Philosophy Of Early Childhood Education

Being a pre-service training educator, specific goals and objectives should be set to achieve educator’s own educational philosophy. The Educational philosophy is an individual statement of educators’ guiding principles about the education-related issues, which helps to guide when drawing up curricula and structuring classroom discussions for children. Every educator should have their unique set of principles and ideas to affect students’ performance. I strongly believe that early childhood education is to help children to achieve whole person development which including cognitive, physical, mental and social aspects. Children’s programs should be based on children’s needs and interests as they are going to grow, develop and mature in educators’

In Dewey’s Progressive theory, it is promoted that “Education as life; School as society; Learning by doing” and said that “Education is a process of living and not a preparation for future living” (Dewey, 1897). Therefore, he believed that schools should around concerns, curiosities and real-world experiences of students because the everyday world of common experience was all the reality that human-being had access to or needed. Through activities and projects, educators need to encourage students to think critically by making real-life challenges and tests which are able to develop their imagination and complex thinking process. Learning by doing motivates children’s learning when they have to observe and experience the process which help them to think critically, thus it will enhance children’s understanding and improve their problem solving skills. Real objects are needed to use as teaching materials as well as they are closer to reality. It makes learning more meaningful that children can use what they have learnt from school in daily lives, and knowledge is easier for them to memorize as they have first-hand learning experiences. Through assimilation and accommodation, children are in an incessant progression of self-correction and learning is a continuing renovation of

I agree that play-based learning offers different opportunities for children to explore and create, they can also discover new things and communicate with peer during free-play time. Frobel said that “Play is the highest expression of human development in childhood, for it alone is the free expression of what is in a child's soul” (Froebel, 1887). He believed in the importance of play in a child’s learning as creative activity. Play provided the platforms for children’s physical, emotional, social and intellectual development which are essential elements in educating the “whole” children allowing them to use all imaginative powers and physical movements to discover their interests. Children are able to develop and practise motor skills and bodily movements through physical plays. During some cognitive games, such as board games and educational toys, children can improve their mental fitness and brain function. Play also provides opportunities for children to develop their communication skills by making friends and negotiating with others. It helps children extend their language and improve social ability. I believed that play is essential to children’s education that cannot be minimized and separated from learning. It is not only helping children develop cognitive skills, problem solving skills and concentration, but also generating social experiences, and helping children to express possible stresses