

to interact with other students as part of the learning process. When both the students and teacher

are equally involved, education becomes a more shared experience between the instructor and

the students, and between the students themselves. Students build both collaboration and

communication skills. These are social skills that are needed to ensure that the students will be

successful learners. I clearly understand that the main virtue of the student-centered classroom is

that it removes mastery from the sole province of the teacher and allows students to be masters

also.
 The student-centered approach focuses on meaning making, inquiry and authentic activity.

The instructional goal in student–centered classrooms, based on constructivist principles of

learning, is to create a learning environment where knowledge is constructed by the teacher and

students rather than transmitted directly by the teacher. However, with teacher centered approach

it prevents learners from expressing themselves and discourages them from asking questions and

logical engagement in self-leaning, whereas learner centered approach gives learners the freedom

to acquire knowledge independently and logically by asking questions. In conclusion, the main

difference between teacher centered and student-centered approach is that the teacher centered

approach, focus on the teacher and it does not encourage student expression and communication.

Student centered classroom shares its focus equally between the teacher and the learner, further

permitting collaboration, communication, and self-expression of learners. Therefore, I think it is

best for teachers to use a combination of approaches to ensure that all student needs are met.

Decide what works best for you and your students.