Early Years Essay
Learning, according to Churchill et.al (2016 pg. 82) is the way people ‘understand’, ‘experience’ or ‘conceptualise’ the world around them. Children in early years’ education express their learning in a plethora of ways, and it is the role of the educator to support this learning by respecting the individual and creating a positive image of the child that encompasses the multiple ways of understanding, experiencing and conceptualising. It is essential that an early childhood professional postulates such an idea because the image drawn on underpins the way we interact with children, respond to their ideas and behaviours and overall affects the choices we make about their learning (Woodrow, 1999). It is my belief that each child is powered by
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There are two approaches that I deeply affiliate with and believe will influence my teaching practices; the forest school philosophy, and the Reggio Emilia approach. Forest school philosophy recognises that when a child is free to explore the natural environment they able to trust in their own abilities, and decision making (Knight S, 2009). By allowing children to engage with their surroundings and take appropriate risks under the supervision of educators, forest schools foster an image of the child who is capable, confident and able to make sense of their world through their own interpretations of it. This philosophy aligns with my own because I believe it is natural for children to need to explore their own environment and through exploration they are able to foster their curiosities and begin to understand and conceptualise what it means to be a part of the world. The UK Forest School community articulated in 2011, in their fourth guiding principle that “Forest School opportunities are designed to build on an individual’s innate motivation, positive attitudes and/or interests” which I believe perfectly connects to my own philosophy. As a future educator, this approach to learning will greatly impact my teaching practices as I will encourage children to explore their environment, both indoor and outdoor, and to always
There are two approaches that I deeply affiliate with and believe will influence my teaching practices; the forest school philosophy, and the Reggio Emilia approach. Forest school philosophy recognises that when a child is free to explore the natural environment they able to trust in their own abilities, and decision making (Knight S, 2009). By allowing children to engage with their surroundings and take appropriate risks under the supervision of educators, forest schools foster an image of the child who is capable, confident and able to make sense of their world through their own interpretations of it. This philosophy aligns with my own because I believe it is natural for children to need to explore their own environment and through exploration they are able to foster their curiosities and begin to understand and conceptualise what it means to be a part of the world. The UK Forest School community articulated in 2011, in their fourth guiding principle that “Forest School opportunities are designed to build on an individual’s innate motivation, positive attitudes and/or interests” which I believe perfectly connects to my own philosophy. As a future educator, this approach to learning will greatly impact my teaching practices as I will encourage children to explore their environment, both indoor and outdoor, and to always