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Role of environment in the child's development
Role of environment in the child's development
Environment for child development
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Which is more preferable, education based on freedom or an education based on structure? Colin Powell’s “Kids Need Structure”, and Maria Montessori’s “Freedom”, each talk about how they believe children should be educated. After reading these two texts, one can see the differences in their views on raising and educating children. In “Freedom”, Maria Montessori develops the idea that the role of an educator is to be a guider and observer. “She mays be always ready to supply the desired help, but may never be the obstacle between the child and his experience” (paragraph 1). The role of an educator, as stated, is to be a guider so that the child can unfold freely into who they want to be. The educator just needs to be there to keep the
In the Book Educating Esme', by Esme' Raji Codell, Esme tells her experiences as a first year teacher and the trials and tribulations that she encountered first hand. "It's a painfully candid, often inspiring personal account Esme' is a young, rash, exuberant, alternately innocent and street-wise, always child-wise and sometimes irrational" (200-201). She struggles to give each of the students her best throughout the entire school year. "She consumes [them] with wit, threats, music, poetry, pouts, compliments, and always, daily literature" (201). She does whatever it is that the children needs, but most of all she remains " consistent, and [the children] know if they do not follow [the] guidelines" that there will be consequences (65). Esme' does an astounding job working with the kids as a whole as well as on an individual basis to reassure and nurture them; these are the things that they do not receive at home. She believes that, "'you have to be everything to them: counselor, mother, friend ' on and on" (161)
Education is one of the cornerstones and pillars to the establishment and preservation of democracy. In history, countless scores of philosophers and political thinkers believed that only an educated citizenry can take on the quintessential task of upholding democracy. Thomas Jefferson, the primary writer of the Declaration of Independence, stated that “an informed citizenry is the only true repository of the public will.” A renowned defender of public education, Jefferson proposed plans for an education system that included grammar schools in his presidency. As a result of these relentless policies for education, the United States expanded on the concept of public instruction through the establishment and upkeep of a practical education system. The United States continued this tradition and established a reputation as one of the best education in the world. Currently, this is no longer valid as other countries such as Finland, China, and South Korea are competing for the dominant position through rigorous reforms that aim to boost student performances (“Best Education”). Meanwhile, the American system is inefficient, inhibited by political obstacles and gridlock while Finland, the top ranked country in terms of schooling, is continuing to improve. According to the PISA (Program for International Student Assessment) examinations that tested pupils across a variety of subjects such as reading, mathematics, and science of 2009, Finland’s students were ranked among the top (“PISA 2009”). The American students were ranked below average for industrialized countries in the world, revealing the reality of the educational crisis in the country. Finland’s education system, compared to the Americans, offers major differences that greatly ...
I believe that teaching and learning is both a science and an art, which requires the implementation of already determined rules. I see learning as the result of internal forces within the person student. I know that children differ in the way they learn and grow but I also know that all children can learn. Students’ increased understanding of their own experience is a legitimate form of knowledge. I will present my students with opportunities to develop the ability to meet personal knowledge.
In chapter five of his book, Mastery, Robert Greene (2012) outlines the way to find mastery. The first step to mastery is The Creative Path (Greene, 2012 p. 179). Greene states that becoming a master will not occur if you are easily swayed by setbacks or desire a life full of ease and comfort (Green, 2012 p. 179). When pursuing a creative endeavor one must pursue it with their whole being. Maria Montessori was able to achieve mastery despite the obstacles she faced. Montessori grew up in Italy and from an early age showed an interest in reading and academics, which differed from most females of her time (Adams, 1969, p. 49). Maria attended the University of Rome, much to the disdain of her father and the university, and in 1896 she became the first woman in Italy to graduate with a Doctor of Medicine degree. (Adams, 1969, p. 49; Solan, H. A. (2007) p. 61). Like a true master, Montessori did not stop pursuing knowledge in her field. Shortly after graduation she was introduced to a narrower field of medicine and in 1897 returned to the University of Rome to study pedagogy and education...
