Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn. ~ Benjamin Franklin
Growing up in a household filled with educators, I learned to view learning as something supportive and nurturing. As a student, I struggled and was always hard on myself to do better. I aimed to keep up with the gifted kids, but I encountered several roadblocks along the way. This taught me that we all had one goal to reach, but not every learner took the same road to achieve it. Teachers who understood that aspect of learning for me growing up had given me the insight and tools to take with me on my learning journey and as I applied them to a career later on down the road.
Education has always been a focal point in my life despite my struggles. I am now taking on the role of both educator and student. Being a lifelong learner is an ongoing exploration of the world around us and of ourselves as learners. I don't believe the journey ever stops; you just make progress along the way, marked by growth and occasionally a wrong turn. This document reflects my evolving philosophy as I continue to learn and grow. I hope it inspires you to reflect on your own learning journey. I want to dive into what shaped my learning philosophy and explore my set of beliefs that guide every learner's journey.
Education has always been a focal point in my life despite my struggles. I am now taking on the role of both educator and student. Being a lifelong learner is an ongoing exploration of the world around us and of ourselves as learners. I don't believe the journey ever stops; you just make progress along the way, marked by growth and occasionally a wrong turn. This document reflects my evolving philosophy as I continue to learn and grow. I hope it inspires you to reflect on your own learning journey. I want to dive into what shaped my learning philosophy and explore my set of beliefs that guide every learner's journey.
Teaching and Learning
Teaching and learning are two sides of the same coin. As a member of my district's teaching and learning team, I want to empower teachers to understand that effective teaching requires active learning and that a learner's success often depends on effective teaching.
When comparing teaching and learning philosophies, both are focused on education but have different viewpoints. Learning philosophies question how learners learn best to help them succeed and develop their knowledge and skills. Cognitive Constructivists such as Piaget and Dewy pose that the learner's primary role is to connect and construct new information with prior knowledge to form a new understanding. They also suggest that learning is ongoing, where one must gain knowledge through their own experiences rather than just acquiring knowledge. This is why I believe that collaboration and cooperative structures should be involved in this process so that learners can have ownership of what they learn.
Teaching philosophies, on the other hand, question the teacher's role in the learning process and what strategies and teaching methods are most effective for the learners. Teachers can create more collaborative and engaging learning experiences by comparing and understanding both perspectives.
I believe that in order to create a successful learning environment, we need to understand our audience and know our learners. My philosophy revolves around student-centered learning to achieve genuine learning and successful outcomes. Allowing learners to make choices, take ownership, and have a voice leads to authentic learning opportunities. Shifting the learning approach by presenting information in various ways that foster discussions and allow students to make meaningful connections will improve student learning and a deeper understanding of the content.
In order to create a successful learning environment, we need to understand our audience and know our learners. My philosophy revolves around student-centered learning to achieve genuine learning and successful outcomes. Allowing learners to make choices, take ownership, and have a voice leads to authentic learning opportunities. Shifting the learning approach by presenting information in various ways that foster discussions and allow students to make meaningful connections will improve student learning and a deeper understanding of the content. Working with teachers as an instructional coach, I have shifted to implementing the COVA approach this year, which empowers students through choice ownership, within their learning experiences. By providing learners with ownership, ive observed built-in motivation and long-lasting learning outcomes (Harapnuik et al., 2018).
When comparing teaching and learning philosophies, both are focused on education but have different viewpoints. Learning philosophies question how learners learn best to help them succeed and develop their knowledge and skills. Cognitive Constructivists such as Piaget and Dewy pose that the learner's primary role is to connect and construct new information with prior knowledge to form a new understanding. They also suggest that learning is ongoing, where one must gain knowledge through their own experiences rather than just acquiring knowledge. This is why I believe that collaboration and cooperative structures should be involved in this process so that learners can have ownership of what they learn.
Teaching philosophies, on the other hand, question the teacher's role in the learning process and what strategies and teaching methods are most effective for the learners. Teachers can create more collaborative and engaging learning experiences by comparing and understanding both perspectives.
I believe that in order to create a successful learning environment, we need to understand our audience and know our learners. My philosophy revolves around student-centered learning to achieve genuine learning and successful outcomes. Allowing learners to make choices, take ownership, and have a voice leads to authentic learning opportunities. Shifting the learning approach by presenting information in various ways that foster discussions and allow students to make meaningful connections will improve student learning and a deeper understanding of the content.
