CA1 ACADEMIC ESSAY EDUCATION STUDIES

EDUCATION STUDIES CA 1:
ACADEMIC ESSAY

MY PERSONAL PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION AND ITS APPLICATION TO

TECHNICAL TEACHING

G00363780

Lecturer: Dr Pauline Logue

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CA1 ACADEMIC ESSAY EDUCATION STUDIES

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Student Number: G00363780

Programme: BSc in Ed. (Design, Graphics and Construction).
Year: 3
Module: Education Studies
Assignment Title: CA1a Academic Essay
Due Date: 21st October 2018

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CA1 ACADEMIC ESSAY EDUCATION STUDIES

1. INTRODUCTION
A philosophy statement is an essay that all upcoming teachers are required
to write to state their practice and teaching beliefs [CITATION Goo19 \l 6153 ].
This statement will explore my beliefs, values and practice of teaching and
learning. I am currently a third-year student in Galway-Mayo Institute of
Technology (GMIT). I am studying BSc. in Education (Design, Graphics
and Construction). My teaching subjects consist of Wood Technology
(WT), Graphics and Design and Communication Graphics (DCG). This
essay statement will state my own personal preference of philosophers and
how I may apply their theories in my classroom. To date I have completed
school placement 1(SP1) and SP2 and have already begun my personal
philosophy statement.

I believe from my experience in education that Fairness, equality and

respect is first and foremost the most important to create a successful
learning environment.

Firstly, we will explore Pre-19th century philosophers and their philosophy

and the way their methods might benefit my teaching methods and
practice.

We will explore Maria Montessori and John Dewey’s Philosophy theories

and discover their similarities and differences. I will than state how I may
introduce these theories to my teaching practice and how it may benefit
my futures students learning and well-being.

To conclude my personal philosophy statement, I will give you an

understanding to my beliefs and understanding of an excellent learning
environment.
CA1 ACADEMIC ESSAY EDUCATION STUDIES

2. PRE-19TH CENTURY PHILOSOPHERS

In this section we look at pre-19th century philosophers. In this era there
was lots of famous philosophers from ancient Greek up to the times of
Maria Montessori and John Dewey.

For this section I am going to explore two philosophers that have intrigued
my interest and that I feel may relate to my teaching practice, they are
Socrates (470-399BC) and Pestalozzi (1746-1827).

2.1 SOCRATES (470-399BC)

Socrates was considered to be the first political philosopher and the first to
investigate questioning regarding justice, virtue and logical questioning
[CITATION War07 \p 1 \l 6153 ]. Socrates was sentenced to death in 399BC for
the charge of impiety and took his own life after a period of imprisonment
at the age of seventy-one years of age when he consumed Hemlock, a
highly poisonous biennial herbaceous flowering plant [CITATION Tom04 \p

1 \l 6153 ].

Even in this modern era, Socrates method (Socratic method) is very

appropriate in today’s classroom as critical questioning and thinking is
vital to get students to develop knowledge and governor their
thoughts[CITATION Dou14 \p 1 \l 6153 ] . A method that is used every day in
Wood-Technology and Graphics classes. As teachers we prop students
with higher order thinking of why we would do this, what is the best way
to do this and what do you think is better.
CA1 ACADEMIC ESSAY EDUCATION STUDIES

2.2 PESTALOZZI
Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi (1746-1827) was a Swizz born philosopher.
Pestalozzi was only five years old when his father died and was raised by
his mother and by the family maid Barbara Schmid (Babeli).

Pestalozzi believed that love was the foundation of education success and
avoided the traditional method of teaching of reading from text books and
memorizing their contents within[CITATION Dav08 \p 118 \l 6153 ]. Pestalozzi
considered all children to be born good and that it was influences in their
lives that discouraged their natural goodness to be replaced with
mischief[CITATION Wil99 \p 28 \l 6153 ]. W.J Letts and J.T. Sears further states
that Pestalozzi, influenced by Rousseau that primary schools should be
modelled around a prodigious home rather than treated like an intellectual
academy. He believed that the physiological well-being of children was
the most important aspect of education and with the child’s well-being
cared and nurtured for, it would help carve a better society.

