ABSTRACT

A personal philosophy of education must reflect a person's values, goals, and ideas on teaching and learning. The philosophy of education helps clarify a perspective on teaching and learning and fosters critical thinking so that educators can make better decisions in the future. Personal teaching experience and educational background on the most effective educational strategies led to the conclusion that a stimulating and supportive environment is the best for child development. According to Piaget (2021), a child is a little scientist who can explore the physical world independently. Children can actively construct knowledge by interpreting it in light of previous experiences instead of only receiving information passively. Piaget claimed that children are constructivists who learn through engaging with their external environment. The teacher's job is to ensure that the learning environment is conducive to meeting the child’s needs. According to Vygotsky (2021), the child has a zone of proximal development. This zone was only reachable with the support of an adult or other more mature child. Vygotsky was interested in what a child could accomplish with assistance and how the adult/ teacher and child interaction shaped children’s thinking. It is notable that both psychologists discussed the importance of teachers in the educational process. A professional teacher should know that all children can learn regardless of ethnicity, language, or learning challenges. By creating a stimulating and supportive learning environment and providing children with hands-on activities based on their interests and needs, all children will learn (NAEYC, 2022). Utilizing a stimulating and supportive environment, such as constructivism, can be a highly effective teaching strategy where children are given the chance to interact with and work with real-world objects, which prepares them for success in real life.