Furthermore, Vygotsky declares that knowledge is constructed by social interactions with people who surround the child. The author also presents the concept of “zone of proximal development” as the distance between what children do without any supervision and what they are not able to achieve unless a more knowledgeable person guides them through it. In other words, the zone of proximal development refers to activities children cannot do, though they manage to fulfill with certain level of difficulty by following their better skilled fellows' suitable guidance. In the educational field, teachers play an essential role on their learners’ developmental process. Educators serve as models and provide a vast range of learning opportunities that enable their students reach their next level of development and become more autonomous each
Montessori was similar and different to Clara Gunby. For one, Montessori was not a political activist like Gunby was, instead she was an independent and passionate woman who was “known for her educational philosophy encouraging children to be self-directed learners”.5 Having this type of leading role helped to set her apart from the typical middle-class woman. This is important because the typical middle-class woman was finding employment, but it was only temporary. Also, these women did not have a big influence on their society While Gunb...
Maria Montessori was the first female doctor in Italy. Her background in science guided her discoveries of children in Rome. It was these discoveries that led her to creating a method that would impact many students. The Montessori method in the United State has had in impact on US education. The story of its humble beginnings to its rise of influence supports just how impactful it has been in the United States.
Maria Montessori was born in 1870 in the town of Chiaravalle, Italy. Her dream was to become an engineer but luckily for us she ended up being the first woman to graduate from the University of Rome La Sapienza Medical School, becoming the first female doctor in Italy. Montessori became intrigued with trying to educate the “special needs” or “unhappy little ones” [Michael Olaf’s Essential Montessori: School Edition for ages 3-12+] Dr. Maria Montessori was a great child theorist.
Maria Montessori was born in Italy in 1870 and influenced childcare massively in the 20th century. Montessori believed that children learn best through using their hands. She felt that one of the main factors that contributed to the child’s development was the ‘prepared’ environment. Children learn through exploration and the adult’s role is to create an environment where they can do
The education of children has existed since the beginning of time as parents have taught and molded their children into the young adults they desired them to be. Initial training of children was not in a formal setting, although history would see numerous settings, purposes, and methodological changes. Philosophies of education have also changed through the years as various voices have seemed to grasp the purpose of educating the next generation, thus laying out objectives to reach those goals of teaching children.
Maria Montessori was the founder of the Montessori educational method. Maria Montessori graduated from the University of Rome Medical School and was working with “mentally deficient” children (Scotty, 2009). She always had a great aspiration to help children. The Montessori methods came about from her observations while working at the Casa dei Bambini (a daycare center in Rome). She saw how children learn naturally by things around them. Maria Montessori believed that children learned best by doing things individually and teaching themselves (Lewis, 1992). In Montessori schools children learn to deal with real life problems and how to overcome life’s obstacles. The teachers provide the children with freedom and independence.
Maria Montessori described the educational needs of the 6- 12 year old elementary child as: the acquisition of culture, the exploration of morality, and the development of organized social activity (Montessori, 1948, p. 4). The child of this age is further described as having a "hungry intelligence" that is eager to explore the vast fields of knowledge (Montessori, 1948, p.4). The learning environment and the adults within that environment must maintain a vast pool of general information from which these intellectually hungry children can explore. Through the exploration of this well prepared environment the child begins to recognize the interdependence of all things:
In order to promote the best outcome from the curriculum we must consider that each child is an individual in their own right. Tricia David (2001: 55) states that early childhood should be a time of “spontaneity and of exploration according to individual interests”. Thus accounting for the child’s strengths and weaknesses, as well as their likes and dislikes, provides a curriculum, which will promote optimum development. This is also known as a ...
She believed that children could learn to use real tools safely. Materials should not be kept out of the children’s reach instead children should be able to reach materials when they needed them. Montessori believed that this will help them become responsible for their own learning. In addition, she believed that for children to grow and develop skills, adults should let them do everything they are capable of. This will foster children’s independence, and will allow children to take responsibility. Finally she thought that careful observation was the key to determine what the children were interested in or need to learn [Mooney, page 33]. Teacher should take the time to observe children and reflect to better prepare the best possible environment, and to plan curriculum.
Children may also need help in having their attention directed towards significant features of a task or a situation, when left alone, they might not make the right connections. The interventions by the knowledgeable give the child a structure within which to formulate meaning (Smith, Cowie, Blades, p510). Based on this I believe that it is important that our children’s development should begin at day care and pre-school age. So that developmentally they are not left alone and not making the correct developmental connections. Many times we leave our children alone and it sets them up for failure. As teachers and parents we should not fail to build on prior knowledge, as some of our day care centers do, but we should build on the foundations of knowledge at an early time. Not in the 3rd and 4th grade when its too late.