The two theorists I relate the most with, in regards to my philosophy on Early Childhood

Education, are Jerome Bruner and Jean Piaget.

Bruner viewed learning as a constructive process. Taking ideas already known and building
on those ideas to construct new ideas and concepts, in essence scaffolding. I too believe in the
process of teaching children from the basis of what they already know and helping them to
increase that knowledge. I do this through encouragement, support, open communication with
families and understanding.
Piaget viewed child development happening in four stages: Sensorimotor, Pre-Operational,
Concrete Operational and Formal Operational. My personal philosophy focuses primarily on the
Pre-Operational stage, the age from two to seven. I believe, while children are in this stage of
development; language, symbols and play are the cornerstones to learning. By talking with
children, by encouraging them to use their imaginations through play and by helping them to
realize symbols have meaning; I am helping them to grow in their understanding of the concept
of learning.