Pestalozzi theory is very relevant in today’s society as we are now facing a

reform in the junior cycle and cannot question his influence on one of the
specifications, that is well-being of the students and how we as
teachers/educators are required to allocate a minimum of four hours
weekly to well-being[CITATION Nat19 \p 8 \l 6153 ].

Pestalozzi had a major impact on education and still relevant in todays

society. Pestalozzi was committed to social reform and believed that
education was the key answer to change in society. He also believed that
CA1 ACADEMIC ESSAY EDUCATION STUDIES

there was cohesive learning that could be learned and practiced. His
believes has carved teacher training throughout the United States and
Europe, he believed that teacher training should consist of substantial
open-minded education followed by a period to research and professional
training[ CITATION Col19 \l 6153 ].

3. MARIA MONTESSORI
Maria Tecla Artemisia Montessori, Italian born (1870-1952). Montessori
studied in Sapienza University of Rome and became to come one of best-
known philosophers of education. Montessori gave freedom to explore and
was fearless. She remained adamant despite rejection of her methods by
many institute’s and teachers disbelieving in her approaches deeming ‘old
school’ methods to be better[CITATION JMc14 \p xi \l 6153 ] . As stated by
Gerald and Patricia Gutek (2016), at the age of twenty-six Montessori
achieved a degree in Doctor of medicine. With this degree and being the
first Italian woman to achieve a medical degree, gave Montessori an
opportunity to research applied science to life. As a strong minded woman
that she was, Montessori took a role of assistant physician at the
University of Rome clinica Psichiatrica in 1897, a clinic for children with
mental disabilities[CITATION Ger16 \p 32 \l 6153 ] . Montessori believed that
children with mental disabilities was more of a pedagogical issue more
than a medical one on her observations as part of her duty at the
psychiatric clinic[CITATION Bar12 \p 5 \l 6153 ].

As Stated by Priya D. Baligadoo (2014), She believed that adolescents

should be reminded of their unconscious duty of peace and the only way
CA1 ACADEMIC ESSAY EDUCATION STUDIES

for peace to be possible was through young adolescents. Montessori

advocated this by giving students the chance to take part in social
activities, to find resolutions without feeling pressured. In one example she
came to the conclusion that the traditional approach of the classroom
allowed overloading the child’s mind developing into rivalry which in turn
affected the education for peace[ CITATION Pri14 \l 6153 ].

I believe this method to be an important factor in my future teaching career

as it proved to be vital part of my School Placement 2 (SP2). On my first
day of introducing myself to class, I informed the students that I wanted all
participants to respect each other and help each other as much as possible
and that they would be rewarded for doing so. I conducted group work in
class which made students to interact with one another and conduct
activities. I found this method to work for myself as a student teacher and
students were keen to get involved with no pressure influence from me as
the teacher. Class moral was elevated, and class behaviour and
Management wasn’t as much of a task, but a pleasure.

4. JOHN DEWEY
John Dewey (1859-1952) was an American born educator, philosopher
and psychologist. Dewey like Montessori as stated by Charles F. Howlett
Audrey Cohan (2016) believed in peace and was a strong advocate against
military style education. This military style consisted of seating
arrangements labelled in straight rows and only allowed to move on the
teachers instruction or gesture[CITATION Cha16 \p 101 \l 6153 ]. Although I
don’t agree with this statement as I believe it is important to have a seating
CA1 ACADEMIC ESSAY EDUCATION STUDIES

arrangement in place to keep classroom management in order and above

all else health and safety. In my experience from SP1, I witnessed in a
primary school all the students seated in a horseshoe shape that ensured
that every student in the class was engaged in discussions and class
activity. If possible it would be something I would like to try on SP3 in my
Graphics class and if possible in Wood Technology as I consider this to be
good practice of the Montessori theory of engaging all the students in
activity and getting each student to feel no pressure to or to create the
atmosphere of rivalry in the classroom.

Although Dewey is remarked for is education reform, he must be

applauded on his view of putting the students’ needs first of education. As
stated by Dr. Elena Achkovska Leshkovska and Dr. Suzana Miovska
Spaseva (2016)

Education is a necessity of life, social process of continuing change

and reconstruction of the individual experience; being interpreted
within the concept of development, education is a process of living
and not a preparation for future living[CITATION DrE16 \p 57 \l 6153 ].

