Running head: PROFESSIONAL PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION AND DEVELOPMENTAL THEORY 1

Professional Philosophy of education and Developmental Theory

Tanisha A. Champagne

Seattle Pacific University

PROFESSIONAL PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION AND DEVELOPMENTAL THEORY 2

My philosophy on education stems from my own educational experiences during

childhood, my academic career through college, as a parent with two children in the public

education system, and my professional background as an educator. Although my personal

educational roles have evolved over the years, my personal beliefs and passions for quality

education remains consistent. I believe that all students are unique individuals who can reach

optimal levels of achievement when they are included as part of a positive, secure, caring, and

engaging classroom community. Students seek environments or atmospheres in which they can

mature and grow socially, emotionally, physically, and intellectually. As an educator I believe

that it is my job to work as a facilitator with my students to help them meet their fullest academic

potential, and provide an environment that encourages inquiry based learning and allows

opportunities for students to take risk and challenge their thinking. Teachers should think of

themselves are guides of the classroom community and allow students’ natural curiosities to help

guide their own learning processes. Throughout this quarter I have began to gain a deeper

understanding of an overview of the brain, the cognitive development of students, the stages of

life development, the concept of social learning, and moral development.

I was interested to read in Jossey-Bass that, “although we like to think of ourselves as

independent and self-actualizing, our thoughts and behavior are powerfully influenced by others

people’s actions.” (Jossey-Bass 2008, p.7) The term “mirror neurons” was a new concept that I

had never heard before this quarter. It is when the prefrontal cortex in the brain responds when

the neurons mirrors the behavior of another student, as if the observing students was doing the

action themselves. This means that students can directly affect each other through the actions

that they observe from one another I liked the quote from Jossey-Bass, “you can activate my

brain if you can attract my attention enough to get me to watch what you’re doing, and vice

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versa.” (Jossey-Bass 2008, p.8) This is beneficial for educators to be aware of because they can

intentionally plan or use instructional practices that are engaging and will help attract their

students’ attention.

As an educator I am constantly seeking ways in which I can be more effective within my

classroom by the use of engaging instructional practices. In the Powell & Kalina article it states

“an effective classroom is where teachers and students are communicating optimally, is

dependent on using constructivism in the classroom.” (Powell & Kalina 2009, p.241) According

to Powell & Kalina, in order for teachers to use constructivism effectively, they have to know

where the student is at a given learning point or the current stage in their knowledge of a subject

so that students can create personal meaning when new information is given to them. (Powell &

Kalina 2009, p.241) Knowing where your students current level understanding is on concepts

and skills that you are working on is a great benefit for not only the student but the educator as

well. Educators can intentionally plan interventions, choose strategic partners, and plan for

differentiation of instruction when they have a clear understand of their students’ knowledge

levels. The two types of constructivism within a classroom consist of Piaget’s theory of

Cognitive or individual constructivism and Vygotsky’s theory of Social constructivism. I believe

there needs to be a balance between teacher acting as facilitators for students’ learning rather

than dictating and re-teaching skills or concepts in the same manner. Both Piaget & Vygotsky’s

theories include inquiry based teaching methods where students build on existing knowledge and

participate in task that are relevant and meaningful. Students need to be challenged as complex

thinker; this should be slightly past their state of comfortableness where they are extending to

create a solution.

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Like Piaget, Erikson believed that children developed through a predetermined order.

While Piaget focused on the cognitive development Erikson took more interest in how children

socialize and how that affects their sense of self worth. Erikson’s theory of psychosocial

development included eight stages, the successful completion of these stages results in positive

social interactions and a healthy personality in children. Erikson’s stages of psychosocial

development are: Trust vs. Mistrust, Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt, Initiative vs. Guilt,

Industry vs. Inferiority, Identity vs. Role Confusion, Intimacy vs. Isolation, Generativity vs.

Stagnation, and Ego Integrity vs. Despair. My students are currently in the Industry vs.

Inferiority stage, “during this stage the students are capable of learning creating and

accomplishing numerous new skills and knowledge, thus developing a sense of industry. This is

also a very social stage of development and if we experience unresolved feelings of inadequacy

and inferiority among our peers, we can have serious problems in terms of competence and self-

esteem.” (Learning Theories Knowledgebase 2011) It is important for me as educator a

facilitator to help guide me students through the stage of life, by promoting social acceptance of

all students within our classroom community.

Another essential part of student development is for students to have opportunities to

experience the world around them. Benefits that students gain from connecting with local

community organization are awareness about their neighborhood community, real-life issues that

communities are working to resolve, and it also provides them with relevant meaningful

challenges. Students should have the opportunity to visit local businesses and learn about

various careers of interested. Anytime teachers can connect learning within the classroom to real-

life examples it makes the learning more worthwhile.

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Kohlberg “persuaded many researchers to take morality seriously as a realm pertaining to

people’s thinking about how they ought to relate to each other and how social systems should be

organized.” (Turiel 2008) This is an area that is of the most importance as an educator because

students will gain valuable lessons through their experiences and community building skills that

they receive within our classrooms. Students should reflect upon their actions and think about

various solutions to situations. As teachers we do not want to be the sole problem solver, and

should encourage students to constructively resolve conflict through positive modeling. Students

need the opportunity to learn how to problem solve effectively and to practice demonstrating

character traits. The Turiel article explains that teaching of morality should to be a partnership

between school and home. This seems like a logical and simple idea, but it can become

complicated when both parties have a difference in expectations. That is why it’s imperative to

create a partnership between the parents, if the parents have buy-in then it will encourage their

students to as well.

In the building where I work we employ a school wide citizenship program where

character traits are highlighted monthly throughout the school year. For the month of December

the students at my school are working on the character trait of responsibility. Some of the key

points that I share with my students are; responsibility means knowing what is expected of you

and doing it. When people are responsible, they work hard to do everything they are supposed to.

Responsible people are trustworthy and reliable. Knowing others can depend on you makes them

feel confident and positive about themselves. I like to participate in weekly classroom

discussion too hear the views that my students have based on the character trait we are working

on. I think modeling and providing opportunities for students to practice character traits is

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important for their development and will help them become positive community citizens in the

future.

This quarter I learned that there was much more involved in teaching then just merely

planning lessons, classroom management, and monitoring student achievement. I have gained a

great understanding of an overview of the brain, the cognitive development of students, the

stages of life development, the concept of social learning, and moral development. All of these

together, paired along with the belief that all students can be successful, and passion for making

a difference in the lives of children is what the foundation of education is all about.

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References

Jossey-Bass Inc. (2008). The Jossey-Bass reader on the brain and learning. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Learning Theories Knowledgebase (2011, December). Erikson’s Stages of Development at Learning-Theories.com. Retrieved from http://www.learning-theories.com/eriksons-stages-of-development.html

Powell, K. C., & Kalina, C. J. (2009). Cognitive and social constructivism: Developing tools for an effective classroom. Education, 130(2), 241-250.