Education Philosophy: Learner Engagement | Fostering Interconnections | Holistic Education
Learner Engagement
One of my goals as an educator is facilitating engaging learning environemnts. I want students busy solving problems, creating projects, linking and integrating what they learn. I believe in the power of interaction to promote meaningful learning, such as through experiential and cooperative learning. For students to feel valued I want to understand where they are coming from and be flexible in meeting their learning needs and interests. In short, the learning is student-centred. Optimally, I am a facilitator who guides the learning process and helps instill a love for learning through active engagement.
Fostering Interconnections
In terms of an education philosophy, I align with constructivism. From this point view knowledge is generated within a context (Fosnot, 1996). The learner is self-directed and creative, using strategies such as analysis and conceptualizations to link prior knowledge and generate new knowledge. Social constructivism recognizes that knowledge is connected with the heritage and unique experiences of the learner. In summary, constructivism highlights the importance of fostering interconnections and interactions. In addition to constructivism, I feel very strongly about educational epistemologies that promote student-centred and cooperative learning.
Holistic Education
Progressive education emphasizes that learning occurs best when it is relevant to the student (Hayes, 2006). A pioneer of this pedagogical lineage is John Locke for whom experiential learning was the key to developing reason and knowledge through personal experience (1689). John Dewey (2007) is recognized as developing modern progressivism focused on learning by doing through problem solving and developing critical thinking. As an environmental educator at heart, I am personally drawn to Marietta Johnson’s idea of “Organic Education”, which nurtured holistic education of the mind, body and spirit (Marietta Johnson Museum, 2010). To learn about nature, Johnson felt students should experience nature with their senses.