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Angel Dietrich

Mrs. Hofbauer

ECD 190

5 December, 2016

Educational Philosophy

Embarking on the journey through my early childhood education has been exciting and

informational. I have learned tools and techniques that will allow me to perform to my best

ability for my future students. Understanding the history of early childhood education, theorists

and major contributors, how children behave, how family impacts students, how the environment

affects students, and how to emotionally support students provides me with those tools and

techniques. I feel that being an early childhood education teacher is one of the most important

jobs in the world. ECE, or early childhood education, teachers lay the foundation for each child’s

future. An ECE teacher’s philosophy affects the way they teach and respond to children. My

personal philosophy consists of a compilation of a few different theorists ideas and is strongly

impacted by the National Association of Education for Young Children’s Developmentally

Appropriate Practices.

Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs has been one of the most influential ideas to

impact me. The idea that humans have proceeding levels of needs to feel fulfillment is brilliant.

Maslow proposed the theory that there are five levels in the hierarchy of needs and each need has

to be fulfilled before moving on to the next. In proceeding order; physiological, safety, love and

belonging, esteem, and self-actualization are each of the levels. The physiological level

represents the need for food, water, air, sleep, and shelter. The reason Maslow’s physiological

need has remained so impactful for me is because not all children have their physiological needs
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met prior to coming to a childcare facility. It is truly baffling the number of young children who

go to school with no breakfast, wearing worn or ill-fitting clothing, no winter coats or boots, and

no lunch money. There are so many reasons why a young child may not have their physiological

needs being met, but it is through no fault of their own. I feel that I can expect many of my future

students to be battling this physiological need, however it is important to me that I insure those

needs are met in the facility in which I work. Children who have not had their physiological

needs met cannot sit, focus, learn, and play. As Maslow explained, each level of the hierarchy of

needs has to be fulfilled before moving on to the next. Therefore, children must have their

physiological needs met so they are able to focus and learn.

Another contributor to the early childhood education field is Bronfrenbrenner.

Bronfrenbrenner’s bioecological model explains that children are a result of their surroundings. I

strongly believe that the bioecological model explains children’s behavior very well.

Bronfrenbrenner elaborated that the direct environment, the links to their direct environment,

links between direct and indirect settings, and overarching cultural patterns, values, and beliefs

influence children. The smallest and most direct link is called the microsystem. In my opinion,

children are influenced mostly by their microsystem. When a child is in the classroom, away

from their home and family members, their behaviors can show how they’re being treated in

their microsystem. I feel that when children continuously seek attention at school, it is most

likely because they do not receive attention at home. A student’s environment can be loving,

supportive, and motivational for the child, and on the opposite side of the spectrum, it can also be

full of anger, yelling, and disappointment. Families are one key factor in a student’s success or

demise. I believe that young children are results of their surroundings, therefore it is my job to

understand and act accordingly to each individual child’s situation and behavior.
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Diversity in the classroom is not something I have gained much personal experience in,

but have received so much knowledge in. I have learned that diversity does not only apply to

race, culture, and beliefs, but also to abilities and disabilities. To me, diversity in the classroom

can be a student with down’s syndrome, a student in a wheelchair, a student from a foreign

country, a student who is gifted, and a student on a behavior plan. Approaching each diverse

student with an educated plan is my goal. Getting to know each student and their family can

assist me in being fully prepared to teach them. Students from a different culture with different

priorities, values, morals, and beliefs is an opportunity for me as the teacher and for the students

to learn from first hand experience what that culture is like. I believe that it is really beneficial

for students to see that people can be different and that it is okay. I think that diversity in the

classroom is very important for students to see because diversity in the classroom reflects the

real world. In Northwest Ohio there is not much diversity; many people are raised similarly with

similar beliefs and values. I have made understanding diversity one of my personal goals.

Students in early childhood education, from the ages three to eight, will learn many new

concepts and ideas. There is so much information for students in Preschool, Pre-Kindergarten,

and Kindergarten to learn, however I feel some concepts are more important than others. I think

that the most important skills a child should learn in early education are small and large motor

skills, an emotional understanding, building social skills, building trusting relationships with

adults other than parents or immediate family, and play. I believe that children do most of their

learning while playing with peers and in play facilitated by ECE teachers. While there is so much

information for children to learn, there are specific ways for children to learn these concepts.

Children should learn autonomy by given choices in what to play with. Running, jumping,

learning to ride a bicycle and kick a ball, climbing, and other activities develop large motor
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skills. Writing, cutting, and playing with small manipulatives such as blocks can develop small

motor skills. Communication skills are built by creating friendships where children also learn to

share. Relationships are built between students but also between teacher and student. I believe

that one of the most important factors of early childhood education is creating a caring

relationship with students. I feel that children should learn and develop through play and I, as the

teacher, step in and take advantage of teachable moments. While circle time has its advantages

for young children, children are more likely to learn and remember a new concept or idea when

they can relate it to an action, behavior, experience, or feeling.

Developmentally appropriate practices are important to me because the overarching

themes that are described explain exactly the teacher and person I aspire to be. I aspire to

challenge and create opportunities for each and every child, make deliberate and thoughtful

decisions and assessments, expand my professional development while also maintaining my

values in play, and empower my students. The overarching themes of the developmentally

appropriate practices will remain with me and assist me in reaching my full potential as an ECE

teacher. What I have taken from the developmentally appropriate practices is that while new

information, concepts, and ideas should be somewhat challenging, the children should be

engaging in their interests and guiding the play. As I mentioned before, as a teacher I plan to take

advantage of teachable moments in child-centered play. Another key aspect of developmentally

appropriate practices that will help me be an effective teacher is collecting data and making

assessments. The thought of collecting data from students throughout the year to understand

where they have excelled, where they need to grow, and where they show interest makes me

excited. Assessing students is essentially creating tiny personalized lesson plans for each student.

If I record that a student has difficulties writing at the beginning of the year, when we focus on
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handwriting, I know that I can make myself more available to that student. Then seeing the

progress throughout the year will give me enthusiasm to continue inspiring students.

As a preservice teacher, I know I still have a lot to learn, however I am confident in

myself when it comes to how I feel about teaching. I am passionate and enthusiastic about

inspiring young children to reach their full potential. I have already been equipped with a

plethora of knowledge that will make me an effective teacher. I have connected to certain

theorists and their views, I have learned ways to facilitate learning in teachable moments, I have

learned how to address diversity, and I have learned how to address families and communities. I

know that I am capable of creating and maintaining meaningful relationships with students and

families, which is very important to me. Lastly, I believe that through collecting data and

assessment, I will be able to individually support each and every one of my students. I hope to

continue learning more information that will support me in being an effective teacher and reach

my goals in obtaining my Associates in Early Childhood Education.