Sara Tawil-Hedaya



Educational Philosophy:

It is during the preschool years that children begin to develop and acquire the social, emotional and cognitive tools necessary for them to be happy, productive members of society and upstanding citizens of the world. It is our goal as early childhood educators to set the foundation for children to develop a strong sense of self and to become independent thinkers and problem solvers. We strive to give our students the tools they need to actively improve the world of tomorrow, rather than passively inherit it. As we introduce them to a formal institution of learning, it is crucial that we handle their natural love of learning and curiosity of the world around them with utmost care. Early childhood educators have the power to set the tone for the rest of their student’s academic and social lives.

A developmentally appropriate, child centered, experiential, play based approach to learning ensures that the school experience fosters and enhances a child’s love of exploring and observing the world around them. The importance of play cannot be underestimated. Thousands of cross cultural studies conducted over the past 40 years have proven that through play children develop “social, emotional, moral, perceptual, intellectual, linguistic and neurological development” (Pelo 62), necessary for further learning. Through child initiated and teacher facilitated play, children actively explore and investigate their surroundings. They learn how to interact with their peers, and by doing so they develop tools to compromise, negotiate, and problem solve.

The play-based approach to learning is developmentally appropriate for young children and takes into consideration the philosophies of theorists such as Erikson, Piaget, and Vygotsky, who all agree that play is an essential part of child development. The play based approach recognizes that at the center of all educational process is the “individual child,” and strives to educate the whole child. As a teacher, it is my most difficult challenge but also my greatest achievement to get to know each child, in order to create and scaffold curriculum that will both engage and challenge.

According to Vygotsky, children must be challenged just beyond their zone of proximal development. The teacher is a crucial facilitator in helping the child reach the next benchmark and move out of their comfort zone in order to experience something new. When a child becomes too comfortable and complacent, he/she becomes habituated to only do what is easy or only attempt to try something they are certain they will succeed in. Fear of failure becomes paralyzing, and undermines the learning process. Finding the balance between developmentally appropriate practice and challenging children is essential for all educators. When teachers understand that each child learns differently, the play-based approach provides an array of multi-sensory experiences to cater to different types of learners.

The play based approach is process oriented instead of goal oriented. Creating a curriculum that is process oriented instills a life long love of the process of learning. It will eliminate the fear and anxiety of reaching a certain goal. A child’s fear that they need to always have the right answer undermines their ability to learn, but a process-oriented approach allows them to understand that trial and error is part of the learning process. As the world becomes more technologically advanced, and anything we could want is one click away, it becomes clearer that our minds are not evolving as quickly. As a society we tend towards impatiently reaching for a goal without having an appreciation for the process. Although technology does provide conveniences for daily living, it may be damaging the development and educational processes of our young children. In Jane Healy’s book, Failure to Connect, she writes about the ways in which technology affects learning. “Screens undermine children’s ability to play,” it also “short circuits brain development in ways that undermine the acquisition of impulse control, imagination, higher order thinking and the ability to generate visual imagery” (Pelo, 64) It is during the early years of brain development that children learn to develop impulse control and to delay gratification, which are essential tools in the learning process.

To educate the whole child is to understand how their life functions on all levels. The teacher acknowledges the individuality of each child and by doing so, helps them develop a strong sense of self where they are confident enough to express their own thoughts. This can happen best in a warm and nurturing environment where children feel secure and loved. Additionally, the children should be engaged in discussion and decision making processes, both important tenets of a responsive classroom. This type of quasi-democratic environment, which reflects the ideology of John Dewey, allows children to feel that their voices matter.

It is my belief that as a teacher, I hold tremendous responsibility to help each child develop to their fullest potential. I always try to be present for the children in the class, so that I can recognize the strengths and challenges that each student experiences. It is my job to facilitate new experiences to help the children develop new questions, ideas and understandings, and to lay the foundation for children to become life long learners.

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