Republic of the Philippines

University of Southeastern Philippines

College of Education
B.O. Obrero, Davao City, Philippines

Reflection Paper:
Pioneers of Educational Theories

Prepared by
Divine Grace R. Merina
Med-LT
EDFD 231
(10:00am-1:00pm)

December 2021

1
 Republic of the Philippines
University of Southeastern Philippines
College of Education
B.O. Obrero, Davao City, Philippines

Pioneers of Educational Theories

Perhaps the most significant implication of these ideas about learning and knowledge is
that they imply that thoughtful teachers are intellectuals who think both about subject matter and
students, constructing bridges between the two (Wilson and Peterson, 2006). To construct these
bridges, teachers turn to various Educational Theories- either pick one or combine two or more
theories. But whatever theories they would choose, the goal is to deliver the subject matter to the
students in the most efficient way.
There are numerous authors that the world considers as pioneers in developing
educational theories, and one of them is Maria Montessori- the woman who developed the
Montessori Method. Maria Montessori was a doctor before she was a teacher. The Montessori
Method started when Maria volunteered to join a research program at the psychiatric clinic of the
University of Rome. As part of her work at the clinic, she would visit Rome’s asylums for
children with mental disorders, seeking patients for treatment at the clinic. On one such visit, she
relates how the caretaker of a children’s asylum told her with disgust how the children grabbed
crumbs off the floor after their meal. Montessori realized that in such a bare, unfurnished room,
the children were desperate for sensory stimulation and activities for their hands and that this
deprivation contributed to their condition (). And there, she started to develop the Montessori
Method that is both anchored in Humanism and Constructivism. Montessori is a method of
education based on self-directed activity, hands-on learning, and collaborative play. Children
make creative choices in their learning in Montessori classrooms, while the classroom and the
highly trained teacher offer age-appropriate activities to guide the process.
In 2019, I was given a chance to experience what it is like to be in a Montessori school.
And there, I found the ideal school that I would like my future child to be. Their classrooms are
very unconventional, and the atmosphere promotes fun in learning. It was my first time seeing a
classroom where the students were not chaotic, even if they were all busy. They were busy but
productive. And as for the teachers, the school invests in their teachers by continuously giving
them training and seminars, which they can surely apply in their classrooms. The teachers are
passionate about teaching because they are not bombarded with unnecessary paperwork, unlike
public school teachers. My time there got me thinking of what kind of teacher I should become.
Thus, the birth of my Teaching Philosophy: for learning to succeed, the teacher should
understand his/her lessons and her students.

References:

Wilson, S. & Peterson, P. (2006) Theories of Learning and Teaching: What Do They Mean for Educators? National
Educational Association. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED495823.pdf

Standing, E.M. (1984) Maria Montessori: Her Life and Work. Penguin Publishing Group