John Dewey and early childhood education - 1691 Words

Part A(50%) Select an individual (philosopher) you have studied in this unit and elaborate on how this individual has/will influence you in your workings with children in a pre-school setting. â€Å"Education is not preparation for life. Education is life itself.† – John Dewey (1859-1952) (Ministry of Education, Singapore, 2003) The set of Desired Outcomes of Pre-school Education that the Ministry of Education(MOE) had put together in 2003 highlighted the significant importance of pre-school education being the platform for lifelong learning. It’s intention were far beyond preparation of these children merely for Primary School curriculum (Wong,2000). Very much alike to John Dewey (Dewey)’s quote, MOE’s take on pre-school education†¦show more content†¦In the pre-nursery and nursery classes, I take time to listen, make eye contact and respond to children. This makes children feel comfortable and it motivates them to interact more with adults. I would also plan for activities like dough play and painting on large papers where children are able to proceed with the activity together. Through such activities, they are able to discus s, comment and communicate with each other too. I would also ask questions like, â€Å"What do you think Clarisse has molded? Does it look like a sandwich?† which allows for creative thoughts to be expressed and interaction to take place. Dewey’s philosophy perceived a teacher’s role as a guide and observer, rather than an instructor or a disciplinarian. The teacher is to provide and prepare the environment and curriculum to allow children to benefit and learn productively from it. Teachers were also expected to observe children and come up with activities designed to facilitate optimal learning (Feeney, Christensen and Moravcik, 2006). For the pre-nursery and nursery classes, I would provide a large variety of materials where children would be given the choice to choose based on their preference. I would not interfere in their choice activity as long as it conforms safety standards. I would also plan for activities where children could explore and exercise trial and error. For instance in the dough making session,Show MoreRelatedJohn Dewey : Moral Behavior And Good Works1453 Words   |  6 Pages John Dewey was born October 20, 1859 in Burlington, Vermont. He was born to Archibald Dewey and Lucina Artemisia Rich and was the third of four children. His father loved literature and his mother was very stern and based most of her parenting on Calvinism (a religion in which one s faith is expressed through moral behavior and good works). John Dewey attended two different universities, the first university was the University of Vermont which he attended at age fifteen and graduated second inRead MoreInfluential Educators And Education Program1136 Words   |  5 Pages Influential Educators and Education Program By Whitney Holley-Newport Stephen F. Austin State University John Dewey It is important to know where the ideas of the way children learn came from. One educator that had a significant influence on education and the way the world teaches and learns is John Dewey. He had different, interesting, and new ideas for the development of children and teaching children in a classroom. John Dewey was an American philosopher, psychologist, andRead MoreCritical Pedagogy And The Reggio Emilia1533 Words   |  7 Pagesmerged into early childhood education as obtaining the skills to critically analyze and problem solve has the potential to change society and thus the potential to change the world. It is important individuals become aware of what critical pedagogy is. Critical pedagogy stems from the idea that there is an unequal social structure in our society which is based upon class, race and gender. It has been formulated and influenced by many psychologists and philosophers including John Dewey and Paulo FreireRead MoreLearning Is Viewed As One Of The Most Important Interactive Activities1643 Words   |  7 Pageswithin the individual? This paper is written to discuss an in-depth background of John Dewey and Maria Montessori, and compare their theory and practice in education. John Dewey was born October 20, 1859 in Burlington, Vermont, famous educator of the 20th century. Dewey was known as an academic philosopher and educator at several universities from 1884 to 1930. Being an advocate of educational reform, Dewey founded an experimental elementary school in 1894, written over 1,000 pieces rangingRead MorePhilosophy of Early Childhood Essay854 Words   |  4 Pagesphilosophy of Early childhood Education My philosophy of Early childhood education is based on research that indicates that a child’s growth is developmental. 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As a young child, John BroadusRead MoreEducation Is More Important Today World Than Ever Before1446 Words   |  6 PagesPart 1- Introduction and Description of Program Education is more important in today’s world than ever before. In September of 2010, a new program was implemented across Ontario to give students a stronger start in school and life. This program is called Full day kindergarten, it was designed to help support early learning as well as contribute to Ontario’s long-term economic competitive advantaged. (edu.gov.com) George Vanier Catholic School has run this program since its implementation in 2010