Although education is vital for students progression in life, good

communication is vital for transmitting the knowledge to promote
reflection on one’s knowledge and to give positive feedback and to give
students that platform for everyday communication exchange in everyday
life[CITATION Eri17 \p 264 \l 6153 ].

Language is vital for me as a student teacher in a Gaeltacht region as both

Irish (Gaeilge) and English is spoken as seen from both school placement
to date. As a must I need to be fluent in both languages and cater for
CA1 ACADEMIC ESSAY EDUCATION STUDIES

students both needs and ensure that my language towards my technical

subjects is fluent. As a teacher I must be able to master this to facilitate the
student that may only have one language as I did when I first started my
education.

5. CONCLUSION
The aim of this is essay was to explore my personal view of education,
beliefs, values and practice.

To assist me and deepen my beliefs value and practice of teaching and

learning, I choose to explore theorist of education, including Maria
Montessori and John Dewey. In my research I found that Montessori and
Dewey had similar beliefs of freedom to explore/learn and that this method
is best for young adolescence and how they perceive the world around
them by feeling and handling objects.

Dewey like Montessori wanted the students to have freedom to explore

and not the traditional ‘military style’ education. Dewey believed in peace
like Montessori and wanted students to engage in activity and discussion.

Dewey believed in language and I, as a teacher need to make sure to

master this barrier in multilanguage schools like that found in the
Gaeltacht region where families move into the region with no
Irish/English.

Like both philosophers’ students are placed at the centre of learning and
education/learning is based on their previous understanding.
CA1 ACADEMIC ESSAY EDUCATION STUDIES

My key learnings in relation to pre-19th century philosophers (Socrates and

Pestalozzi) were that with Socrates method we use higher order
questioning in class and ask why instead of giving the answer to the
question. With every answer you receive you raise another issue/question
to the matter influencing the student to critically think and give the matter
some serious thought. Pestalozzi method is quite similar and requires the
students to think outside the box using teaching aids and little use of texts
books[ CITATION Reb11 \l 6153 ].

Like both philosophers’ students are placed at the centre of learning and
education/learning is based on their previous understanding.

As a student teacher going forward, I want to ensure that my future

students are regarded as the most important individuals to me while under
my supervision. To be an admirable teacher I believe that is important to
engage students in active learning activities instead of having students
memorising out of a textbook. To get students comfortable and like the
idea of Pestalozzi home school method to have parents involved in their
children’s learning.

I believe its important to have the classroom treated as a community that

everyone is involved in its teaching and learning from the teacher, to
administrators and parents. That fairness, equality and respect is essential
in the classroom, this ensures that every student is treated equal regardless
of race, religion or gender.

As a novice teacher I believe that is important to acknowledge that all

novice teachers may be highly motivated and in some cases may loose
interest after some time as a case study demonstrated in Norway [ CITATION
CA1 ACADEMIC ESSAY EDUCATION STUDIES

The19 \l 6153 ]. I believe that this is crucial for my teaching practice and for
the benefit of my students to keep learning active, fun and enjoyable so
that students are wanting to come to class and willing to learn something
new to their own free will.

6. LIST OF REFERENCES

BIBLIOGRAPHY

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[Accessed 31 October 2017].

Charles F. Howlett, A. C., 2016. John Dewy-America's Peace-Minded Educator. USA: Board

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CA1 ACADEMIC ESSAY EDUCATION STUDIES

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and Skills.

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Dewey, J., 1897. My Pedagogic Creed. The School Journal, LIV(3), pp. 77-80.

Dewey, J., 1938. Experience and Education. 1st ed. New York: Simon and Schuster.

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CA1 ACADEMIC ESSAY EDUCATION STUDIES

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ab.1.0.0j0i22i30l9.120971.121695..122749...0.2..0.44.122.3......0....1..gws-

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blog/2013/feb/26/practical-primary-curriculum-learning-by-doing

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[Accessed 31 October 2017].

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CA1 ACADEMIC ESSAY EDUCATION STUDIES