In order to create a successful learning environment, we need to understand our audience and know our learners. My philosophy revolves around student-centered learning to achieve genuine learning and successful outcomes. Allowing learners to make choices, take ownership, and have a voice leads to authentic learning opportunities. Shifting the learning approach by presenting information in various ways that foster discussions and allow students to make meaningful connections will improve student learning and a deeper understanding of the content. Working with teachers as an instructional coach, I have shifted to implementing the COVA approach this year, which empowers students through choice ownership, within their learning experiences. By providing learners with ownership, ive observed built-in motivation and long-lasting learning outcomes (Harapnuik et al., 2018).
Learning Theories
In the study of learning, there is no universally accepted definition of how individuals learn. Similarly, various theories attempt to explain how students can learn most effectively. Each theory provides insights and recommendations for creating an ideal learning environment accommodating different learning styles. Understanding these theories has helped me identify my beliefs and why certain instructional strategies promote a more engaging and productive learning experience for all.
As I explored these areas of learning, I found myself being pulled in various directions of learning and being a learner. As we move from behaviorism to cognitivism and constructivism, the focus of teaching transitions from simply giving information to helping students actively engage and apply their knowledge (Ertmer and Newby, 2013, p.58).
As a Behaviorist learner, I set high goals for myself, and depending on the environment, I feel motivated by external rewards and recognitions. Behaviorism remains a prevalent influence on teaching and learning methods today but may not always be the best or only method for learning success (Bates & Bates, 2019). I connect this learning method to my children beginning their school-age learning careers. They are putting together observable and measurable outcomes and mastering early steps before starting higher levels of performance (Bates & Bates, 2019).
Cognitive Constructivists believe learners build their understanding by connecting new information to their existing knowledge (Tan and Hung, 2002). Allowing learners to tap into their expression and voice while learning sometimes takes a backseat to the standardized data teachers seek. As an instructional coach, I have the privilege of working with new teachers in our new teacher academy. The courses in the ADL program have changed my perspective on learning and have led me to believe in giving our learners the freedom to choose and express themselves in their learning process. In my innovation plan, I aim to establish a blended learning environment to help our learners reflect on their experiences and determine what methods work best for them. I want teachers to utilize their previous knowledge and implement new strategies and concepts to create the most effective learning environment.
Reflecting on my research of learning theories, I understand how connected my beliefs about learning are to teaching and the learners' role in a learning environment. Constructivism aligns the most with my beliefs that learners are active participants in their own learning and not just passively given the information to absorb. Prior knowledge and experiences combined with new information create a meaningful understanding. Theorists such as Jean Piaget and John Dewy have influenced my perspective and provided insight into the learning process. By creating a culture of discovery, we as educators can empower learners to become lifelong learners.
As I explored these areas of learning, I found myself being pulled in various directions of learning and being a learner. As we move from behaviorism to cognitivism and constructivism, the focus of teaching transitions from simply giving information to helping students actively engage and apply their knowledge (Ertmer and Newby, 2013, p.58).
As a Behaviorist learner, I set high goals for myself, and depending on the environment, I feel motivated by external rewards and recognitions. Behaviorism remains a prevalent influence on teaching and learning methods today but may not always be the best or only method for learning success (Bates & Bates, 2019). I connect this learning method to my children beginning their school-age learning careers. They are putting together observable and measurable outcomes and mastering early steps before starting higher levels of performance (Bates & Bates, 2019).
Cognitive Constructivists believe learners build their understanding by connecting new information to their existing knowledge (Tan and Hung, 2002). Allowing learners to tap into their expression and voice while learning sometimes takes a backseat to the standardized data teachers seek. As an instructional coach, I have the privilege of working with new teachers in our new teacher academy. The courses in the ADL program have changed my perspective on learning and have led me to believe in giving our learners the freedom to choose and express themselves in their learning process. In my innovation plan, I aim to establish a blended learning environment to help our learners reflect on their experiences and determine what methods work best for them. I want teachers to utilize their previous knowledge and implement new strategies and concepts to create the most effective learning environment.
Reflecting on my research of learning theories, I understand how connected my beliefs about learning are to teaching and the learners' role in a learning environment. Constructivism aligns the most with my beliefs that learners are active participants in their own learning and not just passively given the information to absorb. Prior knowledge and experiences combined with new information create a meaningful understanding. Theorists such as Jean Piaget and John Dewy have influenced my perspective and provided insight into the learning process. By creating a culture of discovery, we as educators can empower learners to become lifelong learners.